IATA M81ICAO MD81

McDonnell Douglas MD-81

McDonnell Douglas

TravelerPulse profile

Rear-engined narrow-body workhorse of the 1980s.

First flight

1979

Category

Narrow-body jet

Seating

130–172 passengers

Range

4,635 km

Engines

Two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 rear-mounted turbofans

Status

In service

The McDonnell Douglas MD-81 is the initial production variant of the MD-80 family, itself a stretched and re-engined development of the DC-9. It entered service in 1980 and became a popular short- to medium-haul airliner, offering improved fuel efficiency over its predecessor through the use of high-bypass turbofan engines mounted at the rear of the fuselage. The MD-81 seats typically around 155 passengers in a single-class configuration and is powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 engines. The aircraft's T-tail configuration and rear-mounted engines give it a distinctive silhouette that was shared across the entire MD-80 family. Over the decades, the MD-81 saw widespread use among European and American carriers. Most airframes have now been retired from major airline fleets, though some continue to operate with smaller carriers and lessors. The aircraft is largely considered end-of-life by most Western operators due to noise and fuel efficiency standards.

Notable operators

Major operators included Alitalia, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, American Airlines, and Iberia.

Notable facts

›The MD-81 was the first production variant of the MD-80 series, entering service in 1980.
›It is a direct development of the Douglas DC-9, with a stretched fuselage and updated engines.
›The JT8D-209 engines offered significantly lower fuel consumption than earlier DC-9 powerplants.
›The MD-80 family collectively sold over 1,100 units to airlines worldwide.
›Rear-mounted engines and a T-tail are the most visually distinctive features of the design.

Read more on Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.

Encyclopaedia

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 was the second generation of the DC-9 family, originally designated as the DC-9-80 and later stylized as the DC-9 Super 80 . With a stretched, enlarged wing and powered by higher bypass Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 engines, the aircraft program was launched in October 1977. The MD-80 made its first flight on October 18, 1979, and was certified on August 25, 1980. The first airliner was delivered to launch customer Swissair on September 13, 1980, which introduced it into service on October 10, 1980.

Read full article on Wikipedia