https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
Skip to main content
  • Market Sector
    • Aerospace
    • Air Transport
    • MRO
    • Defense and Space
    • Business Aviation
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Connected Aerospace
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Manufacturing & Supply Chain
      • Unmanned & Urban Aviation
      • Commercial Space
      • Program Management
      • Sustainability
    • Air Transport
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports & Routes
      • Airlines & Lessors
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
    • MRO
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Supply Chain
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Workforce & Training
      • Sustainability
    • Defense and Space
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Sensors & Electronic Warfare
      • Missile Defense & Weapons
      • Supply Chain
      • Budget, Policy & Operations
      • Space
      • Sustainability
    • Business Aviation
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports, FBOs & Suppliers
      • Flight Deck
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
  • Marketplace
  • Services
    • Services
      • Advertising
      • Marketing Services
      • Fleet, Data & APIs
      • Research & Consulting
      • Network and Route Planning
      • Marketplace
  • Store
    • Market Sector

      • Aerospace
      • Air Transport
      • MRO
      • Defense and Space
      • Business Aviation
    • Type View All Products
      • Intelligence Bundles
        • AWIN - Premium
        • AWIN - Aerospace and Defense
        • AWIN - Business Aviation
        • AWIN - Commercial Aviation
      • Market Briefings
        • Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
        • Aviation Daily
        • SpeedNews
        • The Weekly of Business Aviation
      • Directories
        • Air Charter Guide
        • Aviation Week Marketplace
        • Route Exchange
        • The Engine Yearbook
      • Data Services
        • AC-U-KWIK
        • Aircraft Bluebook
        • Airportdata.com
        • Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM)
        • CAPA – Centre for Aviation
        • Fleet Discovery Civil
        • Fleet Discovery Military
        • Fleet & MRO Forecast
        • MRO Prospector
      • Publications
        • Air Transport World
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology - Inside MRO
        • Business & Commercial Aviation
        • CAPA - Airline Leader
        • Routes magazine
        • ShowNews
      • Resources
        • Downloadable Reports
  • Events
    • Events View All Events
      • MRO
        • MRO Americas
        • MRO Asia
        • MRO Baltics, Eastern Europe and Russia (BEER)
        • MRO Europe
        • MRO Latin America
        • MRO Middle East
        • MRO Transatlantic
        • Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS)
      • Commercial Aviation
        • Aero-Engines Americas
        • Aero-Engines Asia
        • Aero-Engines Europe
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference (ASC)
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference - Europe (ACE)
        • Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance
      • Aerospace and Defense
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions Conference (ADMA)
        • Aerospace Manufacturing Conference (AMC)
        • Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference (RMC)
        • DefenseChain Conference (DCPE)
      • Air Transport
        • CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit
        • CAPA Latin America Aviation & LCCs Summit
        • CAPA Live
        • Routes Americas 2021
        • Routes Asia 2021
        • Routes Europe 2021
        • Routes Reconnected
        • TakeOff North America 2020
        • World Aviation Outlook Summit 2020
        • World Routes 2021
      • Business Aviation
        • Business Aviation Week 2020
        • Business & General Aviation Conference (BGA)
      • Awards
        • 20 Twenties
        • Aviation Week Laureates Awards
        • Program Excellence Awards and Banquet
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming Webinars
  • About
    • About Aviation Week Network
      • Our Story
      • Content and Data Team
      • Aviation Week & Space Technology 100-Year
    • Contact Us
      • Subscriber Services
      • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
      • Content Sales
      • Events
      • PR & Communications
      • Content Licensing and Reprints
      • FAQ
  • Log In
  • Register
  • My Account
    • Profile
    • Sign Out
  • AWIN Access
  • My cart
  1. Back to MRO

Share

MD-80: The Retirement of An American Airlines Icon

Lee Ann Shay

Final Revenue Flights

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

American Airlines flew its last revenue MD-80 flights on Sept. 4 before commemorating the fleet with quite a send off. Of the 26 aircraft that made their last revenue flight on Sept. 3 or 4, American plans to donate two, use one for deicing training for a few weeks in Dallas, and park the rest in Roswell, New Mexico.

MD-80 Fleet

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

The carrier took delivery of its first McDonnell DC-9 Super 80 in October 1982. After American merged with TWA in 2001, its MD-80 fleet numbered 362 at its peak. 

Wing Salute On Takeoff

Stacey Taylor

Two MD-80s ferried American Airlines employees and several journalists from Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) to Roswell, New Mexico (ROW). On takeoff, both of those flights tipped their wings to the right, then left, as a salute to DFW ATC.

Cadillac Of An Aircraft

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

This was the MD-80 that I flew on. Our pilots, who said the MD-80 is “a Cadillac of an aircraft,” flew the aircraft manually for the final flight.

Nameplate

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Here’s the aircraft’s nameplate. American Airlines flew MD-81s, -82s, 83s and -87s.

Comfortable Cabin

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

The cabin was in a 2-by-3 seat configuration with comfortable, cloth-covered seats--and more legroom than newer narrowbodies.  

Galley

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Here's the MD-80 aft galley.

Galley Window

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

And the galley windows. Our cruise altitude was 28,000 ft.

Window View (With Engine)

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Because the JT8D engines are mounted on rear of the fuselage, the view from the back few windows includes the engine (and it’s clearly much louder in the back of the plane than in the front).

Wing View

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

A view of the wing over west Texas or eastern New Mexico.

Tail Cone

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

One unique thing about the MD-80 is its tail cone, where the air condition system and emergency slide are housed. A cat walk pulls down from inside the aircraft to access it.

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

The back stairs were used frequently before jetways were prevalent, said Capt. Bruce Taylor, a chief pilot who flew the MD-80 for 25 years. He will be moving on the Airbus A320.

TWA Red Paint

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Note the red paint near the top of the rudder—a subtle sign from its original carrier—TWA.

Hydraulic Bay

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Jose Ramirez, an AMT and crew chief, in the hydraulics bay near the landing gear. He said the thrust reverser valve and air conditioning units were some of the least desirable parts to maintain.

AA80

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

The MD-80, 4YU, that made the final revenue flight as AA80 from DFW to ORD on Sept. 4, was the last to land at Roswell. 

Passenger Momentos

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

After the aircraft flown as flight AA80 landed, the plane was open for us to see the graffiti covering the inside. Apparently, the last passengers traveled with Sharpies.

Spare Parts?

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

Another passenger's sentiment: parts anyone?

CEO's Accolades

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker noted that the MD-80s replaced older, less efficient aircraft (the 727-100), and now it’s time to make way for new aircraft again. “But for those of you here, you get it,” it’s about appreciating what the aircraft has done for the airline and its uniqueness. Parker noted it’s good to appreciate history and “look forward to where we’re going.”

Exit

Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week

And that is the MD-80’s exit. 

Previous
Next

Gallery originally published September 2019. 

On Sept. 4, American Airlines made its last MD-80 revenue flights and held a retirement fete for the iconic 1980s aircraft, the workhorse affectionately nicknamed Mad Dog. 

Lee Ann Shay

As executive editor of MRO and business aviation, Lee Ann Shay directs Aviation Week's coverage of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), including Inside MRO, and business aviation, including BCA.

Follow us on

Markets

  • Aerospace
  • Air Transport
  • MRO
  • Defense and Space
  • Business Aviation

Products

  • AWIN Intelligence Bundles
  • Market Briefings
  • Publications
  • Data Services
  • Directories
  • Resources

Contact Us

  • Subscriber Services
  • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
  • Content Sales
  • Events
  • PR & Communications
  • Content Licensing and Reprints
  • FAQ

Other Resources

  • Aviation Week Marketplace
  • Knowledge Center
  • Newsletters
  • ShowNews
Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use