Future of the MD-80

[AA34]

Anybody have any insight as to what will happen to all the Mad Dogs that will be retired over the coning years? Delta continues to add a few, but I believe American is replacing their fleet with the 738 and A320.

Will they go to the desert? Sold foreign? Used for cargo?

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Will they go to the desert? Sold foreign? Used for cargo?

Cut up for parts (for the ones that are sill flying)

 

[JordanD]

Beer cans.

 

[Itchy]

Take your pick.

 

[SeanD]

 

[A150K]

Africa.

 

[derg]

Probably all of the above.

I know Delta is modernizing the cockpits of their mad dogs so they'll be around for a while.

They're paid for so might as well.

 

[H46Bubba]

Probably all of the above.

I know Delta is modernizing the cockpits of their mad dogs so they'll be around for a while.

They're paid for so might as well.

Also scooping up a few from the desert to part out. Smart move.

 

[ASpilot2be]

Freight in Alaska

 

[scooter2525]

What's the life span for them?

 

[Cessnaflyer]

After flying to Canada in the last few months I think Canada has more clapped out aircraft than Africa has.

 

[derg]

What's the life span for them?

More than a day, less than the usability.

 

[JustinS]

What's the life span for them?

It seems that is an ongoing answer that doesn't have a definitive answer yet. Seeing as the design has been around since the 1980s, and I know American has some from late as like 1999 or 1998. It's probably limited by cycles I would imagine.

 

[scooter2525]

It seems that is an ongoing answer that doesn't have a definitive answer yet. Seeing as the design has been around since the 1980s, and I know American has some from late as like 1999 or 1998. It's probably limited by cycles I would imagine.

Yeh I'm curious on the cycles.

 

[derg]

Yeh I'm curious on the cycles.

220, maybe 221.

 

[tiredcfi]

I don't really care what they do with the rest of the airplane as long as they remove the section of fuselage between the engines and destroy it separately.

 

[CirrusMonkey]

I don't know about anyone else, but it never gets old watching one takeoff. Especially if you are on the runway behind one as it climbs out.

 

[jtrain609]

It seems that is an ongoing answer that doesn't have a definitive answer yet. Seeing as the design has been around since 1965

FIFY. Don't forget, the mad dog is just an overgrown DC-9, and in fact it's a DC-9 type rating.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Sold to flight sim enthusiasts/home cockpit builders

 

[jtrain609]

Also, in other news, I heard that Ameriflight was going to buying Delta's remaining DC-9's, but only if they can take out what's left of the autopilot and convince the FAA to let them fly it single pilot.