Interesting Delta flight, MD88

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: E365
Up to 1,000’ AGL, the 20° max is also very typical for the 88/90. The command is often higher than 20°. So you don’t end up pitching for speed, because pitching for V2+10 would put you higher than 20°. Often are pitching for 20° and accepting the speed faster than V2+10.


Interesting.

Thanks!

 

[john_pifer]

Originally Posted By: E365
Here’s some takeoff pitch angles of various airliners. MD88/90 is higher pitch than average.
https://www.bangaloreaviation.com/2009/05/typical-takeoff-and-climb-angles-of-all.html


Wow, 25 degrees for the MD-11!

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Wow, 25 degrees for the MD-11!
That's a MAX limit. I remember the 25 degree law from when I worked on the MD-11 flight controls back in the late 1980's. For a light airplane, you will hit the 25 theta and not pitch up any further. For a heavy airplane, I'm not so sure it would get to 25 theta.

Alpha during climbout is probably, what, half-stall-alpha(??) So flight path angle would be around 10 degrees or so. ...I'd have to dig up some typical climbout time graphs to see. Can't remember that far back.

Maybe a current Fedex driver can tell us what they are doing typically in rotation and climbout.

 

[E365]

The final fourteen Delta MD88/90s will fly to Blytheville Arkansas today which will officially retire the fleet at Delta.

But before that, the final revenue flights today will be DL90 (an MD90) Houston to Atlanta, and DL88 (an MD88) Washington-Dulles to Atlanta.

According to Delta, the entire fleet carried over 750 million passengers over the 33 years they were in service.

https://news.delta.com/numbers-final-salute-deltas-md-88-and-md-90-mad-dogs

 

[4WD]

I used to fly on AA's way back … lucky if you could fit a lunch box in the overhead bins.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by 4WD
I used to fly on AA's way back … lucky if you could fit a lunch box in the overhead bins.


Last flew on an AA example during their MRTC days. DAY to DFW,
We've had a number of flights on Delta's MDs with one leg several years ago on one built when I was still in my twenties, which was a bit of a hoot.
We also had a couple of legs on Delta MD-90s as well as some on the 717s when they were still operated by AirTran.
The only DC-9 flights I can recall were a couple of legs on USAir DC-9-50s back around twenty years ago.
I'll miss these old girls, although the 717 should be around for a few years yet.

 

[4WD]

AA site

 

[JustN89]

I loved flying on the Mad Dog. Unique look, comfortable cabin, and the awesome sound of the JT8D engines. Yeah, it was loud, but it was an airframe full of character. Plus, the 2-3 seating configuration was pretty nice.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by JustN89
I loved flying on the Mad Dog. Unique look, comfortable cabin, and the awesome sound of the JT8D engines. Yeah, it was loud, but it was an airframe full of character. Plus, the 2-3 seating configuration was pretty nice.


Well, the MD-95 (B717, although it has about as much Boeing DNA as an A380) keeps the developments of the original DC-9 alive, although who can say how long Delta will keep them flying.

 

[CincyDavid]

I'm amused that this thread has popped back up...still have the Save the Mad Dog shirts, although they are both fading from wear and use. Unfortunately I haven't flown a 'Dog in over a year. I HAVE flown a couple of Delta B738s that aren't a whole heck of a lot newer than their 'Dogs.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by JustN89
I loved flying on the Mad Dog. Unique look, comfortable cabin, and the awesome sound of the JT8D engines. Yeah, it was loud, but it was an airframe full of character. Plus, the 2-3 seating configuration was pretty nice.


Well, the MD-95 (B717, although it has about as much Boeing DNA as an A380) keeps the developments of the original DC-9 alive, although who can say how long Delta will keep them flying.


The MD-88 and MD-90 are gone.

As of now, the MD-95 is being cut by over half. 30-45 airplanes will remain flying. Delta says 2030 for their retirement, but that is a guess at this point.

30-45 airplanes come with a lot of overhead. It doesn't make sense to keep a fleet that small at an airline the size of Delta.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willho...t-by-50-67-due-to-covid-19/#4934cae652d2

 

[WylieCoyote]

I know (or hope) this isn't technically possible with maintenance being what it is, but the last MD I flew on seemed to have an out-of-balance rotating assembly in one or both engines. The vibrations at take-off rattled my teeth, and you could see the overhead bins physically vibrating, not to mention the horrible plastic-against-plastic noise they all made. It sounded like holding the business end of an electric massager against a stack of plastic bowls. I was so glad when he throttled back after initial climb.

These things used to dominate every route I ever flew out of DFW. I couldn't fly anywhere without being on one. Hugely successful plane for AA, but I won't miss them. I would've done unspeakable things to keep from having to sit anywhere behind row 24, but sometimes I didn't get lucky.

 

[ragtoplvr]

about 40 years ago I was on a 727 reading the paper and they told of a near crash because of a stripped flap actuator. We are on the takeoff roll. I look out the window and sure enough, it is a recirculating ball lead screw flap actuator, no threads on it at all and sliding up and down the shaft. We did take off no incident, when the seat belt sign went off I walked up front and talked to the stewardess. I explain I was an engineer and 100% sure of what I saw. She promises to talk with the pilots. Well we land normally, again that actuator sliding up and down. I had a 3 hour layover, so I sat and watched the plane. I see the pilot and co-pilot walk and and inspect the flap. More people show up. About 10 minutes later all the passengers come off the plane, and go to another gate. to wait for new equipment. The system worked, and I continued my flight much happier.

Rod