How Do Tail Mounted Jet Engines Work?

Modern air travel is an engineering marvel. However, there are still significant differences between aircraft. One of the major impacts on the capabilities results from the placement of the most expensive parts of the plane. Let’s take a closer look at the exceedingly rare rear-mounted engine.
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[@ryanm.191]

im assuming they work similar to how regularly mounted engines work

[@BGTech1]

Yes! Just in a different spot

[@rayanaltowayan9558]

Quite a significant assumption you’ve made there sire

[@ArmyofSeaturtles]

You’re not wrong

[@gooner72]

They work the same, yes, but the aircraft doesn't. Maybe the video should've had a different title to clarify this.

[@ryanm.191]

@@gooner72 missed the joke by a million miles there kiddo

[@SuperFlyCH]

My first experience flying in an aircraft (that I can remember) was when I was 5 or 6 years old. I had the right window seat in the rear of a 727 and was mesmerized by this powerful jet engine sitting right outside my window. I spent the entire flight staring at the intake of the engine imagining how fast the air was moving in there. And thus began my love for aviation...

[@thatguyalex2835]

That is a nice story. :) Boeing has some great aircraft that invite curiosity. I do wish Airbus A320 would have rear mounted engines though, cos it is a good looking aircraft. An even cooler idea would be that a smaller version of an A320 could have a single engine like an F-16: Inside the tail, and have an intake mounted under the fuselage. That means, less drag than engines mounted on the exterior. I want to be an engineer, and design cool stuff like that. Merry Christmas and happy holidays by the way. 🎄

[@billyhill2488]

Pretty sure I have permanent hearing damage from the times I was stuffed at or near the back of a 727, lol. Those were the days! Still much love and respect for the old jt8d.

[@nicolaspronovost3463]

My last experience was a DC-9 from Montreal to Detroit back in the 90's. Very last row. My ears are still recovering...

[@KingOfBanks]

All modern jet engines (could be wrong on this) require high pressure (engine) pumps for fuel delivery and most use low pressure or boost pumps to deliver fuel to the high pressure ones. Secondly, rear mounted engines are mounted closer to the centreline of the fuselage, meaning if you loose an engine there is less yaw and more rudder/directional control available, which is good. This however is offset by the use of smaller rudders in some aircraft to avoid them being too directionally stable at higher speeds. They also tend to have less pitching (not always) than a wing mounted engine as the overall thrust and drag lines are nearer. A downside of rear engines and T-tails is during stalls, when the main wing can block the airflow both to the engine inlet and over the tail (a deep stall).

[@snoopyloopy]

yes, i was expecting to hear deep stalls mentioned, and was a little disappointed that they didn't talk about it.

[@KingOfBanks]

@@TheFalseShepphard 100%. Just more likely to end up in one with a T-tail with rear engines, alot of stuff for the relative airflow to get around. There's a great video of a 717 getting into a non-deep stall during testing, that's scary enough.

[@joev5306]

In 1973, I flew on a BOAC (now British Airways) Vickers VC10 from Heathrow to Bombay. This large, magnificent and majestic airplane had 4 rear mounted engines. There were a pair of engines mounted side-by-side on each side of the fuselage. On the way back, one of the 4 engines failed, so we made an unscheduled landing in Cairo. We were put up in a beautiful hotel in front of the pyramids for three days as BOAC brought the mechanics and required parts to repair the engine. The VC10 and Super VC10 airplanes were beautiful airplanes on the outside and very comfortable on the inside.

[@interstellaraviator6437]

I flew on Fokker 100 and it was my only rear engined aircraft. Good legroom and quite front rows.

[@ericjones7769]

Actually i prefer the rear mounted T-Tail planes over the wing mounted engine planes!!!!! That T-Tail rear mounted engine design was such a beautiful design especially with the Boeing 727s

[@turbofanlover]

From a purely aesthetics point of view, planes with rear-mounted engines are superior to any other types, IMO. Love the overall look...love that pure, clean wing. :)

[@magnustan841]

Airlines are not avgeeks like us, just because an aircraft looks better, doesn’t mean airlines will want to operate it.

[@nickrockz97]

agreed, the clean wing is aesthetically pleasing

[@mikekeenan8450]

I wouldn't be surprised if that's a contributing factor in the preference for this design in business jets, actually.

[@carolsmith5151]

My all-time favorite airplane -- B727 -- nothing quite like its profile in flight and the unique sound of its three engines on takeoff. The 727 may have left the skies but it lives on in my heart.

[@fjfandino]

Flew the MD-81 back in 1991 and loved it. The rear engine makes the cabin less noisy.

[@billyhill2488]

The last rear mounted engine jet I was on was a DC-9 back in the mid-late 2000's. Just a short flight from Memphis to Little Rock but it was a really pleasurable flight way up near the front.

[@brantisonfire]

Last rear-engined jet I traveled on was an MD80 from ATL to RDU back before Covid hit back in March 2021. I’m glad I got to experience a flight on the MD because Delta would later retire them in June 2021.

[@petergajda3732]

I flew Alitalia MD80 (or 82) in 2000. Loved it! Quiet and cushy in Business Class.

[@brantisonfire]

@@petergajda3732 I was in main cabin. Fortunately, I was seated on the side with just a window and aisle seat (I got the aisle). The 2/3 abreast layout is weird. It still lives on with the (MD)B717.

[@DiRF]

The past few years, pre-Pandemic, I flew American Eagle CRJs a number of times. Very comfortable and confidence-inspiring for regional jets. Prior to ~2018, the last time I had flown American Eagle was back in their ATR 72 days. Those were… less confidence-inspiring.

[@lbowsk]

"Very comfortable" You must be a jockey. I'm 6'3" 225 and I HATE the GD RJs.

[@DiRF]

@@lbowsk 6', 230+... admittedly, the times I flew an AA Eagle CRJ, I was flying to visit my ailing father, and he insisted on paying to upgrade me to first class. I admit that heavily skews my experience.

[@Mt.Dwezzy]

2010 I got to be on a dc 9 40 formerly of NWA from detroit and sat at the back and loved all the noise from it

[@grriceman782]

Had to be a Mad Dog out of ATL ✈️

[@James_Lurk]

Hello, I experienced only CRJ-900 (Lufthansa) in my life, I choosed of course last seat with engine view - such amazing video I have. :)

[@vapsa56]

I will be flying on a Dalta 717 in a week and a half from Atlanta to Melbourne Florida. And the same model from Melbourne to Atlanta a week later.

[@alpinistbear]

In February 2019, I flew on an American Airlines MD-80. I was scheduled to fly on a new 737 Max, so I was really happy to see that trustworthy old aircraft. The 737 Max was having issues at that time. God bless the MD 80, you were a beautiful flying machine!

[@WChocoleta]

Just flew with my rear-engined Gulfstream G650ER yesterday, before my morning alarm clock pulled me out of the cabin.

[@MSRTA_Productions]

GE9X on the rear? Y'all must be crazy 🤣

[@managed9348]

That plane would wheelie whiles idling😭

[@johniii8147]

That was a funny picture though

[@williamerazo3921]

Do episode on tri jets and 3rd engine power plants for the rudder

[@BGTech1]

I love tri jets sure is a shame they are not being made

[@erich930]

My last flight on an airplane with tail-mounted engines was in February, 2020, on a Delta Airlines CRJ-200. The CRJ is the largest rear-mounted plane I've ever flown on! Also, a major handing difference you forgot to mention is the Deep Stall, or "Super Stall." When a T-tail airplane stalls, the horizontal stabilizer can end up in the turbulent backwash of the stalled main wings, rendering the elevator almost completely useless. This can make recovering from a deep stall very difficult, of not completely impossible.

[@barrel6468]

When I was little I would travel from CHS - ATL with my family several times a year. This was when the MD-80/MD-90 aircraft were still regularly operating that route. I was pretty young though, 4 or 5.

[@shipmanasmilos]

Can you make a Video about Aegean airlines it's legacy and enormous rise. It will give a good knowledge to people traveling to Greece

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

Last rear engine plane I flew on was a Northwest DC-9

[@sebastianweinholdt707]

Great video. Could you do a similar video about high mounted wings?

[@neilpickup237]

The last rear engine plane I flew on was a Lufthansa CRJ900, didn't get one scheduled that often though, and definitely not one of my favourites. Before Helvetic retired them, I quite often flew on the Fokker 100, nice aircraft and was sorry to see them replaced with the Embrear E-Jet. Before then I have flown on DC9s, BAC 1-11s, and a 727, all with the rear tail steps. Not sure if the DC10 with the third engine in the tail counts, but I flew on Laker one in 1980 - very roomy! I understand how it is more economical to place the engines under the wings, however, I wonder if we will see a return to a rear-engined layout if the ability to fit a larger more efficient engines more than wipes out the advantage of having to fit less fuel efficient ones under the wing, or have a stilt-like undercarriage to create the required ground clearance.

[@Rattlesnake153]

I flew a Delta 717 to Detroit from Kansas City in July to connect to Cleveland. It was amazingly smooth.

[@leschase1824]

Last day of flying passengers the BAC 1-11 from Bournemouth Hurn, where a vast majority were built. Before this the Boeing 727, with my late wife from London Gatwick to Palma and return. Her first commercial ever flights, back in 1989

[@Bellman84]

ERJ-135’s and 145’s. Flew on some Mad Dogs. I enjoyed how quiet the takeoffs were from inside the aircraft in front of the wings.

[@theirishpita]

Love your videos!!!

[@SimpleFlyingNews]

Thanks for the feedback! - TB

[@honman9412]

I flew the Qantas Boeing 717 from Perth to Broome return in 2016. Quiet & smooth. Very enjoyable.

[@Chunkfterbi7183]

I loved the DC-9 30-50 series on Finnair, Alitalia and Adria Airway’s services for the soft noise in the cabin, the unobtrusive view even seated by the wings, the smooth ride of the plane and - sitting in the aft between he engines - hearing the turbine interferences while landing. But far better than DC-9 was flying the classy Caravelle with Finnair and Air Inter. In addition to all of the aforementioned, Caravelle was beautifully elegantly designed with those large triangular windows.

[@adlymarjidi]

Felling proud that my national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines has been featured here 🤩 Nice content simply flying !

[@theRudiolfock]

i flown on ERJ145,CRJ200 and B727-200, L1011 and DC10 are hybrid; all those planes are wonderfull and i apreciate the level of noise on the CRJ and the ERJ....

[@YesterchipsMIG]

It's also much quieter in the cabin if the engines are mounted at the back. Trouble could be the risk of a super stall...

[@robk3005]

I have flown on the DC-9 and Fokker F28 in the past. The last rear mounted airliner I flew on was a CRJ (either 700 or 900). I enjoy the quieter passenger cabin, as the engines are the part of the aircraft which generates the most noise.

[@mikewhitcombe101]

I flew on a Meridiana MD82 from MXP to OLB about 15 years ago… even boarded from the tail stairs! Quite an experience!

[@CMEZ97]

Miss flying on Air Tran 717. Very stable aircraft for its size!

[@spongebubatz]

I’ve flown on a CRJ-900 this summer and before on an MD-88 and ERJ-145!

[@jimbo6059]

MD88 delta airlines from Detroit to Philadelphia in 2018. Very much reduced noice . Loved it.

[@djjamar]

Flew a CRJ 700 1100 miles yesterday. Very fast aircraft

[@markiangooley]

Delta used to fly a lot of MD-80 and successors between Florida and Atlanta. A few dozen flights at least in the past twenty years for me. Flown a few 717s too.

[@leo_brooks]

Syracuse to Atlanta too. I flew many many times on the 88 and 90. 717s too!

[@manugfan]

The last tail mounted engine Jet I flew in was the Boeing 717 with Hawaiian Airlines from Hilo (ITO) to Honolulu (HNL) back in April 2021

[@leezinke4351]

I have flown on a Few Crj-200 and AAMD-80. for the MD-80 they are fun to fly on.

[@J.Stein1]

What about the fact that these aircraft have a simple and clean wing design, without the engines disturbing the airflow?

[@gpaull2]

Jet blast/prop blast on the wing or flaps can be very beneficial for creating lift…ie short take off or go around scenario.

[@J.Stein1]

@@gpaull2 in cases where the engine is mounted on top of the wing (Antonov 72), yes, otherwise not really...

[@GautamKumar-cr7tw]

If you’re talking from an efficiency point, the under wing mounted engines have more of an advantage, wing designs have changed when comparing to airplanes that are a little old now. I don’t believe the airflow would be affected that much but I am going to test this in a Windtunnel on the same airfoil to see what the overall result would be be. I am also gonna do some CFD on it, if you’re interested, I’ll keep you updated.

[@fawfulfan]

I flew American a lot in the 90s and 2000s. I remember how MD-80s were the workhorses of their fleet. They were EVERYWHERE and odds were at least one of your connecting flights was going to be on one.

[@TonyF1MMA]

I remember only ever flying on American MD80s my whole childhood :’)

[@elijahkennedy-gibbens2593]

I’d like to see a video on the busiest airports served by a single runway.

[@gamuss1234]

Last flight with such an aircraft was my KLM flight with the Fokker 70

[@johnfritz1164]

MD80s (good from the front, not so good from the back next to the engines), 727s (interesting to look down the rear stairs when they are open during pilot walk-arounds), and DC10s.

[@CheapBastard1988]

Last rear engined aircraft I flew on was a Fokker 100 in 2005.

[@timboulton2571]

VC10 - most beautiful aircraft ever built.

[@GhostMop]

As a business traveler who lives near a small regional airport and whose ultimate destination is almost always another regional airport, I almost exclusively fly on tail-mounted aircraft, e.g., CRJs and ERJs.

[@julioaot472]

Iberia/Air Nostrum CRJ-1000 MAD-NCE last October. Love it.

[@robbinmizushima5907]

I flew on Hawaiian Airlines interisland plenty of times. These aircrafts were comfortable and well suited for interisland flights.

[@paulmcmullan9931]

The Fokker 100 was the last rear mounted engine aircraft I flew on. With rear mounted engines; there is a lot less engine noise in the cabin. F-100 is my favorite plane to fly on.

[@jielin4786]

i flew on an ARJ21 with chengdu airlines in 2018, new regional jet with a md80 design.

[@halimwijaya3593]

last was super80 AA. Sitting in row 30+ was very unpleasant. the engine sound was very loud through the entire flight.

[@M4dg04t]

RJ: Skywest CRJ 700, Mainline: Delta MD-88

[@jerrykokorian1218]

In the late 60's and early 70's I worked for a regional airline "North Central Airlines " with one kind of Jet airplane the Macdonald Douglas DC 9 ,the regular original and the two additional variants.I use to fly it for all my travels mostly vacations with my family and of the Boeing 727/L1011 and the kind on special permission with much reduced price/cost as an airline employee. Through all my recent travels at various airports I do not see any 727's or DC9's because their time has passed but they were very effective planes in their day

[@skylineXpert]

Had my last on a rear mounted last christmas. OY-RUE when it was configured as a VIP. Nowadays its sitting on the ground somewhere in Iran to be used for spare parts

[@Madcapolo]

Managed to fly on American MDs in 2016 for PSP-DFW-OMA and for the same return legs. A certainly excellent experience for an enthusiast… if not a little uncomfy.

[@markvolpe2305]

The last Rear mounted engined plane I flew on was a very outdated American Eagle CRJ-145 last February. I miss the old MD-80's aircraft though.

[@RobEJC]

MD80/90, B717, Fokker F28, and Fokker F100 , CRJ family (most versions) on commercial routes - all glorious aircraft.

[@dant4802]

DC9 back in 1993 on USAir Philadelphia to Chicago

[@rsd_mtnbiker6422]

AA MD-80 from SAN to DFW seat 18A. I loved that plane.

[@ivanv754]

Looking forward to flying on a Delta 717. Have to find an excuse before they retire it. Last one I flew on was a Spirit MD-82 in the mid 2000’s.

[@mathewmclean9128]

Unfortunately I wasn't able to fly on an MD-80 before they went out of service. I've flown on a CRJ 700. I hope to fly on an ERJ 145 and a CRJ 200 in the near future.

[@johniii8147]

Better book soon. They are now being phased out pretty quickly.

[@ieatshortpeople6825]

The closest thing to an MD-80 you can fly in the US is deltas 717’s and they still have them so better book before 2025

[@johniii8147]

@@ieatshortpeople6825 Find one Well before 2025. They are very actively being phased out as the 220 and other larger regional jets come onboard. They have already reduced the active fleet from 88 to 54 and more will go each year. Only other options would be Hawaiian and Qantas

[@mathewmclean9128]

@@ieatshortpeople6825 I definitely want to fly on a Boeing 717 as well. Weren't those planes mostly designed by MD before Boeing bought them out or merged with them?

[@johniii8147]

@@mathewmclean9128 There were completely designed and built by MD. Just program Boeing acquired with the merger and fairly quickly canceled. They were the MD-95 Boeing just rebranded. The are essentially an DC-9-30 with updated engines and cockpit.

[@icyunit3476]

last rear engine aircraft i ever flew on was an allegiant MD-88 from PIE-DSM in 2017 or 2018

Now that I think about it, I’ve never been on a rear-mounted. The smallest plane I’ve been on is a Embraer 190, which is underwing.

[@carlmcgregor2707]

The title is very very misleading... it should be "How Do Rear Mounted Jet Engines Work'... I was expecting a video about DC10's , L-1011 etc, Still an excellent video anyways. Great watch.. thumbs up from me

[@Brick-Life]

My favorite aircraft with rear engines is the Comac ARJ21

[@GautamKumar-cr7tw]

I’ve actually only been on 1 flight in my whole like with rear mounted engines, I believe it was an MD80. I don’t fly domestic all that often, maybe that’s why I haven’t been on many

[@mofkfox615]

The Amazing Fokker 100..Still A Realiable Plane Even its Beyond is Time Already..Some Airlines still Used it. I flown it several Times....👌👌👌

[@derbisenda1330]

Great planes

[@snoopyloopy]

i believe my last rear-engine flight was on American Airlines "Super 88" a few years back.

[@emmanuelefekodo7491]

The last rear mounted engine aircraft I flew on was the MD-83 operated by Dana air (Nigeria).

[@Calebs_Aviation]

I flew in a Delta MD-88 to Atlanta a while ago pre COVID-19

[@jacksonandwillperelman]

The last tail-mounted aircraft I flew on was a United CRJ-700.

[@carsten2293]

The last and only rearmounted jet aircraft I flew on was Lufthansa's CRJ-900 and I think it was very nice 👌

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

Boeing 727 was the last rear mounted jet i flew on & that was a tri jet of course with all three engines mounted at the rear.

[@petergajda3732]

Tarom RomBAC-111 BRU-Bucharest in 1996. Old and rattly. But soft and quiet.

[@Boitaoutix]

My first jet airliner flight was on S.A. Caravelle, between Nice and Paris.

[@christopherhennessey8991]

October 2008 was the last time I flew on a rear mounted aircraft American Airlines from Tucson to Dallas Fort Worth. My connecting flight home was an American Airlines Boeing 767 , Dallas Fort Worth to Miami.Prior to that was July 2000 ,American Airlines Boeing 727’s ,round-trip from Miami to Atlanta. July 2000 was the time American was phasing out it’s 727’s.

[@ww2corsair]

Skywest (Delta Connection) CRJ-900 from Augusta to Atlanta

[@Brick-Life]

I never seen or flew on rear engine planes since they do not exist in australia but saw a few Air Canada ones in Vancouver. I hope to fly on the Comac ARJ21 rear engine planes

[@christopherescott6787]

The pocket rocket CRJ 200 was the last I've taken a flight on.

[@bazoo513]

Something ancient in the DC-9 lineage, possibly DC-9-30 itself. It was about two decades ago, and the aircraft was operated by one of many short lived Macedonian operators.

[@mikekeenan8450]

Last rear-engined jet I flew on was a Delta Air LInes MD-80 from La Guardia to Palm Beach in 2015. Nice looking plane from the outside, but the cabin looked like it had seen better days. An issue not mentioned in the video is that many rear-engined, T-tailed jets are vulnerable to "deep stall", where the turbulent air from the wings blankets the horizontal stabilizer and makes the elevators ineffective, with the result that the aircraft can't be unstalled. See for instance BEA flight 548, West Caribbean Airways Flight 708, and Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 612, as well as a number of test flights involving the BAC-111, Trident, and CRJ100. But, as I've said elsewhere, you're not supposed to stall an airliner anyway, right?

[@adamrameli1990]

Cool

[@Pluna-di6vw]

my last plane was the saudi arabian MD90, i still miss how comfortable it was to fly in an md90

[@rasheedabubakar1665]

I flew a Bombardier CRJ 900 in 2013 from Lagos to Abuja in Nigeria.

[@fayettevilleaviationphotog1431]

I last flew on a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 back in 2018

[@albertogambino2562]

My first was on a "maddog", but I do not remeber if it was a Meridiana MD-83 or an Alitalia MD-82. My last was a CRJ operated by Lufthansa City Link.

[@moemoneim4451]

Cool Video! Tail mounted engines are also better for emergency landing on water, thankfully this scenario is extremely improbable :)

[@ericjones7769]

But to answer your question yea the last rear mounted engine plane i flew on was a Delta Airlines MD88 back in 2013

[@MerkyAviation11]

Flown on the Avro RJ85 aka Jumbolino with Cityjet

[@RoderikvanReekum]

The finest example of a tail mounted airplanes is the superior Fokker F70, The best airplane ever made in the history of aviation.

[@Flies2FLL]

One drawback of rear-engines is that the center section of the wing bears their weight, whereas a wing-mounted engine does not. In fact, wing mounted engines act as a movement damper, allowing the wing to be built lighter. Rear mounted engines handle better in an engine out scenario.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

🤣

[@gpaull2]

@@donaldstanfield8862 - Think where that fuse transfers that weight to on the wing…

[@Flies2FLL]

@@donaldstanfield8862 The weight of the fuselage is effectively increased with tail mounted engines. Which means their weight bears down on the center section of the wing which now has to be stronger. Wing mounted engines do not place load on the center section so this construction is lighter.

[@StormFanatic210]

Last Rear-Engined aircraft I flew on was the Boeing 717-200 which at that time belonged to AirTran Airways in September of 2012. Both aircraft have since been transitioned to the Delta Airlines Fleet.