Why Was The MD-80 Called The Mad Dog?

[@tamarindocoral]

The MD 80 did not need "hands on" for takeoff and landing, the aircraft had autoload. It was much more automated than a similar vintage 737. I was a captain on both.

[@MD80-cockpit]

I belive the Maddog was the first passenger aircraft with Digital Flight Guidance System

[@Pigletsyes]

@James Stone Your passengers were lucky to have you for all those years

[@ThePaulv12]

It doesn't matter whether you were a captain or not, if someone says otherwise on KZbin - esp the commenters, then you're nothing more than a liar. You should know that by now. Are you a slow learner or something?

[@leeoldershaw956]

@James Stone Youu didn't want to let them get off the runway heading after landing. The trick was using assymetrical reverse to keep it straight. Briefing to get the downwind engine in more reverse in a crosswind was the key.

[@leeoldershaw956]

@James Stone On icy runways steering wasn't very good and the rudder got blocked by reverse thrust but you could definitely keep it straight with assymetrical reverse thrust. Nobody ever taught that.

[@kurtboginski507]

Love the MD80, flown on them many times and they took off like a rocket and climbed sensationally. Great airplane.

[@jovanholland36]

I wish i had got to see and fly on them

[@adamdiakowsky4026]

@southwest 7138 me too

[@MelvisVelour]

Definitely, and you never forgot the experience of the takeoff - experienced flyers would brace themselves as soon as they heard the engines rev up.

[@oldschoolman1444]

My first time flying was on a MD80 wow what a rush!

[@michaelchamberlain1441]

Lookup the ALASKA AIRLINES CRASH ON THE MD80 the plane is not safe Has issues on the tail/Rudder

[@RodFarva]

My favourite plane! To this day the MD-80 is the only plane that pushed me into my seat during T/O. Such a wicked feeling

[@alphabravoindia5267]

The mad dog will always roar whether in the air or not

[@Think_Inc]

Is that the Delta logo on your profile?

[@alphabravoindia5267]

@@Think_Inc Yes

[@badhrihari1705]

@@Think_Inc yea of course

[@Think_Inc]

Yeah, but why?

[@adamdiakowsky4026]

Because Abi likes to fly. ✈

[@davidoldham7476]

MD-80 as well as 727 take offs were always fun unlike most offerings these days....and yes they were loud outside and in.

[@freqmgr]

The 727 "Whisper Jet" was pretty quiet in the forward cabin.

[@OlesonMD]

@@freqmgr The B-727 was incredibly loud in the cockpit, at any speed above 250 knots. The MD-80/82 series cockpits were dead quiet. Ask me how I know.

[@freqmgr]

@@OlesonMD Interesting, but not surprised. When AA was still flying them I had identified a favorite one by a small flaw on the overhead. It wasn't supposed to receive the "new interior" but it did and the flaw remained. It seemingly was on a constant route.

[@_SP64_]

@@OlesonMD JT8D evolution ftw

[@jerrydiver1]

I always loved the acceleration of both those planes pushing me back in my seat. I could do that all day.

[@myownidenity4955]

first Jet I ever flew on. I was always into jet spotting when I was a kid. knowing what I was getting on was cool. the second time, on the return flight leaving Florida I noticed that there were only 12 people including crew on the flight and I asked the pilot if he could climb as fast as possible because I thought The MD was so cool as he greeted the passengers boarding. He winked and said "Thanks, I think she is an awesome bird too! I will see what I can do." He did too and that was probably the steepest takeoff I have ever experienced. He even mentioned over the intercom that he was going to try and climb over some weather quickly after takeoff. dude was so cool.

[@fa3556]

That's awesome. I'm sure he was more than happy to oblige.

[@myownidenity4955]

@@fa3556 I bet it made his day when a 13yr old knew about the plane he piloted. Before the internet as it exists today (1998). I hope he thought I was one cool kid. Ive also never been on a plane that accelerated much like an older turbo car up the runway that push that planted me firmly against the seat was great. 777x is now my bucket list bird. Any super Sonic jet too.

[@jamesbp]

Now that's a damn good story mate

[@markjensen7091]

I love the Mad Dog. The sound of them is unbelievable, it gives me a rush every single time one takes off. It gives the vibe of "hey, I'm here now back off."

[@brasconator]

My grandpa developed a redesigned reverse thruster for them.

[@ScienceAlliance]

Awesome

[@CaptainJohn]

Cool!

[@frankthefarter3475]

*Thrust reverser

[@motorsrotors2127]

What a flex! Your grandpa sounds like a cool guy my friend. ~ Enjoy Yourself

[@brasconator]

@@motorsrotors2127 I appreciate that. He was.

[@tweygant]

My first time on an MD80 I was flying on Ozark Airlines. I was shocked when they backed the plane away from the terminal using just the reverse thrusters. I was lucky to have an Ozark Airlines pilot dead heading to his next duty sitting next to me. He told me the MD80 was a dream to fly and was way overpowered. Hence the backing up from the gate. He swore, although he didn't do it, the MD80 could do loopty loops.

[@psa722]

A pilot told me that is known as a "power back," but a lot of airlines stopped doing power backs after a while because it used quite a bit of fuel. The only two aircraft I have been on when a power back was performed was on a DC-9, and my favorite, the 727.

[@cctsteam]

I was a frequent flyer at one point between Detroit and St. Louis on Northwest, and that route seemed to use these exclusively in that time period... I remember in St. Louis the first time I watched them back the plane away from the gate unassisted and I thought "how cool is that?". I never imagined a plane backing out of a "parking space" like a car like that lol. Once I realized what they were doing I got a kick out of it every time after whether I was watching from inside the terminal or on board.

[@MrSupercar55]

I read somewhere that pilots aren’t even supposed to do that as it can be dangerous for ground crew and poses a risk of foreign object damage to the aircraft and is also just antisocial and wastes fuel and is generally impatient and unnecessary.

[@tweygant]

@@MrSupercar55 it was the mid eighties when my trip took place. I’m sure things have changed since then.

[@TomCrippsTrains]

Air crew in the Canary Islands employ the same tactics, I had two powerbacks in the same day on a ATR 72

[@jonjefferies2184]

I flew it from 1985 until I retired 1 Sep 2008, logging over 16,750 hours, most as a Captain as t American Airlines. I loved it!

[@davidpowell3347]

Rest in Peace,David Allen Drach 1956-2018

[@NeshatJahandari]

I still fly MD80 😉

[@orionstar1032]

@@NeshatJahandari Really?

[@justkiddin5408]

Yo ur fake

[@rrknl5187]

"Have you ever flown in them?" Yes, I have.....in the front office, both sides......but not the MDs, they were the DC-9s. You're right, they were indeed a pilots airplane; not very forgiving of inattention. Once you got to know them though, they'd do just about anything you asked of them. Short takeoff and landings so I flew them out of quite a few short runways. I really enjoyed my time in them!

[@PravdaPavel]

My father is a retired airline pilot who used to fly the MD-80 in the former Spanish airline Spanair. He has flown the Airbus A320 and the Airbus A350 as well (Qatar Airways), but the Mad Dog has always been his favourite. He and his co-workers describe the MD-80 as a "cowboy-style aircraft", and I had the fortune of being with him in the cockpit on several occasions back when I was little. Long live the Mad Dog!

[@geethav3827]

Cool!

[@nfarnell1]

I remember the MD80 for it's Stability when landing, you could feel the pilot adjusting engines and flaps etc. Once he/she got it setup for descent the plane was a rock, not like the Air Bus. The a320 fought the pilot all the way down, it just hated descent and landing. MD 80 was a wonderful smooth ride, I always felt safe.

[@elishevajones6730]

I was fortunate to have been a passenger on many MD80 airplanes. What a fantastic aircraft. Wish these were still being produced!

[@ashgreene4914]

I remembered hearing that AA under CEO Robert Crandall got their Mad dog jets at a steal of a deal which allowed American to rappidly expand its domestic route nextwork during the 80s.

[@gendaminoru3195]

They also stole the 737-800 from Boeing that replaced them. They inherited MD-90s from Reno and quickly got rid of them and pretended to be interested in 717s for a while, but Boeing wanted them to take 737-600s instead, but would give them away that occasion, so AA went with Airbus and greater commuter coverage, but finally ended up coming back to the size in 2013 with the largest A319 fleet with an order for 160 airplanes.

[@ashgreene4914]

@@gendaminoru3195 what a load rubbish you just typed there. I don't even want to respond to it.

[@lbowsk]

Crandall was a POS and should have gone to jail for the price fixing BS he tried when Braniff was in trouble. Not too mention all the operational crap he had his pilots do at DFW.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

Even as he announced the deal to employees, DAC president Jim Worsham stated upfront that American had gotten a very good deal. But "Mr Sell Airplanes" also knew that growing the sales base would pay benefits in the long run.

[@joshuagelona5533]

I basically grew up in Super 80. Never got sick of it. Love it. I am bummed out that American Airlines announced that they are retiring MD80. I remember my last flight in Super 80 going to NOLA and back to DFW in 2018. I missed flying in Super 80

[@ribe3434]

Yes, the plane does take off like a rocket.

[@fjp3305]

Specially the MD-87

[@aubreyadams7884]

Had a stack of flights on Delta's MD-80s, where they were known as MD-88s, early this century. Loved the rocket-like take-offs!

[@aviationlba747]

Long live the Maddog!

[@SR_superior_1000]

Uh

[@badhrihari1705]

Hmmmm

[@badhrihari1705]

@@ReddFulton haha chill boi

[@BB-re6nz]

Miss that distinct whine and incredible climb from the dog. It will go down as my favorite domestic bird

[@waynesimpson2074]

Wasn't the audio sampled by George Lucas to give the Millenium Falcon that whine?

[@goodfella2400]

I miss this aircraft type so much. My all-time favorite narrowbody. Would take it any day over a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 variant.

[@goodfella2400]

Steve the Airbus A320 is for fans of McDonalds. Beyond generic.

[@mikevitale918]

Definitely the MD-80 was the best. The most comfortable ride upfront of any aircraft. 2-3 seating and infront of the wing quiet with unobstructed view. Bears the A320NEO in terms of engine noise upfront. MD-90 is no contest.

[@mikevitale918]

Steve that’s because you’re a computer programmer, not a pilot.

[@wingbolt]

@@lbowsk You're right, the MD80 was tiring to fly, high workload. On the Bus now, I'm rarely fatigued--finger tip flying, effortless.

[@lbowsk]

@@mikevitale918 You dipshit. I've been an airline pilot since 1986 and have flown just about everything out there but except the whale, the L1011 and the Super 80. Are you a pilot or a frequent flyer?

[@rak7673er]

I love the MD-80! Best narrowbody airliner ever, hands down!

[@RK831]

Boeing 757: hold my beer!

[@homer5103]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@ericsundell9978]

I flew on md80's quite a bit, and I liked them, unless you sat in the rear. It was LOUD back by the engines, but if you were in the front 2/3 of the plane, it was actually quite a bit quieter. But I always loved the look of these planes and always enjoyed flying in them. You could tell toward the end of their service lives they were getting old tho. I was flying out of DFW, and we had to get put on another MD80 as the one we were on had a cargo door that wouldn't stay closed apparently. Another flight out of DFW a year or so later, an engine failed to start and we had to go back to the gate... They are cool jets and served the airlines well it seems. I do miss the JT8 roar

[@job1bf]

Agreed. As long as you sat towards the front it was impressively quiet. Very unpleasant if you were unlucky enough to be seated next to the engines. These would seem to make an interesting private/corp type option. Roomy, fast and I suppose very affordable now.

[@MSRTA_Productions]

Its sad to see them being scrapped. I see them passing over my house when heading for ATL. I also remember seeing a couple MD-88s on final outside my window due to frequent storms near the airport on two separate days back in April. I'm sure gonna miss them loud aircraft. #Longlivethemaddogs

[@pickles3128]

I know! I live right under the 3rd runway for Lambert St. Louis Int'l and could really hear them taking off and landing. The last Delta MD-88s. I was hoping they would extend their lifetime because of COVID as Wikipedia gave the June 2nd retirement date and they're not always the most accurate source, but I guess not. Now all I get to see/hear are the red and blue Southwest 737s... over and over and over again.

[@davasg96]

2020’s certainly been quite the mad dog

[@geethav3827]

agree

[@alexp3752]

Retired airline VP... I bought the actual aircraft for our fleet and supervised their production. Going to work everyday was like going to Disneyland watching these amazing machines being built at the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach. During test and acceptance flights, these could climb like a literal rocket, and were a joy to fly. The quality was superb! Later on, after the Boeing merger, the 717 (MD95) was a great airframe, with arguably the best engines for its class; BMW/RR. Great airplane, great memories.

[@NikonF5user]

I'll never forget asking if I could move from my aisle seat to a window seat, and they relocated me to the last row. When I open the window, all you could see was the front of the nacelle! I was quite dejected, and then part way through the flight it occurred to me that if the engine fails, I wouldn't have had much time to realize it had done so! 😱

[@CH-nb9yy]

Don't worry, you wouldn't have! Planes don't just instantly fall out of the air if an engine fails. They can usually fly with a failed engine till they make an emergency landing, and they can glide if all engines fail! There has been multiple cases in the past where all engines failed on a plane in the past and everyone survived.

[@NikonF5user]

@@CH-nb9yy my thought was more along the lines of "if the engine fails, the pieces flying through the fuselage will go through me as well"!

[@garyquan5575]

@@CH-nb9yy Air Transat TS236 (an Airbus A330 on a flight from Toronto to Lisbon in August of 2001) set a world gliding record of 75 miles (during the roughly last 20 minutes of flying time before touching down in the Azores). TS236 had diverted to the Lajes Air Base on Terceira Island (while flying without power and in fuel starvation mode); apparently all 8 tires on the wing mounted landing gear blew out during the landing. There were no fatalities among the 306 people on board but there were some injuries.😗😗😗

[@eun5oo280]

@@garyquan5575 It's the one where they ran out of fuel and glided to the airport right?

[@CH-nb9yy]

@@garyquan5575 20 minutes! Wow that's impressive!

[@treyweger]

I’ve been on the Mad Dog in March from Indianapolis to Atlanta with Delta Air Lines. Such an amazing experience! Most of the passengers didn’t really care because they think it’s just a random old plane but as an avgeek, I knew that this was an experience that I’ll probably never experience again

[@akaufmann]

0:12 swissair and swiss international airlines are not the same...

[@smokyblackeyes3615]

so one international and one is domestic?

[@akaufmann]

@@smokyblackeyes3615 no, swissair declared bankruptcy back in 2001. With some of the planes and employees, a new airline, "SWISS international airlines", more commonly referred to as just "SWISS" was founded. In the video, they used the SWISS livery when they talked about swissair, which is wrong because they are two different airlines with completely different liveries.

[@galadato7425]

Swissair came after swiss intercontinental die

[@akaufmann]

@@galadato7425 never was there anything like SWISS intercontinental. You're probably talking about SWISS international airlines, which is the current national airline of Switzerland. And no, swissair did not come after them, they came after swissair.

[@akaufmann]

@@ReddFulton why?

[@JamesSymmonds]

Wouldn't it be easier to ask who hasn't flown on one of these?

[@andrrwprice7281]

Me!!

[@andrrwprice7281]

@Hard Facts Was that a stab at humour? It is a hard fact that there were not too many MD-80 either in my (non existant) basement or examples registered, or flying in Europe

[@andrrwprice7281]

@Hard Facts That wasn't obvious at all.

[@magnustan841]

I’m waiting for my chance, but I live in Asia where they’re few and far between... In fact, most old timers are...

[@sham2125]

I love how these are short videos and be very informative at the same time.

[@SimpleFlyingNews]

Thanks for the feedback! - TB

[@joeo7257]

I worked at a maintenance base for 30 years as a mechanic MD80s were the bulk of the work. A few people may have called them that at times, but the nickname never took there. They were just called 80s and others called 27s, 37s.57s etc.

[@mkwest3]

I've been aboard a wide variety of commercial aircraft over the years and this one takes the cake. It was by far the most exhilarating rocket take-off experience to this day! It's like a ride at Disneyland you want to go on over and over again. This bird pins your tail to the seat like a boss when it thunders down the runway. The MD-80 means business!

[@toodlepop]

i had the pleasure of my first 2 first class flights ever being back to back on a super 80 of some sort (can't remember exactly which one) and a 757, which are my 2 favorite narrowbodies hands down.

[@SaltyFarm]

I've flown an MD-80 plenty of times from Dallas to Chicago. Seemed like it could ride a tailwind pretty well. I remember a few flights touching down much sooner than expected.

[@bridgecross]

Flown on these many times; takeoff was always a blast. You always had the sense the pilot was having fun. Nowadays, takeoffs are like a bus pulling out of the station.

[@toodlepop]

the quietness of the engines nowadays really bums me out.

[@dntulsa5039]

I was a mechanic for AA. When we were non-revving it would be a delight to get on an MD-80 instead of a 727- 100 or 200. The 72's took a while to take off. The MD - 80 went up like a rocket. It had a climb similar to a 757. The 75 was another great aircraft.

[@ttheone3518]

I flew an MD-87 with my family when i was 3 years old. We we’re flying SAS down to Copenhagen, and it was one of the last MD-80 flights before SAS retired the fleet

[@michaelmarquardotzen4241]

I clearly remember the Mad Dog. It was the one I flew with the most in my childhood with my family on Scandinavian routes, and later on European routes with SAS. I clearly remember the huge thumb back into the seat, when the takeoff roll commenced, and how steep the climb-out felt. It was such a loud noise when I watched them take off. Wonderful aircraft to fly on!

[@jstring]

First fight as a kid was on an eastern air 727. But grew up riding the mad dogs and man they were awesome. Pilots always said they flew like a truck but as a kid it might as well have been a rocket ship. Always seemed like on decent they would race until the last second and almost dump you weightless right before final. What a trip. Airliners now a days just do t have the same character

[@joshualittle8102]

I flew on a Delta MD88 years ago from BWI to ATL. Definitely loud and definitely takes off like a rocket. Glad i was able to fly on one of these beauties before their retirement. What an experience!

[@rb89509]

2:37 "American Airlines had owned 383 Mad Dogs until their final retirement." I must have been a passenger in at least half of those living in Texas during the 80's. What it joy it was to get your boarding pass and see that not only were you in an MD-80 as usual, but they stuck you in seat 32A again!

[@philipkudrna5643]

As mentioned in the clip, the MD-80 was one of the work horses auf Austrian Airlines and I flew on it several times when I was a kid. Even though I can‘t really remember any details (apart from the strange 2-3 seating configuration due to the narrow fuselage), I will never forget the elegance of an MD-80 at take-off. For me it always looked like a swan and it is still the most beautiful and iconic (subsonic) plane ever built... I hope some will be saved in some museums!

[@charsbob]

Great plane. 3/2 seating, great short/medium haul ride. Made a zillion trips from LGA to DCA & BOS. Also did the LGB-DFW-EWR run back in the days when AA served Long Beach. MD80 was a staple between ORD & LGA as well. Only downside was you didh't want seats in the back - serious noise issue.

[@zeroelus]

"If you lived close to an airport it served, you'd certainly be aware of it taking off". You can live some 7-8miles away from an airport and still know when it's taking off if it's early in the day. Source: When I go out for a morning jog, I know exactly when the freighter MD/DC9 is taking off before I see it if it circles around to fly over me.

[@beagle7622]

The Fokker F28 with the Rolls Royce Spey engines, was subjectively the noisiest Jet I heard except of course the Concorde. Now that was noisy. The few people that flew those loved them.

[@BrakRulesAll]

Yes, but whisper-quiet compared to the ole 727

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

Its quietness was actually a selling point in the beginning, which gives you some idea of how loud the previous generation of narrowbody twins was.

[@lincolnhunt9558]

Back when i was a kid around 2005 or so, i got the chance to fly on a midwest md80 before they all started getting retired. Sitting near the back you'll never forget the sound of those JT8D engines spooling up

[@leezinke4351]

I think MD-80 is the most beautiful airliner in the world. yes I have flown on it once with AA few years ago with my family it was very amazing.

[@adamk203]

I remember being on one and getting caught in some high altitude wind sheer. I felt the plane drop a bit, followed by the loud buzz-saw of the engines. I was impressed with how much power those engines had - they really pressed you back into the seat. The plane was able to recover in seconds.

[@davidpowell3347]

Those two engines made more power than 3 of the similar but earlier designed ones used on the 727?

[@grantpratt299]

A small airline known as Midwest Express they flew MD-80 with a 4 across seating all the way through from front to back. they were known for fresh baked cookies, baked on the plane and a free glass of champagne. It was a comfortable ride and miss it.

[@erict5234]

Damn i miss midwest and their "long beach sewer pipes"!!! MKE is a joke to fly out of now!

[@waterwoman901]

Flew md80 from Atlanta to Raleigh during covid may 2020, we sat next to the engine near the rear, I had a window seat but all I could see was the engine next to the window, the noise level was ridiculous. I plugged my ears throughout the flight! Still, an amazing and reliable jet!

[@alittel07]

The old man worked for AA while I was in college on the East Coast. Was lucky enough to use space-a to get home on long weekends to visit family. Route was usually LGA-DFW. Always sat aft/right, and loved to hear the engines cranking during takeoff, the steady wind sound creating white-noise at cruise. A few especially friendly flight attendants would usually sneak me a few mini's of Jack with my coke, knowing I was a college student. Dad's retired now, and I'm older, fatter, and like to sit over the wings now. Wonderful memories of the "Mad Dog".

[@remylopez4821]

I was fortunate enough to have been able to work on the mad dogs when they were brand new as I was employed by McDonald Douglas as a flight ramp mech Dept 587 I worked on the very last ones delivered to TWA before production ended and I finished my career on the C-17 but I really loved the MD80s how ever I didn’t care for the MD90s Thank you for the memories from this old retired mechanic

[@markymarknj]

I can't recall flying on an MD-80, but I refueled a BUNCH of 'em! I worked at STL, which was a TWA hub at the time. TWA had a lot of MD-80s in their fleet. What I liked about refueling the MD-80 was the height of the refueling station wasn't too low; it wasn't too high; it was like Goldilocks-just right! Even when taking on a full load of fuel, it didn't take that long to fill 'em up, either; we're talking a 30-40 minutes, max. My favorite memory of refueling a MD-80 was an American MD-80 on Concourse B at STL. IIRC, the flight was going to DFW, but I'm not sure; after all, this was over three decades ago. I remember the captain coming down to me on the ramp asking me for extra fuel; he said that they had bad weather awaiting them at their destination, and that the extra fuel would come in handy. I gladly obliged, and I gave him 1,000# extra fuel in the center tank... 😀

[@robertdonnelly434]

In their final iteration, they became B717's, with If I Recall Correctly, bigger/quieter engines, more digital control interface, and a few other goodies. We flew a couple of Qantas aircraft, and in the rear, the noise level was significantly less than the original DC-9's.

[@ansh4596]

It's so silent in the cockpit and the mirror to look at the 🧭 was so unique.

[@jamblman]

Avianca had a bunch of them. Flew them all the time. Awesome airplane. Always impressed me the climb up rate during take off. Unbelievable.

[@goodfella2400]

1:48. Actually Hawaiian Airlines and Republic Airlines placed early orders as well.

[@sandysmithvideos228]

What a truck of a plane, the early ones left a trail of smoke a blind man could follow . Took an MD-83 from PIT to Aruba non stop, not bad for an old gal.

[@Fubuki_Kai]

I got to fly on a Delta MD-80 and MD-88 in 2019, unaware they would be retired in 2020. They were also the first planes I've ever flown on. Really cool airplanes I'm glad I had the privilege of flying on.

[@rpgiv3175]

I flew on 4 delta MD-88s, got the window seat next to those engines every time. I will never forget rocketing out of O'hare, Atlanta, and Palm Beach, it felt amazing

[@Sacto1654]

Back in 2003, I suggested on an online discussion forum that American Airlines look at re-engining the MD-80 planes with the then-new Pratt & Whitney PW6024 engine to make the plane far less noisy and more fuel efficient. Had that idea become reality, it's likely that American and Delta would be flying the MD-80's even now, though of course with updated systems like a redesigned cockpit.

[@airtesamaviation]

Our country had md 80 from 1982 to 2016. The sound of the engine was beautiful and soothing to the ear

[@swedishkev]

Yes , SAS .Swedish airlines in the 90s.Never forget the flight from Stockholm to London. l was sitting over the wing and saw some pink bubbling stuff leaking out, may of been like a patch repair. It was probably fuel. l went to the flight deck upon landing and reported it to the captain, he looked at me very surprised. l drew a picture showing where it was leaking from. It's funny how Airlines don't get in touch and thank you, for what could be a very dangerous situation, with more flights and not being discovered. Thanks, SAS.

[@davskol]

What you noticed was de-icing fluid. The pink, sticky, slimy gunk that's ment to be more adhesive than the fluid they always begin the de-icing with.

[@theasian5496]

I also flew on the MD-80 in the old American Airlines livery from Tucson to Dallas Ft. Worth to Springfield and San Antonio back in 2012...ah the memories...

[@adarbs6384]

@kevin walker you never thought to inform the flight attendants?

[@swedishkev]

@@adarbs6384 can't remember if l did in the end. Might of been not long left of the 2 hrs to London and figured so far so good, don't make a seen lol. It was bubbling not leaking and dripping, so thought it is ok for now.

[@adarbs6384]

@@swedishkev I remember after I left working as cabin crew on the mad dogs I went on to an airline that had 737-200's....one of them more often than not had an oil leak on approach 😂 oh the joys of flying nearly 30 years ago 😂

[@spuwho]

My last MD-8x flight was on Allegiant. They had taken the seats and overhead bins of various other MD's they had acquired and used them for interior spare parts. When the back of the cabin got incredibly cold I looked around and noticed that Allegiant had taken a whole interior wall section around the back emergency exit and had installed one from another plane but it didn't fit quite right. Around all of edges I could see where they had installed some kind of caulk to attempt to seal it where the fit wasn't perfect. What ever they used, it clearly wasn't working and outside air from FL34 was definitely leaking in. Fortunately the flight was somewhat short (2 hours) and by the time we landed it was easily below 50 degrees in the back. I checked the manufacturers plate as I left and it showed assembly date of 5/88. That meant the plane was about 34 years old at the time. I notified an Allegiant employee that there was clearly a leak in the back (not one of those contracted gate agents). I don't think she cared one way or another.

[@ronaldchristolear9952]

I flew regularly between Bakersfield, CA. to DFW for two years. I loved the plane.

[@waltjie]

Many times flown on them. Such lovely powerful aircraft, and amazing quiet cabin.

[@skunkbucket9408]

My first flight was in a DC-9 at the age of five. It was, to that point, the most amazing thing I'd ever experienced. The downside to its design, though, was the close proximity of the engines to the fuselage. A few years back, I ended up in the window seat of an MD-80, right next to the engine. I hadn't realized that a modern airliner could be so excruciatingly loud. I made sure to have some foam earplugs for the return trip and have a pair with me every time I fly now, just in case.

[@terohyvarinen4358]

Finnair flew the type for a long time, and on the longer domestic or shorter international flights, you'd fly most probably on a MD-82 or 83. If I remember correctly, the front section of the cabin was relatively quiet. Engine noise was totally different in the rear end. But that might be my golden memory. I remember one particular flight in stormy weather right before Christmas 2003. I guess I was the only enthusiastic of the weather, watching during the approach and going around, street lights shining occasionally through the clouds, snow and what might have been flying out there. The second (?) approach and landing were turbulent, to put it moderately. When finally storming (!) over the runway, it felt as if the pilot decided just to drop the aircraft down. I guess the pilots worked very hard in the cockpit, but it was really a ride to remember.

[@jayhiggins5132]

Lots of flights logged abroad the Mad Dog, lots of good memories. A big part of my business career. I miss her!

[@OmegaAlpha97]

Worked as a ramp agent for a delta! Hated the cargo pit because it was so long. Cleaning all the seat on over night aircraft took about an hour on each one. But whenever I flew on it it was such a wonderful aircraft! Miss seeing them!

[@Siryn]

My first flight was on one back in 1985! Took off like crazy out of CRP. I miss those planes.

[@cltmuscledude66]

I have flown on a Delta MD-80 between Charlotte and Atlanta several years ago, transferring onto another Delta international flight from Atlanta. Quite smooth flight, and yes, relatively fast takeoff.

[@parkplacekyd]

The very first time I ever flew on an airplane was an AA MD80, from SDF-DFW in 2009. It was FASCINATING!

[@sjokomelk]

I have countless hours in the SAS MD-80s as a kid travelling every third weekend to my father on the other side of Norway. In the beginning SAS flew Fokker 50s on my route, but after a couple of years they upgraded to the MD-80s, and it was always a blast. Having fond memories of using the stairs in the tail to board and disembark a couple of time too. I missed them when SAS moved to an all B737 fleet. And now I will miss the B737 as SAS goes all Airbus with the A320neo.

[@manuelurdaneta7451]

Magnificent airplane! I had the delightful pleasure of flying in it (several times in the jump seat - pre-Sep 11 of course). American Airlines, Northwest, Delta, Aeropostal, Aserca, Láser, Spanair… The take off was always fun and I can just close my ejes and hear the particular sound it made when the slats were retracted!

[@ketilljacobsen1851]

I remember my first flight of a MD-80 plane when they were new, sitting in front of the wing. So silent and comfortable! This is one of the most beautiful planes in the sky and specially the ones with unbelievable long bodies in front of the wings. True elegance! And at the same time working very well in all aspects.

[@MrFlysafely]

I used to fly the MD-80 for Vanguard Airlines. It might have roared on the outside but it was whisper quiet in the cockpit. I loved it.

[@vixen0347]

Me too! I miss the old gang!

[@oscarriquezes9650]

The DC9/MD80 is my favourite family of aircrafts. I have flown on all of them but the DC9-20 and 40 series. I will miss them all.

[@AnishAbraham]

I'm glad to have flown on these a few times!

[@leslie535]

I flew the wonderful MD-80 many times for many years with BWIA. Great aircraft and great memories. 👍🏼🇹🇹🇹🇹

[@pmd467]

Yes in deed. The next best thing to a roller coaster. They really put you back in the seat! And that wide throttle roar was intoxicating..👍🏻😊

[@fracturedmind8124]

I flew on an MD-90 back in 2011. Loved it.

[@Trevorfoggia]

I’ve flown in two of them that I recall, one was with Transwede and the other Alitalia. Both excellent flights.

[@xaqxiq9281]

Delta had a couple flying for the Chattanooga airport, I’d rush over to the airport after getting off work at night so I could see the nightly arrival from Atlanta. A couple of times I was lucky enough to watch the plane fly right over my car while I was going to land. Airport rd is right at the end of runway. So whenever larger planes come in they’re real low. The ground would vibrate as it screamed in! It was incredible!

[@MsaAli-zy4vx]

My favorite plane too. Loved the the 2 x 3 seating.

[@DatamasterCorporation]

I flew the MD-88 with delta, and with Allegiant. And the DC-9 with NWA, they were pretty cool!

[@annndukumutua833]

Its a very amazing nickname mad dog I wish all jets had this kind of nicknames

[@rbm7101]

Early 727 200's were called lead sleds because they had the same thrust rated engines as the 727 100's which made for scary takeoffs. At least, that is what my elders used to tell me. The 727 200 adv. had higher rated thrust engines.

[@Saviliana]

I like the sound of the MD-80, infact the MD-82's back toilet have the best sound you would ever able to hear without need of protection if you are an engine lover.

[@jaime77W]

This and the DC-9 made me fall for aviation as a kid! Iconic and legendary. It’s DC-3 of the jet era, a real plane for real pilots.

[@caljoyTV]

My first ever time on a plane was on an MD-80 (Delta). 2013. I was 41 years old.. It was my first time flying. I was pretty nervous. Baltimore to Detroit. VERY SMOOTH flight. I'll never forget it.

[@eltonbrowne7640]

Great aircraft. I was fortunate to function as both first officer and captain of the MD80

[@dutchboy108]

I flew in one in 2021 from Panama City to Caracas. Still beautiful as always.

[@TravelFilming]

Flew them back in the day on Northwest when transferring from KLM flights. The noise when seated between the engines was a bit loud especially on take-offs. Liked the cozy cabin lay-out.

[@deanbone6790]

I took a 16 week weekend cpa review course in San Diego in the 90’s flying PSA MD 80’s from Las Vegas every week. What a great plane.

[@louisramseyjr1985lr]

I flew the MD 80 on American from DFW to Tampa Florida awesome plane miss them loud PW engines

[@draggonsgate]

As a Delta flyer, the MD's were the only planes flying from my local airport. I haven't had the chance to fly on it's replacement, the a220 yet, but I've heard great things. Going to miss these workhorses... but time marches on. We've had to say goodbye to the dc10, L1011 and 747 as well.

[@drakemeenach5126]

The MD-80 was the very first plane I’ve flown on back in 2011 and I was sad to see them retire

[@budyeddi5814]

This was the first plane I flew on back in the 90s. Even got to go in the cockpit during the flight. Great memories ^_^

[@CrazyPetez]

Flew on them from Southern California to Northern California many times. They were quiet and comfortable. Had a 2-3 seating arrangement, which was nice on the 2 seat side.

[@anthonyglee1710]

I remember my first MD-83 flight. Our party were separated and I ended up at the front, my Mom and Sister at the rear. Take off was so powerful and I was amazed how quiet it was. Seat belt sign off, I went down the back to see them. Oh my god it was so loud, they had tissues in their ears, you literally couldn’t have a conversation. Still one of my favs though!

[@tomsmith5584]

I flew an MD-80 on Delta from Denver to Dallas in 2003. My seat was on the aisle in the front row of coach in the 3 side, so I had tons of legroom.