More MD-88 retirements this week?
 

Looks like some 88s are being flown over to Arkansas International Airport in Blytheville, AR this week. Google Maps shows plenty of derelict maddogs and 757s on the ground there. Anyone got the scoop if this is the end for these maddogs at Delta, or do they get routine maintenance there?

Delta (DL) #9931 ? 15-Sep-2017 ? KATL - KBYH ? FlightAware

88s or 90s?

I have heard rumors they are parking 90s now to use later and save cycles due to the high major-mx costs...

I thought 13 x 88s were to be parked by EOY 17.

The FAA waiver request for ADS-B (previous thread) showed a steady fleet decline and only 56 88's in service beyond 1 Jan 2020.

I am sure the "real plan" target moves daily.


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Flightaware shows the aircraft as an MD-88.

Thanks, first I'd heard of -88s leaving the fleet in 2017. I'd only heard of that 1 MD90 earlier this year. #headinsand

I think BYH (T-tail boneyard?) is also the final resting place for many of Delta's/fNWA's mighty Diesel-9s.

Either that, or Jed Clampett decided to start an airline. :D

Jed did that already.
It was originally founded in Monroe, LA.

Are you implying that original Widgets had meadow muffin residue on the rudder pedals?

Mechanic in Denver told me they're just running out of parts in general on the MD-88s/90s. If they can't fix it then they send it to the desert. Good riddance.

Never wish for airframes to go away.

I agree with that.

Here here. I remember people saying good riddance to the ATR-72 at the farm team. It made zero sense to me to have that opinion without a confirmed replacement.

this may be the first thing you've written I agree with

A few weeks ago I'd heard from a maintenance coordinator that a 90 had been parked and had already begun the process of being scavenged for parts when marketing called and said put it back together, we still need it. That was just one, though.

And the kicker was it was all during a scheduled 45 minute plane change from A to E with no van.

My first thought was that this all happened during a normal hub turn for the 88/90 fleet, jet lands, scavenged for parts for previous broke jet, jet gets repaired in time for only a 30 min delay.

I suppose I should have clarified.....parked as in the desert. And scavenged as in the engines taken off.

:eek: :eek: :D