From Upfront Magazine (Bar... no cussing):

According to Boeing, there were 1,192 MD-80s
delivered. Of those delivered, 706 are currently
flying. Boeing also states, “70% the MD-80 fleet
(700 airplanes) have less than 35,000 cycles”. Not
convinced that it’s a young pup yet? What if I told
you the life of the fuselage is expected to be
110,000 flight cycles and 150,000 flight hours.
That’s right – Boeing refers to this life expectancy as
the Limit of Validity. That means that most MD-80s
could have 20 – 30 years of service life remaining.
Of course Delta will be faced with making the
determination on where to draw the line. Economic
viability will depend on fuel cost, navigation system
limitations, and inevitable mandates (Required
Navigational Performance, Noise Regulations,
Aging Airplane Safety, etc.). For now it appears that
the MD-88 has a solid spot in Delta’s long-term
fleet plan. And why wouldn’t it; the Mad Dog is only
19 years young.

Heyas Hockey,

Sad. Very Sad.

The DC-9-10 flying out of MSP was some of the best flying EVER.

"Fly heading 330, proceed direct Bismark when able, climb to 350" right after MSP approach switched you to center. Next time you talked with them was when you wanted to start down.

Sure, it didn't have VNAV (other than what was between your ears), but no ATC hassles, no angst from the east/west coast passengers (despite that you were ALWAYS full going to these places), ZERO traffic hassles at your desintation, and getting paid $195/hr in the left seat....oh yea, and you upgraded in 5 years.

THIS is what we lost. I was walking down the C concourse in DTW the other day. I walked a LONG time before I found an DCI plane going somewhere that WASN'T a mainline destination a just few years ago.

To our former negotiators: Thanks for deciding the 76 seaters were ok at DCI.

Nu

You guys have my head spinning with all the VNAV talk. I've been flying since 87 and have never flown an FMS equipped jet. Guess it's time to learn. Looks like I'll be in ATL for all of Feb...I'll be the one with the confused look if any body wants to buy me a drink.

Do you think ANC might be a Phoenix as well?

Type in the FMS what you want. Type a speed if you want in the FMS and a speed at the cross restriction. Hit descent now or VNAV depending on if you've already hit descent now.

Now, watch that lovely and very accurate green arc come into view and it should show you hitting the altitude you put in the box slightly before your crossing restriction.

Now keep watching, in a minute or so it'll slide past the crossing fix. You're not done, keep watching... there, now its hopelessly well past the crossing fix the other pilot is jumping up and down, ATC is asking if you're going to make it and now you look for the panic button which is also the IAS button coupled to full blown spoilers and a ding from the back asking why you're such a ***.

VNAV 101. :D

Seriously, the key is how quick you're willing to abandon VNAV. On the 88 there are some that want you doing VNAV descents to the outer marker (slight bit of a cluster), some that will give you a dirty look if you so much as start a descent in VNAV and most who just give it the old college try and then determine whether to jump out of it or not.

I think they used to get paid by the trip. So, if they went over because they had to hold or deice, they got the same pay as if they did it 30 minutes under schedule. I remember SWA guys explaining why that system pushes some of them to the limits. They quicker they do a flight, the more "trips" they can get in under the FAR's limits, and thus make more money. I don't know if they still get paid that way, but they sure do still taxi "briskly." :D

Not that I am aware of.

VNAV worked great in the 88. Just double all of your decent winds if they are tail winds. If there are head winds do not put em in. Worked every time. :D

The -10 was a great jet. Another blown ALPA mission. But, they sure did make sure we didn't give up that Asia flying.

At the risk of bringing down the wrath of the "don't say anything bad about my ALPA" crowd, I must say that the biggest disappointments I've had with my union have been:

1.) Their lacking strength to fight for our pensions.
2.) Their willingness to give up the 70 seaters. (whatever happened to that line in the sand?)

No one realizes it, but because ALPA was playing checkers with a management team that was playing chess, in 10 months the smallest airplane we will have being flown by mainline new DAL pilots will be the A-319 & 737-700's (124).

Unless acl comes forth with some juicy new rumor of a 100 seat replacement that will be on property in the next two years, I think we should have castled right away. :(

New K Now

But it amazes me how many FOs I've flown with over the years do nothing but cruise altitude changes. I've even seen them try to do them after TOD and then sit there and scratch their heads trying to figure out why it wouldn't take it.