April 20th 2012

A new freighter type is about to take its first flight: At the Cargo Facts Asia event, Robert Convey, VP Sales and Marketing at AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERS Inc (AEI), reported that flight testing of the prototype AEI MD-80 converted freighter will begin in early May. He also disclosed that Alaska-based Everts Air Cargo will acquire the prototype unit (49470, ex-American Airlines) following completion of certification [FAT 000232]. In addition to Everts, AEI has firm orders for fifteen MD-80SFs from four undisclosed customers. Everts currently operates a thirteen unit freighter fleet, made up of two C-46s, eight DC-6s, one DC-9, and two EMB 120s.

Cargofacts.net

The md80 is a FANTASTIC cargo plane for the smaller markets. I was flying a DC-9 freighter in Africa, and the MD would have been MUCH better, overall. Great range, decent fuel burn, good capacity, etc. It is MUCH better than a 737 freighter, and there are no other competitors in it's market segment.

About 70 -80s from Alitalia were sold to a South African company who is doing freighter conversions there.

cliff
HHN

Africa West?

Nines are fine if you're not going to transload pallets or cans. Since the cross section is less, you can't load AAA cans (108x125) like you would on an Eight or Seven Two, you have to use those little funky cans (96x108). I'm thinking you could used the AAA cookie sheets but you'd have to reset all the floor locks.

I’ve flown both seats on the 737F and DC9F, and the 737 is MUCH better than DC9/80. The loading envelope on the 737 is much more forgiving, pretty much just put it in any way it fits secure it and go. The DC9 requires more attention to loading to remain within CG and the MD80 is just a DC9 loading problem X2. Also ask yourself why 737F’s are so expensive and DC9/80’s are cheap that should tell you a lot right there. I have flown three Douglas airframes and as a rule Douglas systems are more complicated and less reliable than that of the mighty 737.

The Gringo!

I've flown 5 Douglas types (OK, making the Super 3 a different type is a joke) and went from the Nine to the 727. All I could think in ground school was, "What was Boeing thinking?" I love the 727 but less complicated, no. I've never had a crossfeed valve not move or an outflow valve fail to move on a Direct Cable aircraft. Because, via cable, I had my hand on the valve. Hydraulic flight controls make Boeings fly like Cadillacs but having a cable from the yoke to the tab is literally one step up from a J-3.

Douglas for props (hands down), Boeing for jets (hands down), Airbus for nothing (both hands down )

One former DC-9 Captain said: "I didn't want to upgrade, but in 727 school they told us about a little yellow light that comes on so you'll know if you lost an engine. I started to like the airplane right then."

Likes this

I think that there was a typo there. When he says "Airbus" I think he means "SCAREBUS." The 380 is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Fortunately, Quantus and others have professional pilots in the driver's seat to handle the issues with the planes....