FLYING A 29-YEAR-OLD MD-88! The End of an Era at Delta Air Lines

Рет қаралды 71,137

4 жыл бұрын

The McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 is an updated and stretched version of the venerable Douglas DC-9. Delta has flown these aircraft for decades all across North America, but will sadly be retiring them in early June.
In January this year, I made a particularly well-timed trip to cross off at least one flight on the "Mad Dog" with some friends of mine, and I'm so glad I did. See what I thought of the MD-88 in this trip report!
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FLIGHT INFORMATION
Airline: Delta Air Lines (DAL/DL)
Aircraft: McDonnell-Douglas MD-88 (MD88)
Flight Number: DL2550
Seat: 33A
Livery: Standard
Engines: 2x Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219
Registration: N966DL
Route: Atlanta (ATL) - Toronto (YYZ)
Callsign: DELTA 2550
Runway used: 26L (ATL) - 06L (YYZ)
Date filmed: January 2020
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Outro song: "Take Flight" by Nyhtian: • Nyhtian - Take Flight ...
© Alex Praglowski Aviation 2020
This video is the property of Alex Praglowski Aviation and may not be used for any purpose without prior permission. Contact me at the email in the "About" section of my channel for usage.

Пікірлер: 320

@briancook9432 4 жыл бұрын

I was a first officer on the MD-88/90 for 3 1/2 years. I personally flew that exact airplane. She was quite the workhorse! Really enjoyed your video!!!

@Pwj579 Жыл бұрын

The MD-88 was definitely a workhorse for Delta from the mid-1990s to early 2000s For my Dad as a Delta Captain, it was his least favorite aircraft, next to the 737-800. His favorites were the L-1011, 757, 767 and 727.

@brandonbinder5572 3 ай бұрын

Hey - how come they left flaps out at the gate?

@thetwopointslow 4 жыл бұрын

There’s something so fun about flying in an MD-80, it’s like you can feel it ride the winds. It flies like a sports car.

@windanthonystream 4 жыл бұрын

thetwopointslow it cuts thru the skies like butter.. It has a smooth ride.

@windanthonystream 4 жыл бұрын

As someone who has actually flown the MD-80, and it will forever have a special place in my heart. Now I’m on the 717, it is similar but flys very different. However the 717 has better automation!!

@gendaminoru3195 4 жыл бұрын

I have time in 717 and a ton of sim time from FSB/Alteon on both. And I agree, much different handling qualities. Good luck

@guilhermerocha02 4 жыл бұрын

Nice! I'll soon fly on a 717 from Hawaiian

@mikeparkin7262 3 жыл бұрын

I flew on a airtran dc-9 and 717 in same day. their 717`s were brand new at the time and i thought they were really nice.

@FinlandGuy747 9 ай бұрын

I wish somebody would fly 717s near me.

@jamesboardman8859 3 жыл бұрын

As a Delta SkyMiles Member, I have spent quite a few hours seated in Delta's MD-80 & 90 aircraft. I am 6'3", and like you Alex, I often have problems with legroom in the coach cabin of most aircraft, however, I never had a problem with Delta's MD-80s, they always had a "scoosh" more legroom than Delta's 737, & A320 aircraft have. Goodbye old friend, you will be missed. Thanks Alex, for the tribute!

@markvolpe2305 4 жыл бұрын

Back in the 80's and 90's this was all that we flew on, gonna miss these birds.

@thecaynuck4694 4 жыл бұрын

I wish they stayed around longer! As someone who's younger, I flew on these when I was very young, hardly remember it. However, World Atlantic Airlines has operated flights to New York from my airport before, so maybe it's one day possible to hitch a last ride.

@parkerdenney7445 4 жыл бұрын

My last Mad Dog flight was January 2019, MD-90 from Minneapolis-Saint Paul to Detroit.

@ilikeleaking 3 жыл бұрын

the last time I flew delta is when the md-80/90 were still in service, im pretty sure the last time I was on delta I flew the md-88

@waynemartin4881 4 жыл бұрын

As a crew member myself the probable reason they wouldn’t let you mount the GoPro is that if it comes off the window during an incident it might injure them, making doing their job in an emergency much more difficult, we are told to make sure we are safe and if we feel something might injure us then we can rectify it, if they were rude about it then that’s bad. There’s ways of getting things sorted without being rude. I enjoyed your video very much, I used to fly these aircraft in the 1990s from Heathrow to Dublin with British Midland.

@deltastransportadventures4083 4 жыл бұрын

I'm gonna miss these. The MD-88 is one of my best Single aisle planes I flew recently because I sat at the back near the engine and it sounded absolute hellfire. R.I.P MD-88

@MileHigh_Aviation 4 жыл бұрын

Rest In Peace to one of the best airplanes ever!

@Delta_NWAB747fan 4 жыл бұрын

I can 100% agree, hopefully the MD-90 will stay for at least a little while longer.

@MileHigh_Aviation 4 жыл бұрын

Delta747Fan Boeing yeah agreed

@thecaynuck4694 4 жыл бұрын

@@Delta_NWAB747fan Sadly the MD-90 is now fully retired. There are still some MD-80's in the world. The most accessible are fro World Atlantic Airlines and some airlines in Venezuela.

@shahimagesyt 3 жыл бұрын

Dont forget Iran too

@markjaynes7151 4 жыл бұрын

I used to take Eastern DC-9s from DFW to Atlanta to Gainseville, FL. My favorite 2-engined airplane. I liked it much better than the 737s. Well done!

@DeltaBravoTango 4 жыл бұрын

Never got to fly one but it is so iconic all the same. Beautiful job Alex. Liked

@coydog7902 4 жыл бұрын

I’ve been on them

@donaldsperrazza5817 4 жыл бұрын

I flew on them countless times living in buffalo as they were pretty much the only delta aircraft that flew there. Never thought I’d miss them but I do.

@kimdeering8052 2 жыл бұрын

Yup, did many flights on the Mad Dogs when I was an airline employee 20 plus years ago. Funny to think that before Delta and American retired these birds, I read that the airlines were offering captains pay raises to captain these things since everybody wanted to fly the 737's and the Buses. I know a couple guys who captained the Mad Dogs and they absolutely loved flying them as much as I loved riding in them. Being a Delta Connection employee, I had excellent travel benefits with Delta so many times in First Class and my share in coach. Man, if we had KZfaq and smart phones back in my day with the airlines, I woulda been doing exactly what you're doing and loving every minute of it !

@CallumSpotting 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome video mate...Such as sad time the md-80’s look and sound amazing it’s a shame... keep up the great work 😃👍🏻

@horseathalt7308 4 жыл бұрын

WOW GREAT PILOTS ! THAT KIND OF INTERACTION REMINDS ME OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMMERCIAL JET FLIGHT IN THE 60S AND 70S. THANKS GUYS

@TwanK1 4 жыл бұрын

966 Was One Of The Last 88s I Parked At LaGuardia Seven Years Ago..Delta Did An Amazing Job Keeping Those Planes In Great Shape..Great Video!

@jcaam8094 4 жыл бұрын

The most amazing sounding engine ever.

@deltaboy767 4 жыл бұрын

There will NEVER EVER be another engine sound like that of the MD88, MadDog.

@JustJJ555 2 жыл бұрын

I got to ride on one of these March of 2020 right before Delta retired them due to Covid. Almost felt like I was in a private jet because the plane was less than half full and I had the whole row to myself. The buzz of the engine put me in a deep slumber.

@motormusique 2 жыл бұрын

Yes I was glad I was able to fly one at the end of 2019. I was seated far up front and I was surprised because the take off was almost silent!

@heroknaderi 4 ай бұрын

I enjoyed it. I will miss them too. Hopefully someday someway someone will start an airline company and bring them back to the skies

@georgemcgowanfl 4 жыл бұрын

Allegiant used to fly the mad dog and I loved the sound of the engines as well as the 3/2 seating.

@Chatta-Ortega 4 жыл бұрын

I remember flying in the back row of those old DC-9's and I would walk off the plane almost deaf. The MD-80 and later the MD-88's were much quieter. They were good aircrafts.

@knopserkeks 4 жыл бұрын

You are really lucky to fly these things

@ryankenyon5010 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! Sat in 33a on my last Mad Dog Delta flight ATL-OMA in Jan. 2019. Unforgettable.

@SkyblueAviation 4 жыл бұрын

Man, the sound of those engines 😍 This video gave me a really weird nostalgic feeling, even if I’ve never flown on a maddog before! Awesome video as always 👍

@cedricye1767 4 жыл бұрын

When the plane was taking off, I felt like I was in a plane taking off, not on a computer, lol. Great video!

@skinnerhound2660 4 жыл бұрын

A good friend of mine who was a Naval aviator during Vietnam and later flew for Alaska Airlines. He retired Captain on 80's in 2004 and I was lucky to be able to fly on his last schedule/turn. He had good things to say about the aircraft.

@santhoshferrari4107 4 жыл бұрын

Alex is the shit. His videos are spectacular

@Aviation.addict Жыл бұрын

My uncle was the captain of your flight, I think. He flew MS-80s at the the time, but now flies a320s

@TripReportaviation 2 жыл бұрын

Nice trip report. The sounds were powerful and amazing.

@GermanKorb 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent flight! Awesome spooling sounds!

@BaltimoreAndOhioRR 4 жыл бұрын

Well done video! Thanks! 🛫🛬

@avationgeek.1217 3 жыл бұрын

This lovely plane has all my sympathy.

@corpnupe85 4 жыл бұрын

The MD 80’s were a great flying plane.

@ScottJLake1 2 ай бұрын

You didn’t play enough of the spool up of the engine to hear when fuel was added. Hearing the fuel hit the ignitors is the best.

@lhunter325 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, My wife flew forDelta 33yrs so she flew in these relics for quite a few flights….Glad you enjoyed your flight.

@GarrettCannon 4 жыл бұрын

Man, that's so cool of the pilot to let you do that!! Props to the cool pilot flying one of the coolest planes 😎

@BayAreaTraveler 4 жыл бұрын

Wow, well done video! Really enjoyed your narration and the symphony of those Pratt engines!

@davef9901 4 жыл бұрын

Had the opportunity to fly on Air Canada DC-9s many moons ago (my first air trips), thanks for this - brought back some great memories!

@stanleovart 4 жыл бұрын

Cool, as usual! Thank you Alex

@alejandromoranrusso3529 4 жыл бұрын

Very nice video , thank you for shared.

@fsxpilotcorbein8761 4 жыл бұрын

Realy Awesome video, I love this aircraft, thank you :)

@StephenStarkman 4 жыл бұрын

fun video, well done and thank you. I've flown on DC-9's, MD-80's, '88s over the years. Used to go out to Pearson at the end of what was then 24R in the parking lot of the McDonnell Douglass plant to hear Air Canada's DC-9-30 absolutely roar into the sky. The type of noise that vibrates your chest.(The 727s, 707's and IL-62Ms were fun too :). My last flight on an MD included a departure from the gate using reverse thrust (NWA, Detroit to Toronto) sitting just in front of the left engine (deliberately!). THAT was noisy! What a great airplane! But, noise, environment and cost does mean it should be retired. Hopefully all of us can get back to commercial flying as soon as possible.

@trekkermueth3074 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for taking us on this flight. I can't even begin to estimate how many MD-88s on which I've flown. It was the workhorse of American and Delta for most of my business flying days from Tampa to Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto and many other destinations. So cool that there are trading cards. I never knew that! Safe travels.

@samphillips8322 2 жыл бұрын

Great video Alex. Glad you had a memorable trip. There were many MD and 717 fans among the flight crews as well. Now they are getting conversion training to fly new aircraft. I rode the MD many times on Delta both as a passenger and a nonrev. Good airplane for most domestic trips. Thank you for flying with Delta.

@american101 4 жыл бұрын

The MD88 Is Absolutely Amazing! I’m Really Gonna Miss These Once They’re Gone! 😭♥️

@billr2220 4 жыл бұрын

Love those JT8D sounds

@Coffee-vw2bu 4 жыл бұрын

I've never been on the MD-88, but I've been on the MD-90-30 for Delta Air Lines. My first flight was on the MD-80 family, and I don't have a problem with the MD-80s. It was a very comfortable aircraft to be on.

@v1__rotate 4 жыл бұрын

Glad I got to fly on both AA and DL Mad Dogs. I will miss them for sure

@gregorylewis8471 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Alex! I've had many a great ride on MD-88's and MD-90's. Many more in the past on DC-9's. Air Canada flew DC-9's in the past and I flew one on a very short trip from Toronto to Windsor! I'm really going to miss my Mad Dogs! Thanks again!

@MICKbig06 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I took my first flight years ago on a northwest DC-9 from Newark to Memphis

@elaineblackhurst1509 4 жыл бұрын

Wow when I was really young I went regularly Alitalia to Rome on the Mad dog I loved that plane It started my love affair with planes. IM now An adult and spot at Manchester UK my favourite plane is the A350-1000. Or Neo as I’m into low emissions craft I follow 23L blog he gets all the big guys Emirates Virgin etc etc magnifico also Planespotting Ringway a young lad just starting up Thankyou for amazing film bellissimo bravo indeed ✈️🇬🇧🙏👩‍✈️👨‍✈️🌺🇺🇸✈️

@lorifrederick2367 4 жыл бұрын

My favorite aircraft of all time! I will miss the Mad Dog! I will also miss them flying over my house, we are under the approach pattern, KROC 22.

@fireandrose1962 4 жыл бұрын

Grew up in Winnipeg and enjoyed the sound of those Air Canada DC9s on approach over my house. Also loved being in the aft cabin to hear the whine of those JT8Ds from the inside too. But oh....the vibration next to those rear windows next to the cowling - that was something else. Thanks for capturing that unique experience.

@michaelmitchell5380 4 жыл бұрын

Great job! I'll miss them flying over my house here at KMSN. Racking my brain to remember if I've flown one, having done so on just about every version of the DC-9. Seventy years is a long time of flying to keep track of. Really love the B717--a really sweet ride! First time I could have sworn it was a DC9-30, at half the weight.

@DPNP-ls7ro 4 жыл бұрын

Flown on an MD80 once in 2005. The way it accelerates from zero to being airborne. Fell in love with it 🤩

@TeemarkConvair 4 жыл бұрын

such a true airplane geek! thanks

@mikeallmon1 4 жыл бұрын

that cabin sound in there... noing, noing, noing for a long time! gotta love it! I heard the flight deck is silent

@apa182 4 жыл бұрын

GREAT VIDEO!!!!! Flew on DAL MD80s, definitely best single aisle plane.

@jefftempleton5832 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this trip report. The airline I worked for back in the way back had a fleet of MD 80's. I hated to work on them (low ceilings, painful corners to hit your head on in the baggage pits), and the MD stood for "Mechanical Delay" or "Mostly Deficient." But to fly on them, now that was something special....especially in the back where (most) paying passengers never wanted to sit.

@nateleech3887 4 жыл бұрын

The bird will be forever missed, let’s say gone but never forgotten. Great video Alex, gonna miss the maddog

@Railviation 4 жыл бұрын

awesome video alex! it will be sad to see them all gone, but still happy they have a second life has Charter airliners!

@dors5969 4 жыл бұрын

Which charter airlines will buy them?

@alexanyanEVN 4 жыл бұрын

Nice sharing my friend.. I miss to fly ,airports ....

@BFFAvgeek15 4 жыл бұрын

Good video dude! Sadly I didn’t catch a ride on the Delta MD-88 this year. ✈️

@Pwj579 Жыл бұрын

Alex, I had my fill of flying Delta MD-88s from 1992-2006, when my dad was a Cincinnati-based Delta Captain. We lived in Baltimore, so flying anywhere "Non-Rev" it was usually an MD-88 from BWI to CVG or ATL for connecting flights to final destination. We would always cross our fingers for a 727 or 757 rather than the "Mad Dog". Compared to those aircraft the MD-88's takeoff performance was anemic. That was the fun of sometimes flying out of DCA National Airport (later Reagan National), usually it was either a 727 or 757 due to the shorter runway and noise abatement flying that required an aircraft with a little more "oomph".

@fabriziom 4 жыл бұрын

Great vid Alex congrats! I remember flying a Delta MD88 in 1999 from ATL to Indianapolis. I was 13 at the time and it was memorable. On approach we flew through quite large clouds and at each cloud the pilot would push the throttle to pass through it faster. Only and ever time I had such a way to pilot! I loved it as it gave a nice kick in the back at each cloud.

@edwardsp1916 8 ай бұрын

I was impressed by the way you managed to mount the microphone outside! I forgot hiw loud the MD80 is. Great aircraft.

@okev7287 4 жыл бұрын

wow another amazing video

@timeforbeans 4 жыл бұрын

Tip of the hat towards crew members. Flying with an Airline that has amazing crew members always makes our families decision on which Airline to fly. Crew members, are the reason we book any flight with an airline for all of our trips.

@jjsifo1 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent! thank you!

@davdmoi 4 жыл бұрын

Nice , that plane numbers look very familiar. I remember I also on one of MD88 when I fled to Florida from NYC. Those rear twin engines sweet powerful sound.

@TUKUMZ 3 жыл бұрын

great video! great plane! great pilots!

@thejazzguy13 4 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed the video Alex! Only 4 days left for the ole Mad Dogs...I know they're old but I still wanna say they're leaving too soon :D

@cybhunter007 Жыл бұрын

5:11-5:16 by the sound curve it sounded like the JT8D's were being slightly throttled below takeoff power. Never had the opportunity of being on a MD, though back in 97 was able to fly on 305DL (737-200) with the same powerplants (and sporting the old school widget livery). As a seven year old hearing the distinct buzz you never forget that feeling.

@dennyfrontier 4 жыл бұрын

I flew on an MD 88 years ago and I had the privilege of sitting right next to the engine so I could see it out of my window. Very distinctive and soothing hum

@Landino15_ 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, 1:56 i love the MD 80 but my favourite single aisle jet is the 757

@MrRashad9001 4 жыл бұрын

I remember my first Delta MD 88 flight from nassau to Atlanta connection to new Orleans on the MD 90 I sat in row 35 and that engine is loud but it was a great experience on Delta MD 88

@CMH-aviation Жыл бұрын

I was very lucky to spot the last MD88 flight in and out of CMH Columbus Ohio and that was strange when it took off knowing i wouldnt see or hear one ever again

@Garcansdad 4 жыл бұрын

I've flown on a few DC-9s but most memorable was flying on the Delta Convair 880 to Chicago from Houston years ago.

@kevinasaurus 4 жыл бұрын

My first trip in the air was when I was 9, in 1989, on an AA MD80, SYR-ORD-SMF. I've loved flying ever since.

@RedHotMessResell 2 ай бұрын

For all these years I thought my first flight was on a Delta airbus in 2003, but as I research I'm starting to realize it very well might've been a MD. I only flew 3 times between 2003-2004 for some TV work in LA. One of those flights was a 3-2 configuration because I remember it bothering my OCD so bad back then as a kid. One had two isles. At least two were Delta. I'm on a quest to figure out which one was my first. And this could be it.

@McWrisk 4 жыл бұрын

Aww the MD. Had the opportunity to fly this quite a few times from PNS-ATL / ATL-MSP / MEM-MSP and even once MSP - YQR that engine is impressive!

@suryasuryadi3430 4 жыл бұрын

It is always a wonderful vlog from Alex.. with such detailed information. JT is somewhat a roaring engines and gas guzzlers too, make it less profit for Delta. It is marvelous.. got a letter and souvenirs from the Captain... You are lucky..

@brianocean5756 4 жыл бұрын

Great job on video flown on many 88s on delta they will be missed

@marriedGary 4 жыл бұрын

Had the privilege to do the same flight back in December 2019. Nothing like the Mad Dog!

@mynorescobar3015 4 жыл бұрын

Pan-Am was the BEST with all kind of souvenirs.

@stuartlee6622 4 жыл бұрын

Pan Am. Like unchecked baggage in the hold

@jamesboardman8859 3 жыл бұрын

Huh, I didn't know that PAN AM ever flew MD-80s. They flew Boeing 727s, and some Airbus A320s, at the time of their demise. I don't recall ever seeing an MD-80 in their livery.

@Ben-xe8ps 2 жыл бұрын

Such as?

@CJetsPlanespotting 4 жыл бұрын

It’s sad to see less and less aircraft built by McDonnell Douglas flying everyday...

@laurasanders6623 4 жыл бұрын

Rode one Friday as well from Hartford to Atlanta. Heard on announcing that it was the flight attendants last shift on this mad dog. Was cool being part of history.

@sidrad 4 жыл бұрын

One of my earliest memories was flying from New York to Columbia with a layover in Atlanta. I loved the black nose cone and livery that Delta put on the MD fleet in the mid 90s, and I still would love to see them do it as a heritage livery.

@kirkzevola5004 4 жыл бұрын

I’ll miss flying on these I loved these planes growing up

@FinnTheCanadian 4 жыл бұрын

Another Great Video from a Great Trip reporter , I think I'm officially an Avgeek Now

@constantinenikitin5397 4 жыл бұрын

Damn those engines sound beautiful! Very sad to see them go. I never got a chance to fly on a mad dog.

@JPsAviation 4 жыл бұрын

My home airport always got the md88 from atl, now we’re getting the 738 in September.

@JasonDykstraMT 4 жыл бұрын

I vaguely remember flying on one of their MD-90s, but I was still very young. I also remember flying on American Airlines' MD-80 one time between St. Louis and Chicago, but, I don't remember much, as I was around the same age.

@tommylatin6842 4 жыл бұрын

Really gonna miss em

@kevenguimaraes 4 жыл бұрын

Man I’m so glad I got the chance to fly on one of these beauties back in 2016 before they were retired! Definitely a bit of a unique experience compared to most other modern airliners. I sat near the rear and had a view of both the engine and the wing (flaps, ailerons, etc.). Not sure if it was just my perception but it seemed like there was a slight anhedral on the wing.

@pwoblem 4 жыл бұрын

Remember back in 2010 when SAS retired their whole fleet i booked a domestic turn around flight from stockholm to umea just to go with the MD80 one last time (a week before the actual last flight that went from arlanda to copenhagen). But upon arrival to the airport after check in there was a aircraft change due to technical reason so i ended up flying the route with a 736 instead. it was such a bummer.. So my last flight with the MD80 was 3 months prior to the last retirement flight. Really enjoyable aircraft!

@markiangooley 4 жыл бұрын

MD-88s and MD-90s have been the way to fly Delta from Florida airports like PBI to ATL, and often from ATL to smaller airports in the eastern USA or the Midwest. Flown a lot in the past ten years. I’ll miss them. I think my last flights were PBI-ATL and back in September 2019. Saw a few on a trip in December but didn’t fly on them.

@CaptainStevenMarkovich 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video👍 I’m filming at ATL getting my last piece of history

@btrdangerdan2010 4 жыл бұрын

When I was still working at SNA station, there use to be B717-200 that Delta served until last October 2019 being replaced by the A220/CS100. Similar to the MD_80 series.

@sushi777300 4 жыл бұрын

I'm a bit jealous Never got the chance to fly any MD-80 😢 Once I was booked on one on ATL-RSW but that got upgraded to a 752. Was hoping to still get the chance to fly one on one of the few remaining DL routes next year but that chance is gone 😞