dcajet From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 367 posts, RR: 5 Posted (2 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 14004 times:
Good news from Argentina for all Mad Dog lovers. LV-WFN, an MD81 (technically a DC-9-81) has found a final resting place at Argentina's National Aeronautics Museum, located in the city of Moron, in the western suburbs of Buenos Aires and adjacent to SADM. This airframe was delivered to Austral Lineas Aereas on January 8, 1981 and went on to have a spotless career with the same employer until March 16, 2012. Over those 31 years, it logged close to 70,000 hours and slightly over 60,000 cycles - more than any other MD81. Upon retirement it was the oldest Mad Dog in service.
Since retirement it has been stored at SACO and was seen this past weekend doing some engine and taxiing runs in preparation for her final flight to SADM.
AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5336 posts, RR: 11 Reply 1, posted (2 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 13636 times:
Thanks for posting.
Out of curiosity, is that a high number of hours/cycles for a DC-9 airframe?
I don't know much about DC-9's, or their expected service life.
TrijetsRMissed From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 2097 posts, RR: 6 Reply 2, posted (2 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 13492 times:
Thanks for sharing, dcajet. I'm glad to see Argentina recognize the significance of this aircraft and preserve its history.
Quoting dcajet (Thread starter): Over those 31 years, it logged close to 70,000 hours and slightly over 60,000 cycles - more than any other MD81.
Very impressive. It goes to show the MD-80 frame can far exceed the 50k cycles the FAA has certified it for.
DCAjet From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 367 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (2 months 4 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 12374 times:
Quoting abrown532 (Reply 4):
Made me giggle a bit, great news for Mad Dog Lovers!
I know... Technically and more importantly grammatically correct it is Morón, that acute accents makes a world of difference.
As per the city and county of Morón website:
No consensus exists among historians as to the origin of the city's name. Possible namesakes include: Diego Morón, whose widow, Isabel Torres Briseño, was one of the area's landowners in the 18th century; Pedro Morán, another local landowner; the town of Morón de la Frontera, in Andalucia, Spain, from which many of the town's first residents originated; and San Pedro de Morón, the patron saint of a local doyennne at the time.
[Edited 2013-02-19 21:12:34]
"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free kitten"
type-rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 4343 posts, RR: 21 Reply 8, posted (2 months 4 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 12216 times:
For some reason when I think of Austral I think of Australia even though I know the airline is Argentian. What is the reason for the name. Does it mean something special & aviation related in Spanish?
Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!
DCAjet From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 367 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (2 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 11910 times:
Quoting type-rated (Reply 8): For some reason when I think of Austral I think of Australia even though I know the airline is Argentian. What is the reason for the name. Does it mean something special & aviation related in Spanish?
Actually the word also exists in English, it comes from the latin word "australis" meaning south (the opposite being "borealis" i.e. north). Austral is an airline that was founded in the 50s to fly to Patagonia and it really does not get any more Southern than Patagonia hence the name. The word Australia shares the same root as Austral Lineas Aereas. Of course, the use of austral and boreal as modifiers to a noun are much more prevalent in Spanish than in English - suspect that is due to the latin roots of the Spanish language.
Rds,
"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free kitten"
I am sure it could keep on going... but that beauty will suck any airline dry just on fuel costs. They served Argentina well for 31 years - What started as a shy 5-airframe order in 1978 went on to be 37 strong over the years. Upon retirement last year, 15 of them were left in the fleet.
Together with the BAC 1-11 in Austral,and the Boeings 737 classic and 727-200 and F-28s in Aerolineas Argentinas, the Mad Dogs brought jet service to every corner of Argentina.
I believe there is one ex-AU BAC 1--11 airframe at SADMO, either LV-MZM or LV-OAX - not in the Museum though, but used for some form of training. Firefighters perhaps?
"Unattended children will be given espresso and a free kitten"
NWAROOSTER From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 844 posts, RR: 3 Reply 17, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 1453 times:
Quoting Spacepope (Reply 14): Quoting lightsaber (Reply 13):Its a good number; the record holder is N669HA from HA with 95,132 cycles (probably low hours due to island hoping).
Lightsaber
One of the ex-AA/TWA birds that DL just bought for parts had over 70,000 hours on it. IIRC some of the older NW -9s had numbers near 100,000/100,000
Northwest Airlines had several DC-9-30s that flew over 100,000 cycles. About 103,000 cycles. The FAA limited the DC-9 to 100,000 cycles or the next major check, unless an aft preasure bulkhead "mod" was completed. With that many cycles, it was not cost effective to perform the needed work to keep the aircraft in service. So the aircraft were retired, like me.
TrijetsRMissed From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 2097 posts, RR: 6 Reply 18, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1248 times:
Quoting NWAROOSTER (Reply 17): Northwest Airlines had several DC-9-30s that flew over 100,000 cycles. About 103,000 cycles. The FAA limited the DC-9 to 100,000 cycles or the next major check
Interesting that you note this information. I do recall that the FAA granted NW 104k cycles (no joke) provided the DC-9s had no impending airworthiness issue at 100k cycles. This won't be found in general FAA docs. It was specific to NW - the only applicable carrier.
DCAJet From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 367 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (2 months 3 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 668 times:
LV-WFN flew today the last ever MD81 flight in the colors of Austral as she was ferried from Cordoba SACO to Morón SADM to her final resting place at the National Museum of Aeronautics.
Like a homesick angel, she took off for the last time in true Mad Dog style -
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 367 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 2370 posts, 
From UK - Northern Ireland, joined Feb 2008, 122 posts, 
From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 4839 posts, 
From Vatican City, joined Dec 1999, 2735 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
