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MD-80 Questions  
User currently offlineAgnusBymaster From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 649 posts, RR: 0
Posted (11 years 3 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1421 times:

What is the purpose of the open panel just below the cheatline towards the front of the fuselage? I used to think this was some kind of access panel that was closed prior to takeoff, but after seeing many a plane leave the gate with it still in the same position, I've decided that it must be something else.

Also, what about the little fins and the one big fin on top of the fuselage? Do they serve as transmitters of some kind or are they just there for aerodynamic reasons?

Here's the photo I'm referring too:


Click for large version
Click here for full size photo!
Photo © Brian Hames



8 replies: All unread, jump to last
 
User currently offlineBjones From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 123 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (11 years 3 months 4 days ago) and read 1339 times:

Are you talking about below the word Alaska? That is the door to the forward cargo pit.

The "fin" on top is an antenna. Not positive for which system though. There are a number of antennas top and bottom for the communications and navigation systems.


User currently offlineFDXmech From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3251 posts, RR: 38
Reply 2, posted (11 years 3 months 4 days ago) and read 1333 times:

Hello
That's not a panel, it's a "strake".

These are winglike appendages on both sides of the nose which give some longitudinal stability to the long stretch of fuselage in front of the wings.

They're even anti-iced using engine bleed air.


You're only as good as your last departure.
User currently offlineFDXmech From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3251 posts, RR: 38
Reply 3, posted (11 years 3 months 4 days ago) and read 1327 times:

Left "strake".

Click for large version
Click here for full size photo!
Photo © Jonathan Derden




You're only as good as your last departure.
User currently offlineCdfmxtech From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 1338 posts, RR: 29
Reply 4, posted (11 years 3 months 4 days ago) and read 1322 times:

FDX is right. They were put onto the Md80s cause of their long fuselage. The older DC9s, which were much shorter didn't have them.

User currently offlineBio15 From Colombia, joined Mar 2001, 1089 posts, RR: 7
Reply 5, posted (11 years 3 months 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 1310 times:

Check out this recent post about the fins.

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/tech_ops/read.main/33543/

User currently offlineAgnusBymaster From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 649 posts, RR: 0
Reply 6, posted (11 years 3 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1296 times:

Yes, it was the "strakes" that I was talking about, I just didn't know the proper term. Interesting to here that they are there b/c of the fuselage length...I hadn't thought of that.

As far as the fins, I assumed they were for navagational purposes but wasn't really sure.

Thanks for the info!

User currently offlineHA_DC9 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 645 posts, RR: 1
Reply 7, posted (11 years 3 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1234 times:

Cdfmxtech wrote:
"FDX is right. They were put onto the Md80s cause of their long fuselage. The older DC9s, which were much shorter didn't have them."

Actually, the DC-9-50's also have the strakes like the MD-80's. The DC-9-50's were the only ones out of the original DC-9 family to have them. They are also the longest aircraft of the original DC-9 family.

User currently offlineCdfmxtech From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 1338 posts, RR: 29
Reply 8, posted (11 years 3 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1234 times:

...The older DC9s, which were much shorter didn't have them....

Thanx for "clearing that up"?????????
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