AA's oldest S-80s retired today

Lpbri · Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:52 am

The last of the legacy AA S-80s are being retired today. Among them are #'s 424, 425, and 426. They were delivered in 1986 and are believed the oldest A/C in operation by a major carrier. They have almost 89,000 hours and almost 49,000 cycles. They are "green cockpit" airplanes. They will be on their way to ROW soon. 424s last revenue flight will be OKC-DFW. 425 will be IAD-DFW and 426 will be IND-DFW. 541 will be the only remaining legacy AA S-80 left. About 30 or so legacy TWA S-80s remain.

TWA1985 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:13 am

Kind of sad, tbh. So how many total Super 80’s will be pulled from service today? And aren’t more expected to leave after Labor Day weekend?

columba · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:28 am

What do you mean with "green cockpit" planes does the MD 80 have different cockpit layouts ?

TWA1985 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:38 am

columba wrote:
What do you mean with "green cockpit" planes does the MD 80 have different cockpit layouts ?

The MD-81/82/83 originally came with an analogue cockpit much like the DC-9, and were greenish in color. EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System) became production standard starting with the MD-87, and many earlier builds were retro-fitted with it ... but not all of them.

ikolkyo · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:40 am

columba wrote:
What do you mean with "green cockpit" planes does the MD 80 have different cockpit layouts ?

If you search up a DC-9 cockpit, they have a greenish looking color. If this is what OP is referring to I never heard of any MD-80s having that.

edit: Here is a cockpit video of N426AA showing the “green cockpit”
https://youtu.be/EeK58CJ7tpg

SwissCanuck · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:54 am

Aren't AC's DH1s older?

columba · Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:00 am

ikolkyo wrote:
edit: Here is a cockpit video of N426AA showing the “green cockpit”
https://youtu.be/EeK58CJ7tpg

This is what I call a cockpit real switches and gauges......not just buttons and screens awesome

plinth857 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:58 am

Lpbri wrote:
The last of the legacy AA S-80s are being retired today. Among them are #'s 424, 425, and 426. They were delivered in 1986 and are believed the oldest A/C in operation by a major carrier. They have almost 89,000 hours and almost 49,000 cycles. They are "green cockpit" airplanes. They will be on their way to ROW soon. 424s last revenue flight will be OKC-DFW. 425 will be IAD-DFW and 426 will be IND-DFW. 541 will be the only remaining legacy AA S-80 left. About 30 or so legacy TWA S-80s remain.

Ooh, I just missed a final flight! I'm flying OKC-->DFW on 09/13, just a couple of weeks too late.

scbriml · Tue Aug 21, 2018 12:01 pm

I assume they'll be off to ROW to join their ex-colleagues?

Planeboy17 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 12:10 pm

SwissCanuck wrote:
Aren't AC's DH1s older?

Those aren’t ACs, they belong to Jazz Aviation.

UpNAWAy · Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:12 pm

Looks like 8 MD80s are routed between 9am and 10:30am central time to ROW today.

Runway28L · Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:45 pm

Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

For example, PIT-DFW was 1x MD-80, 3x daily A319s, and 1x daily A320. Now it’s 4x daily B738s and 1x daily A319.

lightsaber · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:00 pm

A mere 89,000 hours and 49,000 cycles? T-tail discrimination! :hissyfit:

Seriously, using any aircraft that much is impressive. 49,000 cycles is 1,000 more than original A320 allowed (now A320 has a LOV of 60k cycles). 89,000 hours is 29,000 more than original A320 (now at LOV of 120k hours for the A320).

Seriously, I can only imagine the cost to bring these up to standard, so it is time. Cest la vie.

In the distribution of T-tail usage, I wonder where these rank?

Lightsaber

ikolkyo · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:02 pm

[twoid][/twoid]

Runway28L wrote:
Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

For example, PIT-DFW was 1x MD-80, 3x daily A319s, and 1x daily A320. Now it’s 4x daily B738s and 1x daily A319.

Looks like DTW is now all 738.

Midwestindy · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:07 pm

Runway28L wrote:
Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

For example, PIT-DFW was 1x MD-80, 3x daily A319s, and 1x daily A320. Now it’s 4x daily B738s and 1x daily A319.

IND, its going 5x B738

747fan · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:10 pm

Runway28L wrote:
Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

For example, PIT-DFW was 1x MD-80, 3x daily A319s, and 1x daily A320. Now it’s 4x daily B738s and 1x daily A319.

May have missed a few but compared to the peak summer schedule that was in effect up until today, PIT, IND, BNA, DTW, IAD, IAH, GSP, SAV, ICT, LIT.
DFW-PIT all 738 except for the RON that's a 319. DFW-IND/BNA/DTW/IAD/GSP all 738. DFW-IAH a 738/319 mix, SAV and ICT all 319. DFW-LIT back to all Eagle.
Longest remaining S80 routes are DFW-BWI and YYZ.

william · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:13 pm

I am glad I to fly on a Mad Dog one last time in June from ABQ to DFW. Some of the interior panels were worn, but it was a smooth and quiet flight. Like Lightsaber stated, its time.

Personally, seeing the Mad Dogs retired will be the last fingerprints of former CEO Robert Crandall at AA.

SunsetLimited · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:15 pm

MSY is down to two S80 departures now but it goes back to three next month through at least November.

william · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:16 pm

scbriml wrote:
I assume they'll be off to ROW to join their ex-colleagues?

So are the engines still attached at this state? Or they removed and also turned into Coke cans?

citationjet · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:33 pm

UpNAWAy wrote:
Looks like 8 MD80s are routed between 9am and 10:30am central time to ROW today.

All 8 MD80s are currently in flight to ROW. https://flightaware.com/live/findflight/KDFW/KROW

CapitalAvGeek · Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:49 pm

Runway28L wrote:
Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

Based on today's schedule, IAD is now 4X B738 instead of a mix of B738 and MD-80. BWI is now only one daily MD-80 and the other flights are on B738.

TWA1985 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:03 pm

Will ORD see anymore MD-80s after today?

UpNAWAy · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:11 pm

I think ORD still gets them until early Dec. when they all retreat to DFW.

DeltaMD95 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:28 pm

Lpbri wrote:
The last of the legacy AA S-80s are being retired today. Among them are #'s 424, 425, and 426. They were delivered in 1986 and are believed the oldest A/C in operation by a major carrier. They have almost 89,000 hours and almost 49,000 cycles.

What a remarkable run. The likes of which we may not see again with future aircraft generations. And to think after 32+ years they’re not even halfway to their 110k flight cycle limit. Amazing. Those historically longer S80 routings are evident here in the totals.

MO11 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:32 pm

lightsaber wrote:
A mere 89,000 hours and 49,000 cycles? T-tail discrimination!

Seriously, using any aircraft that much is impressive. 49,000 cycles is 1,000 more than original A320 allowed (now A320 has a LOV of 60k cycles). 89,000 hours is 29,000 more than original A320 (now at LOV of 120k hours for the A320).

Seriously, I can only imagine the cost to bring these up to standard, so it is time. Cest la vie.

In the distribution of T-tail usage, I wonder where these rank?

Lightsaber

The MD-80 LOV is 150K hours/110k cycles (the DC-9 is 110k/110k). Some of the DL DC-9-30s that were retired in 2010 had over 96000 cycles.

ozark1 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:40 pm

I did love the airplane, great room in F/C galley, quiet up front, people liked the 2-seat side, but they have been having so many mechanicals lately that it's time.

Cubsrule · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:45 pm

ozark1 wrote:
I did love the airplane, great room in F/C galley, quiet up front, people liked the 2-seat side, but they have been having so many mechanicals lately that it's time.

They've gotten really dated on the inside too. It's night and day with the DL M88s.

ckfred · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:47 pm

Today, there are 8 MD-80s flying DFW-ROW. Almost 2 years ago to the day, AA flew 20 MD-80s out to Roswell. But, they flew from a variety of origination. I know there were a few from ORD and DFW, but I know that there were 2 MD-80s flown to ROW from TPA.

lightsaber · Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:58 pm

citationjet wrote:
UpNAWAy wrote:
Looks like 8 MD80s are routed between 9am and 10:30am central time to ROW today.

All 8 MD80s are currently in flight to ROW. https://flightaware.com/live/findflight/KDFW/KROW

That is quite the one day retirement.
Steady drop in active MD-80s...

Lightsaber

iamlucky13 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:11 pm

lightsaber wrote:
A mere 89,000 hours and 49,000 cycles? T-tail discrimination!

Seriously, using any aircraft that much is impressive. 49,000 cycles is 1,000 more than original A320 allowed (now A320 has a LOV of 60k cycles). 89,000 hours is 29,000 more than original A320 (now at LOV of 120k hours for the A320).

89,000 hours of use could be compared to getting 4.5 million miles of use out of a car (assuming 50 mph average).

The record for a car (not counting semi-trucks) is 3 million miles on a 1966 Volvo P1800. That's clearly exceptional, while as I understand it, 89,000 hours is not terribly uncommon for an older airliner.

Modern commercial aircraft are more robust than I think we often give them credit for.

I never appreciated the MD-80 when I was younger and they were ubiquitous, but I'm definitely going to miss them as they become increasingly rare, especially in the shiny AA livery.

MSPNWA · Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:55 pm

I forgot about the imminent retirement when I went through DFW yesterday. I took quite a few pictures of MDs, but I don't think I got any of the 424/425/426 group. Maybe I got some of the other five though. Sad to see the go. Every time I got through DFW there's fewer and fewer. Yesterday was striking enough. After today will be even more striking.

gdg9 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:04 pm

N70425, MD-82
N555AN, MD-82
N7547A, MD-82
N424AA, MD-82
N7548A, MD-82
N426AA, MD-82
N7550, MD-82
N967TW, MD-83

kraz911 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:27 pm

Hello all,
Call me silly or old fashioned, but when I worked for AA years ago and got to fly on the S80s, when the plane was full it flew great in weather. The age of rigid wing tank like constructed aircraft is quickly coming to an end. I’ll be sad when the last AA S80 leaves ORD never to return...

AAlaxfan · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:37 pm

Anyone know when the MD-80's stop going to MKE?

kraz911 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:40 pm

Hello all,

Remember this one?” Silver bird take me where, there’s something special in the air”...

kraz911 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:45 pm

Hello all,

The irony is that the crews will return on an RJ, yes a T-tail but much smaller...

IWMBH · Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:49 pm

kraz911 wrote:
Hello all,

The irony is that the crews will return on an RJ, yes a T-tail but much smaller...

Does AA operates RJ's?

Qantas59 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 8:14 pm

Has N501AA been withdrawn from service as well. Appears as if it hasn't flown since 1 Aug?

deltaffindfw · Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:39 pm

Qantas59 wrote:
Has N501AA been withdrawn from service as well. Appears as if it hasn't flown since 1 Aug?

Yes, 501 is sitting at Hangar 5. It will be used for deicing training and then flown to ROW.

AA737-823 · Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:42 pm

CapitalAvGeek wrote:
Runway28L wrote:
Anyone know which stations lost MD-80 flights today?

Based on today's schedule, IAD is now 4X B738 instead of a mix of B738 and MD-80. BWI is now only one daily MD-80 and the other flights are on B738.

I do see DFW-IAD once daily roundtrip on the MD-80 in November.

JetBuddy · Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:45 pm

Farewell, Super 80. I always get a bit sentimental when a DC-9 or MD-80 is retired.

Lpbri · Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:18 pm

Probably will be used for deice training

Miamiairport · Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:58 pm

Gonna miss that comfy F seat.

Miamiairport · Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:59 pm

Gonna miss that comfy F seat.

Confuscius · Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:02 pm

scbriml wrote:
I assume they'll be off to ROW to join their ex-colleagues?

How far are these planes from where alien spacecrafts are stored?

CarlosSi · Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:00 am

AUS-DFW is only 738s and a321s now, although it's not the first time the route has lost its MD80s after a mass retirement; there was a comeback eventually, although who knows if it'll happen again.

For such a short route, I'm surprised such runs don't happen more often as they keep the MD80s close to home but perhaps that's negligible. I'm glad I got a good picture of one up close the other day, perhaps my last to be seen around here, maybe.

Spacepope · Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:37 am

CarlosSi wrote:
AUS-DFW is only 738s and a321s now, although it's not the first time the route has lost its MD80s after a mass retirement; there was a comeback eventually, although who knows if it'll happen again.

For such a short route, I'm surprised such runs don't happen more often as they keep the MD80s close to home but perhaps that's negligible. I'm glad I got a good picture of one up close the other day, perhaps my last to be seen around here, maybe.

Checking FlightAware, a lot of these MD-82 routes have been in the 1.5-3 hour length lately. Perhaps a few cycle limited components they're trying to conserve.

seabosdca · Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:41 am

Don't miss the days when the -83s were routinely used on ORD midcons and somehow I always ended up next to the engine on ORD-SEA. Any seat in a 737 or 32S is preferable.

Alphazone · Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:47 am

Lpbri wrote:
The last of the legacy AA S-80s are being retired today. Among them are #'s 424, 425, and 426. They were delivered in 1986 and are believed the oldest A/C in operation by a major carrier. They have almost 89,000 hours and almost 49,000 cycles. They are "green cockpit" airplanes. They will be on their way to ROW soon. 424s last revenue flight will be OKC-DFW. 425 will be IAD-DFW and 426 will be IND-DFW. 541 will be the only remaining legacy AA S-80 left. About 30 or so legacy TWA S-80s remain.

Greetings. I checked flightradar24 to no avail. Is anyone here from AA able to access to internal ship tracking and reveal where ship 541 - N7541A - is flying in the coming days. It would be an honor to fly the MD82 of AA.

UA444 · Wed Aug 22, 2018 1:08 am

seabosdca wrote:
Don't miss the days when the -83s were routinely used on ORD midcons and somehow I always ended up next to the engine on ORD-SEA. Any seat in a 737 or 32S is preferable.

I wish I had gotten to do a mid con MD flight.

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