"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/02/2020 at 10:35 • Filed to: wingspan, Planelopnik
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/02/2020 at 10:35 • Filed to: wingspan, Planelopnik | 3
| 19 |
A Delta Air Lines MD-88 lands at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2014 (Tim Shaffer)
The coronavirus has been particularly hard on geriatric Americans, and airplanes are no exception. With the precipitous drop in airline operations the world over, carriers are accelerating the retirement of older, less efficient aircraft. And today will be the last time Delta flies the 88s and 90s.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Delta has assigned special numbers for today’s flights. According to Simple Flying,
DL 88 is expected to be operated by N900DE, a 28-year-old MD-88 that was delivered to Delta Air Lines as new in March 1992. The flight is scheduled to depart from Washington (IAD) at 08:15. Following a short trip, it will land in Atlanta (ATL) at 10:00.
DL 90 is scheduled to be operated by N925DN. This MD-90 is slightly younger, at 21 years old. It was delivered to China Eastern Airlines in 1998 before transferring to Delta just under ten years ago in July 2010. DL 90 will depart from Houston (IAH) at 06:00. It is then scheduled to arrive in Atlantia at 08:58.
Having sat in the back row of these types, in a seat with no window and right next to the engine, I won’t miss them too much, though sitting up front, far away from the engines, is a different story. Either way, the retirement of these older aircraft, while good for business, will make the skies just a little bit less interesting.
user314
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 10:41 |
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Bad enough aircraft built after I was born are being retired, it’s worse when it’s planes built after I graduated high school .
SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 10:42 |
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No plane ever left me stranded as much , needlessly, in four million miles of flying.
Nice to see a virus might have finally chased DL into the 21st century.
facw
> user314
06/02/2020 at 10:56 |
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Not quite at that point for me (well probably the A380s that are being retired), but Delta retiring their 777s by the end of the year made me feel old. Granted the 777 is old now, but still feels new in my mind (despite having flown on some that were definitely beat, at least in the interior). Delta does apparently have 10 777-200LRs that are only a bit over a decade old on average, so it seems sort of surprising that they are rushing to replace those.
Chariotoflove
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 10:59 |
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Lemme see if I can muster up a tear. . . Nope, not coming.
MrSnrub
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 10:59 |
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Not really super sad about this after I had to sit near the back of one of the se on a flight from Austin to LA . Jet engines make interesting sounds from 10ft away
someassemblyrequired
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:04 |
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The one great thing about the Mad Dogs are they are a lot faster than a 737 (at least the NG’s)
. Used to seek them out when I did a lot of flying. Would save 15-20 mins on a flight from SEA to LAX
, plus 50% less chance of a middle seat...
RacinBob
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:06 |
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Oh the steam gauges. Then you need to watch this.....
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RacinBob
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:08 |
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PS - Unless I was sitting in the back row, I found the MD’s to be the best ride in the sky. The closer you were to the front, the less you heard the engine. They were great.
jminer
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:09 |
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I have a soft spot in my heart for the MD passenger jets. I flew on TW A MD-80's many times as a child and growing up in St Louis knew a lot of people that worked for McDonnell Douglas.
Recently though I flew in the back of a 717 and it was a very unpleasant flight . This was the view from my window.
My noise canceling headphones which normally make flying fine did not have enough oomph to help me. I couldn’t hear right for days...
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ttyymmnn
> jminer
06/02/2020 at 11:16 |
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Many years ago, the UT band went to NYC for a concert, and my wife tagged along. We had to buy our tickets separately, and she ended up in the very last row of the Mad Dog. I was closer to the middle. After takeoff, I went back and asked the guy sitting next to her if he wanted to switch seats with me. He very gladly accepted.
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ttyymmnn
> RacinBob
06/02/2020 at 11:16 |
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You want steam gauges? Check this out:
It’s a pretty long video, but I loved it.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:27 |
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I’ve got a lot of butt time in the MD’s from Delta too and to me they are just another plane that gets me from point a to b. Nothing special nothing terrible either. The biggest improvement recently has been the use of the E-Jet 175's by the regional’s in my opinion. Much improved ergonomics, passenger comfort and noise.
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ttyymmnn
> RacinBob
06/02/2020 at 11:39 |
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That was a great video, thanks. I am always amazed, and the Convair video I shared demonstrates this as well, by the sheer volume of stuff the pilot must know, and that they all know it so well. Of course, it’s all about knowing your tools, and I know my trumpet well, but this a whole different level. Very impressive.
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ttyymmnn
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
06/02/2020 at 11:42 |
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Last December I flew from AUS to LGA on....American? Delta? I forget. Anyway, the first leg was on an A320 and the second leg was on a 739. For the first time in my life, I got on the plane, plugged in my headphones, and took zero interest in the flight. It was very much an appliance experience. In spite of all the comparisons, each plane provided a chair in the sky, each plane got me to my destination safely and with relative efficiency, each seat was cramped but survivable.
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jminer
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:44 |
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Luckily I was on a short flight from Detroit to St Louis but I would have happily switched someone seats. It was worse than a flight on a CRJ200, and somehow with Delta’s configuration I had less leg room in the 717.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> ttyymmnn
06/02/2020 at 11:47 |
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This may just be me but I’m struggling to see the business case. Older air frames are paid for while newer ones typically aren’t. But maybe they are.
I get you can’t readily sell a modern expensive airplane in the middle of airlines being crushed due to low demand. It just seems an older plane with higher fuel costs would be cheaper than a payment and fuel costs.
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ttyymmnn
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/02/2020 at 11:50 |
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I think it’s mainly an issue of fuel economy.
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/02/2020 at 13:20 |
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maybe also part availibility or lower interval maintence cycles.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> ttyymmnn
06/03/2020 at 04:56 |
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perfect time for them to retire them