McDonnell Douglas MD-80
Developed as an improved and enlarged variant of the DC-9 the MD-80’s
first designation was DC-9 Super 80. Not only the fuselage had been stretched
but also wings and tailplane were enlarged. More powerful engines required
bigger nacelles. When production stopped in 1999 a total of 1191 had been
built.
The fuselage in front of the wing is very long so it’s easy to get the
correct centre of gravity despite the weight of the rear-mounted engines.
Compared to the DC-9 the wing loading is lower for the MD-80. Because of the
vertical stabilizer’s small size directional control is a problem in case of an
engine failure. A gyro on rudder is therefore recommended.
Powerplant:
Glow: two 7.5 cc
(.45 cu.in.) engines
Turbine: twice 30 N
(7 lbs.) thrust
Ducted
Fan: diameter up to 85 mm
(3.3’’)
Specifications:
Span Length Wing Area Weight
MD-81 (-82/-83/-88) 2.06 m
(81’’) 2.82 m (111’’)
46.4 dm˛ (719 sq.in.) 8 kg
(18 lbs.)
MD-87 2.06 m (81’’)
2.49 m (98’’) 46.4 dm˛
(719 sq.in.) 7 kg (15 lbs.)
Pics:
(Hugo Gloor)
(Andreas Gfeller)