it was my understanding that the US Air Airbus airplanes - which made up the bulk of that carrier’s fleet - could not be polished in the iconic American Airlines Silver Bird livery because of a standard Airbus practice of using mismatched aluminum panels during construction to lower costs and also since the airplanes they delivered were always painted anyway - American Airlines was Airbus’ first customer to request a bare metal livery and the manufacturer balked at the idea at first even though Boeing had been building airplanes for AA for decades and had no trouble obtaining matching aluminum panels for their customers. Can anyone confirm this explanation? American’s original A300-600R aircraft were delivered painted gray. Later models were polished.
MichaelD8393 we have one 737-8 operated by piedmont in that livery, it flys into my station at MSY every now and then, it has mixed match panels on it like the cargo door is white snd the nose cap is and the engines are white, looks off but still cool to walk next to it and see your reflection
I agree. I wish they'd actually take the MD-90 back to the drawing board and improve upon it: update the aesthetics, lighting, cockpit controls, engines, the main cabin - in essence, EVERYTHING! I love the overall exterior look of the aircraft, and I LOVE how the rear-mounted engines make it so much quieter than wing-mounted engines. It would be nice if they could widen it just a little to get an even 6 abreast seating configuration, but if that wouldn't be possible from an engineering standpoint - meh, no big deal. It would just be nice to make it the new standard for "regional" jets instead of the cramped sardine cans that they use instead. (As someone who is 6' 2", the top of my head and my knees HATE Embraer 145s and Canadair regional jets! They need room to exist.)
They would need to start from scratch basically. Lots of knowledge has been acquired since then, especially on aerodynamics. It would be very expensive nowadays to do this but awesome no doubt! I think the reason we love this plane is the classic nature of it, the bucket reversers and the old turbojets. A refresh wouldn't have the same effect.
You're never going to get the economics that airlines want out of a JT8D-200 engine, and you're never going to get a modern engine back there without major structural reinforcement, which was one of the major things that handicapped the MD90 and 717 since it threw the weight distribution off.
@@CJWJR : the problem is engines are heavy, engine mounts are heavy, rear-engined airplanes need heavy wing and aft fuselage reinforcement, and weight and balance are both things, hence why the reality of engineering and economics pretty much spelled the end for rear-mounted engines. The MD90 suffered from the particular problem of its length introducing real aerodynamic problems, hence the secondary elevators on the engine pylons. This is also the reason for the nose strakes on the DC-9-50 and later, and why any damage to those strakes will ground the airplane. They're not there for looks. They're necessary for safe flight. Even if MDC had survived as a separate entity, I have no doubt they would be producing airplanes with wing-mounted engines today.
Oldest time that I remember seeing an AA Maddog at Norfolk International in VA back in 2015 or so. I immediately looked up the aircraft and found this video, first ever footage I watched of a AA maddog. Good times, I remember watching them takeoff with my family and you simply could not beat their engine sound. Miss you maddogs.
I must say even with the haze and heat waves, it's still clearly a great looking plane with the polished aluminium and red white and blue stripe, it still looks vibrant. Your camera manages to capture the look quite nicely. Glad you were able to be so close to this mad dog.
AAmazing!!! That is one good looking plane, so cool to see the polished fuselage reflecting the ground! I will AALways miss this livery when it's gone. :D
I worked on the 80's for many years until my airline phased them out. My aviation world just turned into a job that day. I loved the 80s and no fun without them.
I am in love with this plane! Wish American would have kept these around for much longer. I would so go the John Travolta route his Qantas 707 private jet vs my American Airlines MD-80 private jet!
As an aviation geek I wasn't that keen on them until I happened to fly Milan to London on one (not by choice), couple of things struck me...... How big the windows were, how quiet it was sitting forward of the wing and how much space it felt in the cabin despite being a 2 X 3 seating configuration. A very elegant plane and it was really smooth, changed my opinion after that.
standing on the side of the road off of airport boulevard. there is a dirt embankment that is elevated enough to be looking over the fence, but not quite in the street. If you head out, just be mindful of the cops, they occasionally stop and ask what you're doing.
I wish AA still used the "polished aluminum" livery.
I HATE THE TRASHY UGLY NEW LIVERY. SO CHEAP!
I so agree! That's what set the silver birds apart. Now they're just some homely grey pigeons lol.
Remember, American acquired a bunch of their aircraft from other airlines like US Airways.
it was my understanding that the US Air Airbus airplanes - which made up the bulk of that carrier’s fleet - could not be polished in the iconic American Airlines Silver Bird livery because of a standard Airbus practice of using mismatched aluminum panels during construction to lower costs and also since the airplanes they delivered were always painted anyway - American Airlines was Airbus’ first customer to request a bare metal livery and the manufacturer balked at the idea at first even though Boeing had been building airplanes for AA for decades and had no trouble obtaining matching aluminum panels for their customers. Can anyone confirm this explanation? American’s original A300-600R aircraft were delivered painted gray. Later models were polished.
MichaelD8393 we have one 737-8 operated by piedmont in that livery, it flys into my station at MSY every now and then, it has mixed match panels on it like the cargo door is white snd the nose cap is and the engines are white, looks off but still cool to walk next to it and see your reflection
The MD80 deserves a refresh instead of a phase out.
I agree. I wish they'd actually take the MD-90 back to the drawing board and improve upon it: update the aesthetics, lighting, cockpit controls, engines, the main cabin - in essence, EVERYTHING! I love the overall exterior look of the aircraft, and I LOVE how the rear-mounted engines make it so much quieter than wing-mounted engines. It would be nice if they could widen it just a little to get an even 6 abreast seating configuration, but if that wouldn't be possible from an engineering standpoint - meh, no big deal. It would just be nice to make it the new standard for "regional" jets instead of the cramped sardine cans that they use instead. (As someone who is 6' 2", the top of my head and my knees HATE Embraer 145s and Canadair regional jets! They need room to exist.)
@dr. deep CRJ, ERJ, ARJ21, and many more are all similar aircraft in both design and performance. A refresh MD80 would work well.
They would need to start from scratch basically. Lots of knowledge has been acquired since then, especially on aerodynamics. It would be very expensive nowadays to do this but awesome no doubt! I think the reason we love this plane is the classic nature of it, the bucket reversers and the old turbojets. A refresh wouldn't have the same effect.
You're never going to get the economics that airlines want out of a JT8D-200 engine, and you're never going to get a modern engine back there without major structural reinforcement, which was one of the major things that handicapped the MD90 and 717 since it threw the weight distribution off.
@@CJWJR : the problem is engines are heavy, engine mounts are heavy, rear-engined airplanes need heavy wing and aft fuselage reinforcement, and weight and balance are both things, hence why the reality of engineering and economics pretty much spelled the end for rear-mounted engines. The MD90 suffered from the particular problem of its length introducing real aerodynamic problems, hence the secondary elevators on the engine pylons. This is also the reason for the nose strakes on the DC-9-50 and later, and why any damage to those strakes will ground the airplane. They're not there for looks. They're necessary for safe flight. Even if MDC had survived as a separate entity, I have no doubt they would be producing airplanes with wing-mounted engines today.
I'm going to miss these planes. I loved flying American specifically for their MD80's.
love how the pilot straight up floors it halfway through the turn onto the runway.
I almost teared up seeing this. I didn't realize how much I miss the sight and sound of a MD 80.
I feel the same. Those Pratt and Whitney JT8D engines make that true, "jet" sound.
Me to, I was 18 years old working at SJC right out of high school. There were MD-80's everywhere and everyday screaming down the runway.
Oldest time that I remember seeing an AA Maddog at Norfolk International in VA back in 2015 or so. I immediately looked up the aircraft and found this video, first ever footage I watched of a AA maddog. Good times, I remember watching them takeoff with my family and you simply could not beat their engine sound. Miss you maddogs.
I must say even with the haze and heat waves, it's still clearly a great looking plane with the polished aluminium and red white and blue stripe, it still looks vibrant. Your camera manages to capture the look quite nicely. Glad you were able to be so close to this mad dog.
love this.. I flew in and out of this airport in a couple of these MD 80's LOVED them in 2005
Loving this MD80 in reto colours liked!!!
One of the GREATEST videos of all time! Beautiful plane, airline, and engine sound!
Terrific! Nothing better than the sound of a MadDog taking off.
One of the most beautiful aircraft ever, especially in that livery :)
Miss seeing those American MD-80 chrome mad dogs at my home airport! Glad I got to fly on one of them!
I miss the DC-9 jet family. Serious eye candy in my book. And a joy to fly on!
Dc9, md 80 series, md 90 and 717, I miss those ones 😢
AAmazing!!! That is one good looking plane, so cool to see the polished fuselage reflecting the ground! I will AALways miss this livery when it's gone. :D
Best plane ever made and love the paint on the old AA
That was a great looking plane!
I worked on the 80's for many years until my airline phased them out. My aviation world just turned into a job that day. I loved the 80s and no fun without them.
love the mad dog 80
God I miss that sound!!! Jet engines now sound like an air dryer from a car wash. I also miss that livery.
This is very awesome and cool great job recording it great sounds
The reflection of the sky always made their planes look blue on the top. I miss seeing that with the silver livery.
HELL YEAH! Turn and burn 'em AA!! nice job keepin the sched on time AA
Loved that turn and burn as well!
Great shot and sound!
I am in love with this plane! Wish American would have kept these around for much longer. I would so go the John Travolta route his Qantas 707 private jet vs my American Airlines MD-80 private jet!
Don't know why the MD-88 has been my favorite plane of all times !!
Damn....those MD 80s take a month of Sunday's to get off the ground !
Excellent video.
So glade I got to fly on these a couple of times in 2016 and 2017 before AA retired them
Will miss the days of black smoke trails behind the engines as they’re taking off!
Nice Tyler! Can't Wait to see it for myself! I'm going out tomorrow morning to see Hawaiian Depart!!!
Great Video! We say goodbye
to the MD 80
So glad Delta still flies these birds. Will be flying one again this Feburary😊😌
Delta retired the last of theirs on June 2nd 2020, no more mad dogs in the US :/
Great view and great sound!
As an aviation geek I wasn't that keen on them until I happened to fly Milan to London on one (not by choice), couple of things struck me...... How big the windows were, how quiet it was sitting forward of the wing and how much space it felt in the cabin despite being a 2 X 3 seating configuration. A very elegant plane and it was really smooth, changed my opinion after that.
Mighty Mad Dog says: we don’t need no stinkin’ noise regulations 😅
Jeeze was it like a million degrees in california that day??
God that plane is beautiful
He was heavy as hell....my god the whole runway i am sure....Loved it tho!!!!
What a great older bird! Pilots Praise the quiet glider like quality and safety records
Awesome close-up video!
I like the old AA livery better! Love the MD 80!
God I miss seeing these at SJC 😢
I miss those sounds
I Miss The MD-80s Flightline
Look at how long the MD80 aircraft are
Where were you at the airport for this video?
Hi Flightline. May I use a part of your video for a special ending in my full uncut flight video of an AA MD-80?
you are welcome to use any part of the video. Thank you for asking!
Thanks so much man! I really appreciate it! :D
Thank you!
standing on the side of the road off of airport boulevard. there is a dirt embankment that is elevated enough to be looking over the fence, but not quite in the street. If you head out, just be mindful of the cops, they occasionally stop and ask what you're doing.
Man i can still smell that scent
I heard the same. Hope they don't phase the md-80's too quick!
And BTW, i measured the distance on Google Earth and its about 280 FT from you to the winglet.
What's the name of the stadium in the background?
That's Levi's stadium. It wasn't fully completed at the time of filming.
Kinda miss the old Mad dogs
I'm afraid as close as it gets would be a camera right on top of the engine which wouldn't have the fuselage getting in the way.
Trust me these Stage III JT8D-217s and JT8D-219s on the MD-80 family aren’t that loud. Stage II JT8D-1 to -17 are loud as hell.
Well, if you're sitting in the last few rows of the MD-80 family (in particular the 2nd-to-last and last row), then it's pretty dang loud.
Nice catch!
Miss my Super 80s🙁
Thanks!
My favorite jet........
Awesome!!! Very nice video!
can’t believe today is their last 🥺
Thanks man!
Those birds flat out haul ass!
Oh come on nick lets not get technical here!
AA stainless, AWESOMENESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Amazing
Thanks for watching :)
It took 45 scnds to rotation, the times tht l have flown it's been like maybe about 30 scdns on other aircraft. Hmmm. Jet
I agree
Ill head over now :)
MURICA!
I think they should build them again with new engines.
That's kinda what the MD-90 and 717 are
AA should have never changed their paint scheme.
The best livery
Boeing should build these again with quiet engines Tho I miss them
nice!
sweet :)
Lol!
Silver birds sure use to be pretty. Now they’re just ugly grey :/.
anrud