Delta's Md90's

[Beer Guzzler]

Why is Delta getting rid of the 767-200's and keeping the MD90's? No other airline in the US, Canada or South America flies them. I believe SAS is the only other player in the free world that uses this model aircraft..

 

[luv2fly]

It's actually a great aircraft. Better performance than the 88 and the entertainment system to boot. They should do well in the SLC market. When they first hit the property I believe they were a maintenace nightmare, but through the years they have proven to be quite reliable. I wish we had more of them. As much I like them, fleet commonality will ultimately be their demise.

 

[DLFlyer31]

I can think of a few reasons why the MD90's are staying longer than the 762's.

1) The MD90's are quite a bit younger...all of DL 762's are 20+ years old while the MD90's are only a little over 10 years.

2) The MD90's have a good niche operating out of SLC's hot and high conditions.

3) DL has someone to sell the 762's to. The 762's are headed to a cargo outfit (ABX??). The MD90 has little aftermarket value.

However (assuming DL stays intact), I expect the MD90's to go around 2010-2012. By then, DL should by able to replace them with 738's.

 

[WorldTraveler]

by 2010, Boeing will have a new generation narrowbody airliner on the market based on the 787.

 

[lpbrian]

Thats a bit soon. Between now and 2010 Boeing will be busy with the 787 and 747ADV. After that yes, I fully expect Boeing to launch an all new narrowbody family to replace the 737, using 787 technology. I would guess it would enter service in 2014-2015.

 

[WorldTraveler]

agree.. but it will be for sale by Boeing by the end of this decade. I doubt if any of the US airlines will substantially add to their fleet using current generation a/c this decade based on their financial woes. On the other hand, those that remain will be well positioned to renew their fleets in the early 2010s. Boeing and Airbus know they have to bring US airlines back to the order table. All currently operating aircraft will be stale by the 2010s.

 

[PropPiedmont]

EVA Air still flies MD-90s.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/875976/M/

 

[DalMD88]

The simple answer is nobody wants them. Sure they are efficent from a fuel standpoint but the engine comonality issues could out weigh that. I've heard they have been shopping around for a buyer but none can be found.

 

[Boeing4me]

What is the thinga-ma-hickey (my technical term 🙂) that is on the front nose wheels? It conects at the front wheel axle and wraps around the tires and reconnects on the oppisite side at the wheel axle. What does it do? It sure looks like it could send out a spray of sparks on a hard landing. I have always noticed them on MD-80's or 90's.

 

[SVQLBA]

What is the thinga-ma-hickey (my technical term 🙂) that is on the front nose wheels? It conects at the front wheel axle and wraps around the tires and reconnects on the oppisite side at the wheel axle. What does it do? It sure looks like it could send out a spray of sparks on a hard landing. I have always noticed them on MD-80's or 90's.

[post="282359"][/post]​

I believe it's a spray/gravel deflector. No idea why MDs have them but you don't see them on say 737s that sit just as low.

 

[MCI transplant]

<_< The reasoning behind it is to keep the nose tires from kicking up gravel, etc., into the engines which are mounted to the fuse. On some of the early model 737s, they used bleed air from the engines to do the same thing.

 

[Boeing4me]

Thanks for answering the question. It sure looks clumsy - does it ever interfere with proper function of the nose wheels?

 

[MCI transplant]

Thanks for answering the question. It sure looks clumsy - does it ever interfere with proper function of the nose wheels?

[post="282454"][/post]​

<_< Not really! Just makes it a little more difficulte to change a nose gear tire!

 

[mga707]

I believe it's a spray/gravel deflector. No idea why MDs have them but you don't see them on say 737s that sit just as low.

[post="282412"][/post]​

Some 737s do have gravel deflectors on the nosegear. Alaska's 737-200 combis, for example. They serve some gravel runways. Kotzebue and Petersburg and/or Wrangell, IIRC.