One of the most prolific aircraft types to ever fly for American Airlines, the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series, reached the end of the line on September 4 when the carrier sent the last of its fleet on a major “sendoff” that saw 26 of what many call the “Mad Dog” on their last flights to be retired in Roswell, New Mexico.
American Airlines Retires Last of Legendary MD-80 Fleet
Key Takeaways:
- American Airlines officially retired its entire McDonnell Douglas MD-80 "Super 80" fleet on September 4, with the final 26 aircraft sent to Roswell, New Mexico.
- The MD-80 served as a prolific workhorse for American Airlines for 36 years, at its peak comprising nearly half of the airline's fleet with 362 aircraft.
- Over its extensive service, the MD-80 trained more than 10,000 American Airlines pilots and carried millions of customers on domestic and near-international routes.
- The airline chose to retire the MD-80 fleet to invest in new, state-of-the-art aircraft rather than performing extensive routine maintenance on the older jets.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
