7+ hours in an MD-87. Extra tanks I’m guessing?
flightaware.com/live/flight/VPCN … /CYVR/TNCM
Yup, there are at least 3 that were converted around 10 years ago to full corporate versions including tanks that give it about 4000 NM range. There is also a company doing conversions on the MD-87 and 737-300/500s presently, although I don’t know how many they have done.
Where have all the -87’s gone anyways? Last time I saw one was like 3 years ago when Aeromexico ran them between here and Loreto 3 times a week. But now they’ve switched all the San Diego stuff to 737-700’s.
Parked somewhere. They have essentially the same operating cost as the long fuselage MD-80s while carrying fewer pax.
I just remembered, I think Allegiant has a few. But I also remember something about the engine variant being somewhat rare/expensive to maintain/replace.
I remember a few years back, an -87 cooked an engine during takeoff roll at KSAN. After a safe abort, it sat there for maybe a week waiting for a replacement. I was told by an A & P that had it been any other MD-80, it would have been out in maybe 2 days. I’m not sure if it was a Reno Air or not, but it was back in that time.
We looked into the corporate conversions some time ago, among lots of other investigations that went nowhere, as far as I remember all the engine combinations are interchangeable. An airline may find it cheaper to wait for one of it’s own engines rather than rent one from an overhaul facility though.
I think Reno Air had all -219 engines because of the better performance in Reno, maybe they had a policy of not using any other variants.
Airways Magazine has an article in the June 2008 issue about Air Uganda’s MD-87.
SAS is operating 15 MD-87s
Air Uganda has one huh? I bet there are more in Africa too, that’s where a lot of old aircraft end up.
Africa, South America, or anywhere there are short fields or high altitude conditions. It will climb like a rocket when prompted. I remember one time, a Reno Air -87 contacted departure going thru 2500’…over the departure end of a 9400’ runway.
The -80 in general is a pretty versatile airplane. I remember flying down the California coast early one morning. We checked in with LA center’s northwestern most low altitude sector that covers Santa Barbara/Bakersfield/San Luis Obispo just in time to hear the early morning American flight that was scheduled SBA/BFL/DFW check in as well. A few minutes later the controller advised them that BFL just called and the fog had rolled in, visibility was 1/8 of a mile, what did they want to do? Without hesitation the crew said they would divert to their alternate, DFW!
Pretty good, they were light enough to make landing weight in Bakerspatch but still had enough fuel to go to Dallas.
MD-87 VP-CNI is based at YVR - Vancouver, Canada and is owned by Click Here Frank Giustra, who sits on the Board of the Clinton Foundation, President Bill Clinton who is often aboard.