Midwest to Ground All MD-80s

[Matt Molnar]

Midwest Airlines has announced all their gas guzzling MD-80s are going to the desert.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/st ... ily49.html (http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/06/16/daily49.html)

[Lezam]

Is the 717 really that much more efficient than the MD-80?

[PHL Approach]

Is the 717 really that much more efficient than the MD-80?

Considering the 717 didn't see the light of day until 20 years after the inception of the Maddog. I would say yea...

[Delta777LR]

I had a feeling that was gonna happen...

[Matt Molnar]

Is the 717 really that much more efficient than the MD-80?

Considering the 717 didn't see the light of day until 20 years after the inception of the Maddog. I would say yea...
Not only that, but the engines are even older...there have been some updates, but the root design of the Mad Dog's P&W JT8D goes back to the inaugural 727 flight in 1964...and which itself was a derivative of an even older engine used on Navy jets such as the A4-Skyhawk. The Rolls-Royce engines that power the 717 have an extra 35 years of technology and engineering in them, first entering service in 1999.

[Midnight Mike]

Is the 717 really that much more efficient than the MD-80?

Yes, the 717 is a great aircraft, much younger than the MD80, the 717 is more efficient than either the A3XX or the 737NG......

[LGA777]

With todays enviroment I wonder if Boeing is regretting shutting down the 717 line ?

Best of luck to the employees of Midwest.

LGA777

[Midnight Mike]

With todays enviroment I wonder if Boeing is regretting shutting down the 717 line ?

Best of luck to the employees of Midwest.

LGA777

No, if Boeing knew about the rising fuel prices, they still would have shut it down. Toooo bad that McDonnell Douglas did not have the foresight to create a family of airplanes, that would have helped with sales......