FS98 American Airlines MD 82

American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 N431AA. THIS AIRCRAFT IS FOR MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 98 ONLY.

Included in this zip:

• Aamd82.jpg Simply a JPEG image of this aircraft for you to view.
• Aamd82.txt You are reading it right now.
• Aamd82 A folder containing the FS98 aircraft.

AIRCRAFT FEATURES

This American Airlines MD-82 includes these features:

• Bare metal textures
• Extra detailing (includes accurate cabin window configuration)
• Cabin window lighting effects at night
• Landing lights

INSTALLATION

Aamd82 - Copy this folder to the AIRCRAFT subdirectory of your FS98 directory.

Once this folder has been copied to the correct location, you are ready to fly this aircraft.

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 History

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is currently one of the largest variants of the famous Douglas DC-9 series of airliners. Development of the MD-80 began during the mid-1970s when the Douglas Aircraft Company began studying the use of the new Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 turbofan engine on its popular model DC-9. One of the first names given to this stretched aircraft was the DC-9-55, which later evolved into the DC-9-80, or Super 80, before becoming the MD-80. After receiving orders from Swissair, Austrian Airlines, and Southern Airways, launch of the project, then known as the Super 80, occured in October 1977.

This aircraft included such improvements over the DC-9-50 as larger, quieter, and more efficient engines, a fuselage length 14 feet, 3 inches longer, an increase in wing span of 14 feet, 5 inches, a modified vertical stabilizer, strengthened landing gear, and a variety of interior improvements.

Three Super 80s were constructed for the certification process, the first of which performed its maiden flight on October 18, 1979. Upon completion of its flight tests, the Super 80 was certified on August 26, 1980, and later entered service with Swissair on October 5.

The aircraft switched names from the DC-9-80 to the MD-80 in 1984. Unfortunately, this has created some confusion in that the MD-80 designation is used to describe several specific models: the initial MD-81, the MD-82 with more powerful engines, the MD-83 with more efficient engines and an increase in fuel capacity, and the MD-88 with a glass cockpit and other interior refinements. The second model, the MD-82, included more powerful JT8D-217 turbofans over the MD-81's JT8D-209s, and also came with an emergency thrust reserve. This model first flew on January 8, 1981. The MD-83, with it's more efficient JT8D-219s and extra fuel capacity, conducted its maiden flight on December 17, 1984. As for the MD-88, with its EFIS cockpit and redesigned cabin, the first flight occurred in August 1987. The shortened MD-87 is often described seperately from these models.

The first sales of the MD-80 were slow until American Airlines ordered an initial batch of 67, with options on an additional 100. It was this boost that helped to make the MD-80 not only the most successful DC-9 variant in history, but the most successful selling twin-engine airliner ever behind the Boeing 737.

American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 first appeared in American Airlines colors after the airline placed a massive order for nearly 70 jets with options for another 100 in 1983. Since then, the fleet has grown to a gigantic 260. This fleet of MD-80s, which American still refers to as the Super 80, is the largest single-type fleet of any airline outside of Russia.

The airline currently maintains a mixed fleet of MD-82s and MD-83s, most of which are -82s. All of these MD-80s range in age from 6 to 15 years, and none of the 260 have ever been written off.

Unfortunately, with the enormous order of "Next Generation" Boeing 737s, American Airlines will sadly begin disposing of their MD-80s, the first of which to go will be the older MD-82s. With the introduction of these 737s, fewer and fewer MD-80s will be seen in American's sharp bare metal colors until eventually, all have been retired.

CREDITS

Original DC-9-30 by: Brian Quayle
MD-80 modifications by: Andy Jung
Flight dynamics by: Project Freeware & Andy Jung
American paint by: Andy Jung

• AFX Copyright 1996 by Brian Quayle
• AFX Modifications Copyright 1998 by Andy Jung
• Paint job Copyright 1998 by Andy Jung

I wish to thank Brian Quayle for the tremendous job he did on creating the DC-9-30. All of Brian's other work is truly remarkable as well, and without his efforts, the FS community would not be what it is today.

I would also like to extend my thanks to Frank Safranek and Bill Alderson, both of whom have provided me with invaluable information regarding FSFS ever since I began using it.

Lastly, I would like to thank Project Freeware and Ben Grady for providing me with a superb flight model and for supplying me with helpful information, respectively.

Andy Jung

LIMITATIONS
This aircraft model is made available for the private use of Microsoft Flight Simulator enthusiasts. The original, unaltered archive file may be freely distributed and uploaded to BBS and FTP sites. Under NO circumstances may this model be packaged, bundled, or otherwise sold for profit.