MD-80 Freighters

[hawkerflyer]

Didn't Federal Express use to fly DC-9's?

Nope, 737-200s in the early days before the 727s. Airborne/DHL was the major DC-9F operator.

 

[stupidpilot]

Didn't Federal Express use to fly DC-9's?

Nope, Falcon 20's.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

They'll need to be careful about weight-and-balance on an MD-80 freighter. Ramp guys used to say it was a big issue, even with the pax version.

It was more difficult and picky sometimes.
Like any airplane, just learn the pattern, load back then forward and use far forward bay to tweak it. 150lb up front makes a difference.

 

[pilotyip]

Nope, Falcon 20's.

I think they when straight from DA-20 to 727's when de-reg came along. They may have contracted lift in 9's and 73's. I had a reserve buddy flew Fedex DA-20's bailed for Braniff back 1978, lost track of him.

 

[HueyHerc]

Didn't Federal Express use to fly DC-9's?

Pretty sure Evergreen did in the 80's and early 90's.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

I had a reserve buddy flew Fedex DA-20's bailed for Braniff back 1978...

Braniff - One of the hottest tickets in town 1977-78. Gone, 1982.

FedEx - "PFT, but OK place to stay current" 1977-78. Hot ticket, 1982.

Sorta makes you wonder what kinds of stories guys will be telling 5-10 years from now?

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

I think they when straight from DA-20 to 727's when de-reg came along. They may have contracted lift in 9's and 73's. I had a reserve buddy flew Fedex DA-20's bailed for Braniff back 1978, lost track of him.

How long has he been in the left seat at Braniff now?

 

[pilotyip]

How long has he been in the left seat at Braniff now?

Since Braniff I folded in 1982, I doubt he ever made CA, like I say he moved out the reserves at KMTC and I never heard of him again. We had another guy bail from GM Corp in 1979 for Braniff; he would have been there through the glory years. Again never heard of him again. How about all the guys who bailed from SWA for the major jobs at DAL, AAL, UAL etc in 2000. You just never know. Reported aboard CVAN-65 in 1975, flying jobs a scarce, this guy in getting out, going to work for company doing overnight mail, paid $400/mo for a F/O's job, he had to use his GI bill for training in the right seat of the DA-20. The company must have had a gov't contract I thought with a name like Federal Express. He stayed there and I ran across him at a CO's conference in the late 80's. He was like a double-digit seniority number DC-10 Captain. Shows you just never know about that job.

 

[Loco Gringo]

It will be a brilliant freighter-much better than the current 737 freighters.

cliff
GRB

Having flown both the 737F, and DC9F from a pilot point I can say that the DC9 has very few positives over the 737F. Most notably the ease of loading the 737 over the DC9 (door location). 737 will swallow both standard 125" and 108" (DC9) ULD's.. It's also difficult to load the 737 out of CG, not so with the 9. The CG on the 9 moves forward more significantly as fuel is burned increasing loading issues. Also the 737 can accommodate more double stacked freight per comparable linear foot than the 9. The MD80F is going do be a DC9 loading problem X2.

 

[MrCoffee]

Fedex did fly the 737 for a short stint, they tried their hand at pax back then as well, flew cargo at night, then installed seats fo pax flights during the day, did not last long at all.