If you are a frequent reader of Avgeekery, you know that we have a soft spot in our hearts for the MD-80. Over the years, we’ve covered this tank of an airliner. It was loud, a little cramped inside, but the ride in first class was like a dream with near silence up front as the engines were over 100 feet behind you.
The MD-80 was also way overbuilt and sturdy. This was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that the plane was robust enough to crash into trees on approach and still keep its passengers safe. All that structure and age eventually caught up to it as the jets have largely faced retirement over the past few years. Most of the old ‘coal-powered’ MD-80 jets now rest in the boneyard with just a few still flying passengers at niche charter outfits. There was an attempt back in 2008 to extend the life of the MD-80 fleet through a creative modified thrust reverser design.
Dugan Kinetics Attempted to Make The MD-80 Like New
Back in 2008, Dugan Kinetics saw a market opportunity. At the time, over 400 MD-80s were flying daily in the United States. Delta had declared bankruptcy a few years earlier. American was staving off bankruptcy through intense cost cutting and delaying of fleet renewal. Ultra-low cost carrier Allegiant also operated a sizable fleet of MD-80s.
The plan was to market to airlines as a way to extend the operation of their fleet and delay purchase of a new fleet well into the 2020s. With most airlines either struggling financially or recently emerging from bankruptcy, it was a potentially strong play. News articles at the time states that American, Allegiant, and Delta were considering the proposal.
What the MD-80 Mod looked like
Dugan Kinetic proposed a modified ejector and thrust reverser on the MD-80 JT-8D200. The modifications would provide a number of improvements for operators who selected the upgrade. The mod worked by increasing the mass flow exhausted, and reducing the total average velocity of the final exhaust flow. This unique halo-like design allows engine power reduction for equivalent thrust. A Dugan kit would extend the range of the jet, improving fuel efficiency a promised 9 to 12% and improve takeoff performance for hot and high airfields. The modification would have also made the MD-80 stage 4 noise compliant, making the notoriously noisy jet noticeably quieter. Airlines that purchased the modification would show positive financial returns within 2 years of installation.
It wasn’t just a paper proposal. Dugan actual modified a single MD-80 for testing and FAA approval of a supplemental type certificate (STC). Tail number N789AV, a former BWIA aircraft, received the full kit and underwent two rounds of testing.
It wasn’t meant to be.
The improved ejector eventually did receive approval but it never made it to market. Just 18 months after American Airlines kicked the tires on an EP-80 MD-80 upgrade, the airline made a massive announcement for the largest fleet renewal in airline history. Unfortunately for Dugan, it was for a brand new Boeing and Airbus financed mixed fleet of 737s and Airbus 320s, including a large cache of MAX and NEOs.
The company never successfully sold the EP-80 modification to any airline. As we extensively profiled, American, Delta, and Allegiant all retired their fleet by 2020.
Today, there are very few MD-80s still flying in the Americas, mostly by small cargo operators. You can still see an American Airlines MD-80 in full colors though at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.
