page_title: McDonnell Douglas MD-80
section_title: Flight testing and certification
hierarchical_section_title: McDonnell Douglas MD-80 / Design and development / Flight testing and certification
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Swissair, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81, HB-INC "Thurgau" im Flug über Entschligental, Niesenkette , im Hintergrund der Jura, Schweiz English: Swissair, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81, HB-INC "Thurgau" over Switzerland
context_page_description: The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas from the earlier DC-9.
  Stretched, heavier, and with higher bypass Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 engines, the DC-9 Series 80 was launched in October 1977.
  It made its first flight on October 18, 1979 and was certified on August 25, 1980. It was first delivered to launch customer Swissair on September 13, 1980, which introduced it into commercial service on October 10, 1980.
  Keeping the five-abreast coach seating, longer variants are stretched by 14 ft from the DC-9-50 and have a 28% larger wing.
  The long variants are 148 ft long to seat 155 passengers in coach and, with varying weights, can cover up to 2,550 nmi.
  The later MD-88 has a modern cockpit with EFIS displays.
  The MD-87 is 17 ft shorter for 130 passengers in economy and has a range up to 2,900 nmi.
  It competed with the Boeing 737 Classic and the Airbus A320.
  Introduced in 1995, the MD-90 is a further stretch powered by IAE V2500 high-bypass turbofans, while the shorter MD-95, the later Boeing 717, was powered by Rolls-Royce BR715 engines.
  MD-80 production ended in 1999 after 1,191 were built.
context_section_description: The first MD-80, DC-9 line number 909, made its first flight on October 18, 1979. Although two aircraft were substantially damaged in accidents, test flying was completed on August 25, 1980, when the first variant of MD-80, the JT8D-209-powered MD-81 (or DC-9-81), was certified under an amendment to the FAA type certificate for the DC-9. The flight-testing leading up to certification had involved three aircraft accumulating a total of 1,085 flying hours on 795 flights. The first delivery, to launch customer Swissair took place on September 13, 1980.
  As the MD-80 was not in effect a new aircraft, it continues to be operated under an amendment to the original DC-9 FAA aircraft type certificate (a similar case to the later MD-90 and Boeing 717 aircraft). The type certificate issued to the aircraft manufacturer carries the aircraft model designations exactly as it appears on the manufacturer's application, including use of hyphens or decimal points, and should match what is stamped on the aircraft's data or nameplate. What the manufacturer chooses to call an aircraft for marketing or promotional purposes is irrelevant to the airworthiness authorities. The first amendment to the DC-9 type certificate for the new MD-80 aircraft was applied as DC-9-81, which approved on August 26, 1980. All MD-80 models have since been approved under additional amendments to the DC-9 type certificate. In 1983, McDonnell Douglas decided that the DC-9-80 (Super 80) would be designated the MD-80. Instead of merely using the MD- prefix as a marketing symbol, an application was made to again amend the type certificate to include the MD-81, MD-82, and MD-83. This change was dated March 10, 1986, and the type certificate declared that although the MD designator could be used in parentheses, it must be accompanied by the official designation, for example: DC-9-81 (MD-81). All Long Beach aircraft in the MD-80 series thereafter had MD-81, MD-82, or MD-83 stamped on the aircraft nameplate.
  Although not certified until October 21, 1987, McDonnell Douglas had already applied for models DC-9-87 and DC-9-87F on February 14, 1985. The third derivative was similarly officially designated DC-9-87 (MD-87), although no nameplates were stamped DC-9-87. For the MD-88, an application for a type certificate model amendment was made after the earlier changes, so there was not a DC-9-88, which was certified on December 8, 1987.  The FAA's online aircraft registry database shows the DC-9-88 and DC-9-80 designations in existence but unused.
caption: An MD-80 of the type's launch customer, Swissair
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