Mohammed Gazzawi's

Boeing MD-80 Pilot Operation Handbook

For use with X-Plane Flight Simulator only

General Information: Boeing MD-81/82/83/88/87

              MD-81     MD-82/88      MD-83       MD-87/87ER
Dimensions:
Length      147'10"     147'10"     147'10"     130' 5"
Wing Span   107'10"     107'10"     107'10"     107'10"
Max Height   29' 7"      29' 7"      29' 7"      30' 6"
   
Weights lbs:
Empty        78,432      78,564      89,000      73,323
Fuel         39,305      46,911      47,115      39,303/ 47,100
Payload      39,586      41,458      41,280      38,850
MTOW        140,000     149,500     160,000    140,000/149,500 Max Take-off Weight
MLW         128,000     130,000     139,500    128,000         Max Landing Weight
MZF         118,000     122,000     122,000    118,000         Max Zero Fuel Weight

Engines: MD-81

• 2*82.29kN Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 turbofans (2*18,500 lb) thrust

MD-82/88

• 2*88.97kN Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A/C turbofans (2*20,000 lb) thrust

MD-83

• 2*93.41kN Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbofans (2*21,000 lb) thrust

MD-87/87ER

• 2*88.97kN Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217C turbofans (2*20,000 lb) thrust

Operating Performance: MD-81/82/88/83/87

• Mno 0.76 Mach Normal Operating Speed
• Mmo 0.82 Mach Max. Operating Speed
• Mne 0.95 Mach Never Exceed Speed
• Vno 340 kts Normal Operating Speed IAS
• Vmo kts Max. Operating Speed IAS
• Vne kts Never Exceed Speed IAS
• Vat 133-140 knots Landing @ Runway Threshold Speed @ MLW full flap/Gear down

Take-off speed@ MTOW:

• V1 135-140kts @ flap2/3 (V1 is the go or no-go decision speed)
• VR 140-145kts (VR is the rotation speed ie lift-off speed)
• V2 141-155kts (V2 is the safe climb-out speed)

                MD-81    MD-82/88       MD-83     MD-87/87ER
V2            148-150    153-155      153-155        141-145
Vat               135        135          140            135
Vno/Mno      340/0.76   340/0.76     340/0.76        340/076
Vne/Mne      499/0.95   499/0.95     499/0.95       499/0.95
Econ Cruise 440/FL350  440/Fl350    440/FL350      440/FL350
Range nm        1,560      2,050        2,5      2,980-3,650

ILS & Approach speed @ MLW:

• 180 kts Flap2 (Kyb 2) to full flap/gear down @ Vat 133 - 140 kts
• Vat = 1.30 Vso (Vso is stall speed @ full flap/gear down)

Cruise Speeds:

• Max. Cruise speed 499 KTAS @ cruise altitude 30,000 - 35,000ft depending on weight
• Long Range Cruise speed 439 KTAS Cruise Altitude 30,000 - 35,000ft depending on weight.
• Typical Cruise Speed is 0.76 - 0.82 Mach @ FL300 - FL350

When flying long routes (over 2hrs) with MTOW, climb to FL300 & hold Alt with cruise speed 0.78 - 0.80 Mach , then fly that level for 30 min. then climb to FL310 - 320 @500 fpm and so on until you reach FL350 @ 0.78 - 0.82 Mach

Try not exceed 91% N1 during cruise in order to have available thrust for emergencies & be more efficient with fuel burn. The reason I mentioned the above procedure with X-Plane is to avoid too much nose pitch up attitude which put the aircraft wing @ higher angle of attack causing speed bleed leading to a clean stall if you are not careful.

The time taken between cruise climb is important because the aircraft will burn fuel (losing weight), your speed will gradually increase @ the same N1 setting , your aircraft pitch up will decrease helping you for the next cruise climb. Rate of climb at these alts should be between 300-500 fpm in order not to lose speed rapidly. The more you climb to FL350 the more the air density is less the better the engine fuel consumption (more range)& the less is thrust.

I usually output data for N1 on the screen & switch the EICAS to fuel management to observe aircraft status on fuel burn & range.

You should carry fuel enough for the flight + 40mins for diversions & emergencies i.e. if your trip is 2hrs long, you load fuel for the required 2hrs flight plus fuel for an extra 40 min. You should know your aircraft's average fuel consumption for the type of engines fitted with in order to determine the fuel weight required for the flight. Remember that weight is drag, drag is more fuel burn which costs money (for virtual pilots flying for virtual airlines:), so do not carry fuel more than you need. You have a destination to go to & MLW limit. You do not want to arrive to your destination with total weight above MLW!.

FAR Field Lengths

             Take-off       Landing
MD-81        7,250 ft       4,850 ft
MD-82/88     7,450 ft       4,920 ft
MD-87/87ER   6,100 ft       4,690 ft

Take-off Check List

• Allowable Take-off Weight (MTOW or lower)
• Flaps Set
• Trim Set
• Autopilot Controls Off

Final Landing Check List

• Gear Down/Green
• Flaps/Slats Set
• Speed Brakes Armed
• ILS freq/Glide Slope Tuned

During Descent Check

• Check Allowable Landing Weight (MLW 210,000 lb. or lower)
• Review your ILS approach & Runway heading

ROC Rate Of Climb

Below 10,000 ft

• max. 4000 fpm @ 250 kts

Above 10,000 ft to Cruise Flight Level FL

• 2200fpm from 10,000 - 20,000ft @ 280 - 340kts
• 1800 - 1500fpm from 20,000 - 26,000ft
• 1400 - 500fpm from 26,000 - 35,000 ft depending on weight.

ROD Rate Of Descent

• From Cruise FL to 10,000ft hold 0.79 Mach until 290 kts, reduce thrust for 2500 fpm
• Below 10,000ft rate of descent varies with ATC requirements, but is between 800 - 3000fpm
• In normal conditions 250kts idle descent , then slow & configure speed so as to not add power until on Glide Slope.
• Glide Slope descend is between 1500 - 500fpm depending on your situation
• At Runway Threshold descend between 400 - 200fpm for a smooth touchdown landing

   MLW = Maximum Landing Weight
   MTO = Maximum Take-off Weight
   V2  = Safe Climb-out speed (The speed after Vr, Rotation speed or Lift-off speed)
   Vat = Landing speed at runway threshold Flap/Gear down (X-Plane @ 50'...25'...10')
   Vapr= Approach Speed , just add 5-10kts to Vat with flap/gear down @ MLW or less
   Vno = Normal Operating Speed
   Vmo = Maximum Operating Speed
   Vne = Never Exceed Speed
FL350  = Flight Level 35,000'

Thanks to Mohammed Gazzawi, Designer/Test Pilot MGXP

Return to HOME PAGE

Return to P.O.H.