MD-80 Walk Around

[aamaddog80]

The videos you post are great. The MD-80 is my favorite plane, and American is my favorite airline. It's neat to see the pilot's perspective. To bad these birds are being retired. Thanks for the videos!

[MacThizzit]

thanks, i was tryin to help look for cracks with ya while you were walking around, i spot a few minor scratches nothing serious, i dont think.

[ricotita2008]

Beautiful Big Bird!!!!

[Kopihucky]

what is the chunk of metal behind the nose landing gear? I've always wondered this about the 80 series. Is it a braking mechanism?

[contrail777]

@Kopihucky That's a spray deflector. Without it, standing water on the runway could be splashed up by the nose wheel and ingested by the rear mounted engines. A flight can be operated without it, but only on a dry runway.

[Kopihucky]

@contrail777 interesting.. obviously never even thought of that.

[Kopihucky]

Was the APU still running? I'm guessing that was the noise near the tail? Thanks for awesome view.. very detailed.

[contrail777]

@Kopihucky Actually no. If you pause the video at 3:23 you can see the APU doors are closed. There are two "non-ram" doors, slits really, that open just forward of the tail skid and on "ram" door that opens wide in about the same location. Again, paused at the same point, the ram door is the rectangular door just forward of the tail skid. I can't remember exactly, but I think all the noise is from the air hose.

[cduluk]

wow! thanks for making this video! :D The DC-9 and MD80 series are an amazing airplane, you're so lucky to work with them! I got to fly on a Delta DC-9 a few times last month and it was an amazing experience. I hope AA and Delta are still flying the MD80 series many years down the line!

[Born2fly5]

safety violation. you stepped over the tow bar.

[wiledmanrandall]

I lol'd about the anti seize streaking down from all the wheel half bolts.

[keeganjordan]

NIce Videos... Your Living The Dream :)

[4rnweekwewm]

The Best bird in the sky by far! i hope to work with one some day soon!

[contrail777]

@SkyWestCRJPilot That is AA's newest requirement to "enhance" my safety. It's required for all walk arounds.

[ie210]

@contrail777

is it uncomfortable to do a walkaround in DFW in a Texan summer with the reflective aircraft fuselage? For me, just standing on the tarmac next to the airplane on a hot day for a few minutes makes me all sweaty.....

[contrail777]

@ie210 I've gotten used to the Texas heat, but the ramp in general is extremely hot in the summer. Much hotter than the official temp at the airport. I've never noticed heat from the airplane itself.

[gt5004life]

@SkyWestCRJPilot The airline I jumpseated on is not Amarican, nor am I. It's a Swedish airline called "City Airline"

[gt5004life]

Like the 5th time I'm watching this just this week. Amazing stuff! How old are those engines?

[contrail777]

@gt5004life They don't put engine time information in the logbook.  I could find out...but it would take a phone call to know for sure.

[gt5004life]

@contrail777 Ok. no problem! But do they still install brand new engines in these old mad dogs? I'm about to jumpseat on a MD-87 this saturday.. First time I've ever been in a cockpit..

[contrail777]

@gt5004life Oh absolutely...they are changed out at regular intervals. Enjoy the jumpseat.

[gt5004life]

@contrail777 I will, thanks.

[RicardoNY1]

Fantastic walk-around video of an AA Mad Dog. I'm glad this was done and put here before these planes fully phased out. Thank you and keep them coming!

[volar3com]

excelent video.....the only thing that i check that i didnt see in this video and is very important because its a no-go is the wheel whel light

[contrail777]

@volar3com Ok...so you're going to make me add a disclaimer. This was my second walk around. The first was sans camera so I would be focussed on my job, not the camera. Also, if you watch closely, you can see me turn the wheel well lights on at the beginning and off at the end and you can clearly see them illuminated in both main wheel wells. Thanks for the comment.

[pigkiller7171]

what's the switch you flipped in the external power panel?

[contrail777]

@pigkiller7171 Wheel well lights

[airplaneguy17]

this is so awsome I havent been on my computer in a while because I been study for my private written in one week. wish me luck

[contrail777]

@airplaneguy17 Good to hear from you...I was wondering how things were going...good luck on your PPL, no that you'll need it.

[airplaneguy17]

@contrail777 thank, I think I got it.

[TIRolog]

what is that switch you turned ON and than OFF?

[contrail777]

@TIRolog That switch turns on the wheel well lights

[patryk7771]

Hi there !

Thanks for a nice MD-80 walk around.

N583AA after 19 years in service still looks just great. It's a shame that they're replaced by 738 :-(

Please make more videos of this wonderful airplane

Greetings,

[8justin88]

how hot was it that day? cause most times i stop in DFW its around 100

[contrail777]

@8justin88 Actually, I just took that video last month...it was about 70 deg. I remember being surprised that the ground guys hooked up the pre-conditioned air.

[8justin88]

@contrail777 oh...nice...

[contrail777]

@SkyWestCRJPilot  This job drove me to drink...coffee:)

[jasleil]

They are being replaced by B738

[gdsnuff]

Love it!

[joedfd43]

Just got done with a round trip up to Boston. The MD-80 is my favorite aircraft, and of course being from Dallas, I love my home airport.

Great video, nice to see what you are looking at on your pre-flight!