Boeing-Mcdonnell Douglas Boeing (Douglas) Md 87

Twin Jet· 13 globally registered

The McDonnell Douglas MD-87 is the shortest member of the MD-80 family, a stretched derivative of the DC-9 that dominated short-haul jet operations in the 1980s and 1990s. Introduced in 1987, the MD-87 was designed for airlines needing DC-9 capacity with MD-80 efficiency on routes where the standard MD-80's 147-foot fuselage was too large. McDonnell Douglas shortened the airframe by 17 feet, reducing typical seating from 155 to around 130 passengers while retaining the family's distinctive rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans and T-tail configuration. The MD-87 found its niche with carriers operating dense regional networks and those requiring hot-and-high performance that the DC-9-30 couldn't match. Its reduced weight (maximum takeoff of 140,000 pounds versus 160,000 for the MD-88) gave it better field performance from shorter runways while maintaining the MD-80's 2,500-nautical-mile range. The type's Mach 0.84 cruise capability and 37,000-foot service ceiling made it competitive with early 737 Classics on transcontinental routes, though only 75 were built before production ended in 1992, making it the rarest of the MD-80 variants. Today the MD-87 is largely retired from major airline service, with most examples either scrapped or converted to corporate and charter configurations. The type's JT8D engines, while reliable, became increasingly uneconomical as fuel prices rose and Stage 4 noise regulations tightened. A handful remain active in specialized roles, particularly with charter operators and private carriers who value the spacious cabin and transcontinental range for executive transport and sports team charters. SkyMeter has tracked 110 flights across 7 airframes and 1 operators, with CORSAIR TWO LLC the largest observed operator.