Douglas DC-9 / McDonnell Douglas MD-80 / MD-90

The DC-9/MD-80/MD-90 family represents one of aviation's most successful twinjet lineages, spanning four decades of production from 1965 to 2006. The Douglas DC-9, launched in 1965, pioneered the rear-mounted twin-engine T-tail configuration for short-to-medium-haul routes, seating 80-135 passengers. Its clean wing design and efficient operations made it popular with airlines worldwide. McDonnell Douglas evolved the design into the MD-80 series (1980), featuring stretched fuselages, more powerful JT8D engines, and improved range—seating 130-172 passengers. The MD-87 offered a shorter variant for regional operations. The MD-90 (1994) modernized the family with IAE V2500 turbofans for quieter, more efficient operations. Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997 and renamed the MD-95 as the Boeing 717, which flew until 2006. Total production reached 2,441 aircraft: 976 DC-9s, 1,191 MD-80s, 116 MD-90s, and 156 Boeing 717s. The family served hundreds of airlines and remains in service with cargo operators and some passenger carriers.