McDonnell Douglas MD-87

The McDonnell Douglas MD-87 represents a unique shorter-fuselage variant of the MD-80 family, designed for airlines needing medium-range capability with reduced capacity. Announced in January 1985, it featured a fuselage shortened by 5.31 meters to 39.75 meters overall, seating 109-130 passengers depending on configuration. This capacity positioned it between the DC-9-50 and MD-80 mainline variants. The MD-87 retained the MD-80's advanced wing, powerful JT8D-217C engines (89 kN each), and modern avionics, offering impressive range of 4,630 km (2,500 NM)—longer than the larger MD-82. The combination of reduced passenger count and full fuel capacity enabled long thin-route operations. Austrian Airlines, Finnair, and Iberia operated the MD-87 on European routes, while Japan Airlines and AeroMexico used it for regional services. The variant's economics proved challenging as airlines preferred higher-capacity options for most routes. Only 75 MD-87s were built before production ended in 1992. Despite modest sales, the MD-87 demonstrated the family's adaptability to different market segments.