If it was the "longest of it's class" it would be the MacDac 83 which would could mean it was either a Spanair operated jet (they got their first in 1988) or the last year of Spantax (who had MD83's from 1987 to their bankruptcy in 1988) or more likely Bristol based Paramount who were the first British operator of the MD83 from 1987 to their collapse in 1989. Airtours also bought some towards the end of the 80's.
The MacDac 80 series in Europe do have ventral airstairs as I've flown on several Alitalia and ATI versions of the -82 and -83 and gone up the back passage a few times.
Of course, there is one other classic holiday jet which has a ventral airstair - the British built BAC1-11. Not made by MacDonnell Douglas, it's unlikely to be the one you flew on, but again I've been up a 1-11's back passage a couple of times, complete with screaming Auxilliary Power Unit above your head!
What was your first ever flight??
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Fodda
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Right... What I remember... I flew out of Bristol to Faro. It was summer. I was at college at the time. It had a dorsal staircase (cheers Mark).
What I think I know... It was either 1987 or 1988. It was Air 2000 (or whoever they were before Air 2000). They had just introduced a complete aeroplane smoking ban (which didn't bother me as a smoker but caused ructions with other smokers who rebelled and all lit up at altitude
).
What I'm not sure about but think may have happened... The captain said the plane was a McD-D... It was a stretched version, and he gave me the descriptor. It had three engines, one under the rudder, the other two, I can't remember.
How's that?
What I think I know... It was either 1987 or 1988. It was Air 2000 (or whoever they were before Air 2000). They had just introduced a complete aeroplane smoking ban (which didn't bother me as a smoker but caused ructions with other smokers who rebelled and all lit up at altitude
).What I'm not sure about but think may have happened... The captain said the plane was a McD-D... It was a stretched version, and he gave me the descriptor. It had three engines, one under the rudder, the other two, I can't remember.
How's that?
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martinhodgson
- Nowt to brag about, but still want to look flashy!
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No, the DC10 didn't have a ventral staircase. MacDac only ever made the DC10/MD11 with three engines. The only three holer with a ventral staircase was the Boeing 727, and they were used on bucket and spaders from the UK up until the mid 90's. Dan-Air used the stretched 200 series until they were taken over by BA.
Are you sure there was a third engine and not an auxilliary power unit (although on the DC9-MD80 series the APU is located in the underfloor fuselage and not as in the 1-11 above the ventral staircase with an outlet above the back door, which sometimes confuses people into thinking they are boarding a three-engine jet)?
OK here are the options:
1) If it was a MacDonnel Douglas tri jet it couldn't have a ventral staircase as the only McD trijet was the medium-long range DC10 or MD11 which had one engine in the tail (usually, or at least until the engine went bang) and one under each wing (unless it dropped one which happened sadly too often)
2) If it was a MacDonnel Douglas jet with a ventral staircase and the biggest stretch it is the MD80 series, quite probable as a Bristol based bucket and spader was using MD83's at the time. but that only has two engines, one each side of the fuselage at the rear (which might have been what you saw looking like it came out of the tail?)
3) If it was a three engine ventral staircase jet it must be a Boeing 727 (I think the TU154 has a ventral staircase, but they are unlikely to turn up on a Bristol-Faro rotation!) and stretched 727's in 1987-8 were operated by Air Columbus from Portugal and our own dear departed Dan Air on charters, so it's possible, but it's not a MacDac.
4) An outside chance is the BAC1-11/500, which like the DC9-MD80 has a ventral staircase, twin rear engines, plus a third mini-engine (the APU) just above the rear door, which screams it's nuts off and does confuse people into thinking it is a propulsion jet. However, again it's not a MacDonnel-Douglas!
So those seem to be the options based on what you have said! Perhaps I need to post some screenshots?
Are you sure there was a third engine and not an auxilliary power unit (although on the DC9-MD80 series the APU is located in the underfloor fuselage and not as in the 1-11 above the ventral staircase with an outlet above the back door, which sometimes confuses people into thinking they are boarding a three-engine jet)?
OK here are the options:
1) If it was a MacDonnel Douglas tri jet it couldn't have a ventral staircase as the only McD trijet was the medium-long range DC10 or MD11 which had one engine in the tail (usually, or at least until the engine went bang) and one under each wing (unless it dropped one which happened sadly too often)
2) If it was a MacDonnel Douglas jet with a ventral staircase and the biggest stretch it is the MD80 series, quite probable as a Bristol based bucket and spader was using MD83's at the time. but that only has two engines, one each side of the fuselage at the rear (which might have been what you saw looking like it came out of the tail?)
3) If it was a three engine ventral staircase jet it must be a Boeing 727 (I think the TU154 has a ventral staircase, but they are unlikely to turn up on a Bristol-Faro rotation!) and stretched 727's in 1987-8 were operated by Air Columbus from Portugal and our own dear departed Dan Air on charters, so it's possible, but it's not a MacDac.
4) An outside chance is the BAC1-11/500, which like the DC9-MD80 has a ventral staircase, twin rear engines, plus a third mini-engine (the APU) just above the rear door, which screams it's nuts off and does confuse people into thinking it is a propulsion jet. However, again it's not a MacDonnel-Douglas!
So those seem to be the options based on what you have said! Perhaps I need to post some screenshots?
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Fodda
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Definitely not a 1-11. I would have loved that and remembered it.
Possibly the Boeing then. It may have been a McD-D on the way home, I can't remember the second flight as much as the first, although I got a cockpit visit both ways. I may be getting the two journeys muddled.
I know there was a ventral staircase on the way out because we used it to leave the plane at Faro. But as I say, I could be getting two planes muddled.
Which airlines used Bristol between 1984 and 1987? I thought it was Air 2000 or similar name, but could be mistaken... Seeing the name again could jog my memory.
As I didn't really care that much at the time, I must thank you all for trying so hard to work this out for me.
Possibly the Boeing then. It may have been a McD-D on the way home, I can't remember the second flight as much as the first, although I got a cockpit visit both ways. I may be getting the two journeys muddled.
I know there was a ventral staircase on the way out because we used it to leave the plane at Faro. But as I say, I could be getting two planes muddled.
Which airlines used Bristol between 1984 and 1987? I thought it was Air 2000 or similar name, but could be mistaken... Seeing the name again could jog my memory.
As I didn't really care that much at the time, I must thank you all for trying so hard to work this out for me.
