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The Mcdonnell Douglas 81 (ICAO type MD83) is an aircraft certificated in the Transport Aircraft category. It has a maximum take-off weight of 72,500 kg. It offers a maximum range of 2,830 nm, a cruise speed of 440 knots, a service ceiling of 39,000 ft and seating for up to 172 across its variants.

Mcdonnell Douglas 81

McDonnell Douglas 81
MD83
Photo: Cory W. Watts from Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America · CC BY-SA 2.0
Year
—
Owner
—
Last seen
—
MTOW
72,500 kg
Range
2,830 nm
Seats
172
81
Mcdonnell Douglas · 81
Model overview

Fleet & certification

Built
250
Active
249
Certifying authorities
FAA
Variants

Per-variant specifications

VariantEngineMTOWRangeCruisePax
DC-9-81 (MD-81)
DC-9-81 (MD-81)
—————
DC-9-82 (MD-82)
DC-9-82 (MD-82)
—67,800 kg2,660 nm438 kt172
DC-9-83 (MD-83)
DC-9-83 (MD-83)
—72,500 kg—438 kt172
DC-9-87 (MD-87)
DC-9-87 (MD-87)
—72,500 kg2,830 nm438 kt139
MD-88
MD-88
—67,800 kg2,620 nm440 kt172
Type certification

The FAA paperwork

TCDS A6WE · Rev 25 · issued 1999-09-01

Category
Transport Aircraft
MTOW
55,316 kg
MZFW
45,586 kg
Seats
2 crew · 134 passengers
Ceiling
37,000 ft
Approved fuelCommercial aircraft turbine fuel conforming to ASTM- D-1655, Jet A or A-1, MIL-T-5624 Grade JP5 and MIL-T-83133 Grade JP8
Engine

2 BMW Rolls-Royce Aero Engines BR700-715A1-30 engines

Certification basis

Federal Aviation Regulations Part 25, effective February 1, 1965, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-82.

Read the TCDS (PDF) →
Safety & ops history

Where to look next

Detailed safety & ops history coming soon — view this model's FAA Airworthiness Directives at FAA.gov.
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Mcdonnell Douglas 81 market & fleet intelligence

Registry, flight-tracking and market data on the Mcdonnell Douglas 81 fleet — updated daily.

Fleet age

35 yearsmedian age

Of the 87 registered Mcdonnell Douglas 81 with a known build year (35% of the 250 we track), the median age is 35 years.

Registration activity

1changed registration in 12 months

1 of the 250 registered Mcdonnell Douglas 81 we track changed registration in the last 12 months (0% of the fleet), across 1 registration event. Registration changes include ownership transfers, re-registrations and address updates — not all are sales.

Fleet activity — last 90 days
Aircraft seen flying
25
Tracked flights
493
Tracked flight hours
974
Share of fleet flying
10%

25 Mcdonnell Douglas 81 were tracked flying in the last 90 days (10% of the registered fleet), across 493 flights. Sprinkle flight tracking began May 2026; coverage is ADS-B-derived and not exhaustive.

81 — frequently asked
What is the range of the McDonnell Douglas 81?

The McDonnell Douglas 81 has a maximum range of 2,830 nautical miles across variants.

How many people can the McDonnell Douglas 81 carry?

The McDonnell Douglas 81 seats up to 172 across its variants.

What is the MTOW of the McDonnell Douglas 81?

The McDonnell Douglas 81's maximum take-off weight is 72,500 kg.

What is the ICAO type designator for the McDonnell Douglas 81?

The McDonnell Douglas 81's ICAO type designator is MD83.

How many McDonnell Douglas 81 aircraft are registered worldwide?

Sprinkle tracks 250 registered McDonnell Douglas 81 airframes worldwide.