McDonnell Douglas MD-90

MD-90
BritishJET MD-90-30 landing at Gatwick Airport
Role	Narrow-body jet airliner
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	McDonnell Douglas Boeing Commercial Airplanes
First flight	February 22, 1993
Introduction	1995 with Delta Air Lines
Status	In service
Produced	1993–2000
Number built	116
Unit cost	US$41.5–48.5 million
Developed from	McDonnell Douglas MD-80
Variants	McDonnell Douglas MD-94X

The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is a twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet airliner. The MD-90 was developed from the MD-80 series. Differences from the MD-80 include more fuel-efficient International Aero Engines V2500 engines and a longer fuselage. The MD-90 has a seating capacity of up to 172 passengers and was introduced into service with Delta Air Lines in 1995.

The MD-90 and the subsequent MD-95/Boeing 717 were derivatives of the MD-80, which itself was a derivative commercially introduced in 1980 from the DC-9.

The Douglas Aircraft Company developed the DC-9 in the 1960s as a short-range companion to their larger DC-8. The DC-9 was an all-new design, using two rear fuselage-mounted turbofan engines, and a T-tail. The DC-9 has a narrow-body fuselage design with a 5-abreast seating with a capacity of 80 to 135 passengers depending on seating arrangement and aircraft version.

The second generation of the DC-9 was originally called the DC-9-80 series or the DC-9 Super 80 but later marketed as the MD-80 and entered service in 1980. McDonnell Douglas began studies into shorter derivatives of the MD-80 in 1983, these studies eventually becoming known as the MD-90. While for several years, McDonnell Douglas proposed powering the MD-90 with two propfan engines, by 1989, it was clear that there was insufficient interest in prop fan powered aircraft, and reworked their proposals to feature the IAE V2500 turbofan instead.

The MD-90 was firmly launched on November 14, 1989, when Delta Air Lines placed an order for 50 MD-90s, with options for a further 110 aircraft. The aircraft first flew on February 22, 1993 and the first MD-90 was delivered to Delta in February 1995. The MD-90 was produced adjacent to the Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, California, USA.