Newspapers / Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter / March 13, 1989, edition 1 / Page 3
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USAir plans to purchase more MD-82S ,1, tJngmyiyigya One of 31 McDonneU Douglas MD-80 twinjets that USAir acquired through the PSA merger taxis up to its gate at DCA. In an effort to expand its fleet of medium- to long-range jet aircraft, USAir last month signed a letter of intent to purchase as many as 40 McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft for delivery starting in January 1992. USAir and McDonnell Douglas are currently negotiating a definitive con tract for orders for 20 of the aircraft and options on 20 more. The first two of the MD-82 models of the MD-80 series type would be delivered in September 1992 and the remainder of the firm orders and options, if taken, would be delivered at a rate of one per month beginning in January 1993. “We are very familiar with the aircraft, having acquired 31 of them through the PSA merger,” said Randall Malin, executive vice presi- dent-marketing. “From a cabin com fort standpoint, the MD-82 is quiet due to the rear-mounted engines, and is popular among our passengers. In addition, it is ideally suited for USAir’s Northeast to Florida markets.” Of the four MD-80 models—the MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, and MD-88— USAir currently operates 19 MD-81s and 12 MD-82s. All types are similar in that they are 147 feet/10 inches long and accommodate approximately the same number of passengers (depend ing on the configuration each carrier has chosen). In USAir’s dual-class configuration, the new MD-82s will have eight first-class and 135 coach- class seats. The primary difference between the MD-81 and the MD-82 series aircraft is that the -82 is engined for greater weight capability, offers better payload/range capability, and is more fuel efficient “Additionally, the deliveries will come at a time that enables USAir to continue our fleet retirement plan of older. Stage 2 aircraft, which began with the BAC 1-lls,” Malin said. USAir is a long-time operator of McDonnell Douglas aircraft, having taken delivery of its first DD9 in 1966. Its fleet currently includes 74 DC-9s and 31 MD-80s. “From a maintenance and technical standpoint, the MD-82s fit in nicely among USAir’s existing fleet of 74 DC- 98, ” said Garner Miller, senior vice president-maintenance and engineer ing. “The MD-80s that we obtained from PSA have performed extremely well,” and the J'reD-217C engines have a well proven track record not only among our fleet, but industry wide. “The MD-80 is a good airplane,” Miller added. “It is a quiet, good neighbor jet, and is suitably advanced in technology to carry us into the year 2000.” First introduced to commercial airline service in 1980, the MD-80 is an advanced-tech nology successor to the DC-9 twin-jet. The MD-82 can attain a cruise speed in excess of 500 miles per hour and has a range of 2,360 statute miles (with a full passen ger and baggage payload). Douglas Aircraft Company assembles the aircraft at Long l^ach, Calif. As of year-end 1988, the entire USAir/Piedmont fleet totaled 421 aircraft and there were firm orders for 83 aircraft and options for an addi tional 108. Also at year-end, the combined total of the four owned commuter airlines totaled 88 aircraft with 11 aircraft on order. Colodny to receive Financial World Bviatd Financial World, a magazine that covers business and financial news, has chosen Chairman and President Ed Colodny as recipient of the second place bronze award within in the airline category of Financial World’s Chief Executive Officer of the Decade competition. As a bronze winner, Colodny and USAir will be recognized in the magazine’s April 4 cover story and honored at the CEO of the Decade Awards Banquet. According to Financial World, Colodny was selected by his peers in the airline industry, as well as by security analysts who specialize in the industry, as having personified executive excellence for the past decade. THREE
Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter
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March 13, 1989, edition 1
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