The JT8D Engine Roars into History Books as Delta Retires McDonnell Douglas Fleet

With the retirement of Delta’s McDonnell-Douglas MD-88s, the chapter for the MD-80 series in North America and the world closes for major airlines. However, it is more than just the metal fuselage that will see service decrease as the engine that once powered numerous aircraft types is falling silently into the history books. Coming off the militarily successful J-52, the JT8D was Pratt & Whitney’s response to the increasing demand for the smaller sizes requested for commercial jets. The Boeing…