Hi guys,

Which a/c types did DL operate in the late ‘80s?

In 1987, I flew Paris (ORY or CDG?) -ATL-MIA,
MIA-MCO-ATL-Paris, as well as MIA-MCO-MIA (a day trip in Disney World )

My father is sure that the Paris-ATL flights were operated by L1011s, but he is not sure about the other flights. For the MIA-MCO-MIA flights, he just remembers that it was a narrow body (he told me a 707 but AFAIK DL did not operate the 707).
Is there a DL expert here?

727, 737-300, 707, DC-9, 757, 767-200, MD-88

Atlwarrior wrote:

727, 737-300, 707, DC-9, 757, 767-200, MD-88

HUH?
DL NEVER flew the 707

727-200
737-200
737-300
L-1011
L1011-500
DC-9-30
MD-88
DC-8-73...or was it -71?
DC-10
767-300 ER and non-ER
767-200
757-200


I think that's it.

EDIT: It was prob a 727. In 1987, I don't believe the ex-WA aircraft had migrated east and the MD-88 had not started delivery.

2ND EDIT: I forgot they had some 737-232 as well as the 737-247s....so it could possibly have been a 732...but my money is on the 727

If I had to bet, I'd say you would've been on a 727.
757 was also a possibility, but ATL-MIA (and intra-Florida in general) was 727 heaven back then.

Thought you might enjoy this as well:
https://mappingmovement.newberry.org/se ... m-map-1987

Also lots of 737-200. DL never flew a 707.

LAX772LR wrote:

If I had to bet, I'd say you would've been on a 727.
757 was also a possibility, but ATL-MIA (and intra-Florida in general) was 727 heaven back then.

I'll bet on your bet, too. I lived in Dallas at that time and flew into MCO and TPA a lot. I don't recall seeing any narrowbodies other than 72S, 752, and D8S in either airport on DL. 72Ss were hugely prevalent.

It's interesting that other that the 747, DL never flew Boeing aircraft until they acquired Northeast. After that, they purchased a boatload of 727s and 737s.

EvanWSFO wrote:

It's interesting that other that the 747, DL never flew Boeing aircraft until they acquired Northeast. After that, they purchased a boatload of 727s and 737s.

DL's original order of 727s came on March 29, 1972. The NE ones started flying with DL on Aug 1, 1972

https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/de ... boeing-727

727LOVER wrote:

Atlwarrior wrote:

727, 737-300, 707, DC-9, 757, 767-200, MD-88

HUH?
DL NEVER flew the 707

727-200
737-200
737-300
L-1011
L1011-500
DC-9-30
MD-88
DC-8-73...or was it -71?
DC-10
767-300 ER and non-ER
767-200
757-200


I think that's it.

EDIT: It was prob a 727. In 1987, I don't believe the ex-WA aircraft had migrated east and the MD-88 had not started delivery.

2ND EDIT: I forgot they had some 737-232 as well as the 737-247s....so it could possibly have been a 732...but my money is on the 727

Sorry it was the DC-8. My Goodness all those years because of the 4 engines, I thought it was a 707.

727LOVER wrote:

Atlwarrior wrote:

727, 737-300, 707, DC-9, 757, 767-200, MD-88

HUH?
DL NEVER flew the 707

727-200
737-200
737-300
L-1011
L1011-500
DC-9-30
MD-88
DC-8-73...or was it -71?
DC-10
767-300 ER and non-ER
767-200
757-200


I think that's it.

EDIT: It was prob a 727. In 1987, I don't believe the ex-WA aircraft had migrated east and the MD-88 had not started delivery.

2ND EDIT: I forgot they had some 737-232 as well as the 737-247s....so it could possibly have been a 732...but my money is on the 727

It was the DC-8-71. DL never flew the -63/-73.

EvanWSFO wrote:

Also lots of 737-200. DL hnever flew a 707.

While true, Delta had a few crews trained and in training on 707s in antisapation of an order. My father was one. He has a 707 pic in his office in Delta colors but we know the order never happened. There is also a handful of Delta pilots and the local FAA in ATL with A340 type ratings and they got them in 2000. Another order which never happened

I flew MCO-ATL on a Delta L-1011 in September 1985.

I went to Departedflights.com to see if they had an old 1987 timetable for Delta. They didn't. However, they did have February 1985. The listings for DL flights from MCO-ATL were all L-1011, 767, DC-8. And one daily 727.

http://www.departedflights.com/ATL85p10.html

727LOVER wrote:

Atlwarrior wrote:

727, 737-300, 707, DC-9, 757, 767-200, MD-88

HUH?
DL NEVER flew the 707

727-200
737-200
737-300
L-1011
L1011-500
DC-9-30
MD-88
DC-8-73...or was it -71?
DC-10
767-300 ER and non-ER
767-200
757-200


I think that's it.

EDIT: It was prob a 727. In 1987, I don't believe the ex-WA aircraft had migrated east and the MD-88 had not started delivery.

2ND EDIT: I forgot they had some 737-232 as well as the 737-247s....so it could possibly have been a 732...but my money is on the 727

DL never flew 763ER in '80s. First 763ER was delivered in 1990.

Only AA had 763ER in '80s. (15 were delivered in 1988). In UA case , the first was in 1991.

Thanks guys.
As my father thought it was a 707, I guess it must have been a DC8 on the MIA-MCO-MIA flights

727LOVER wrote:

EvanWSFO wrote:

It's interesting that other that the 747, DL never flew Boeing aircraft until they acquired Northeast. After that, they purchased a boatload of 727s and 737s.

DL's original order of 727s came on March 29, 1972. The NE ones started flying with DL on Aug 1, 1972

https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/de ... boeing-727

Ah, thanks. I just recall the pre-NE merger there were no 727's in my timetables. It was odd to see them start showing up in the routings listings in the back of those timetables (loved those). Even weirder were the NE FH227's for awhile.