Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:44 pm
Posts: 1989
Location: LLBG
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Shalom and greetings all my pals,
Here is moment all of you have been waiting for!! Here is eleventh part of continuing education of Caribbean aviation history!!!!! The topic for ninth part is MADDOGs and the role that the planes played in Caribbean!!!!!
The MD-80 series better known as MADDOGs was introduced into commercial service on October 10, 1980 and had seen lots of service action in Caribbean. Airlines using MADDOGS for Caribbean were BWIA, Air Jamaica, West Caribbean Airlines, Air Aruba (MD-90s), Redjet, Insel Air, Insel Air Aruba, Dutch Antilles Express, North America, and Dutch Caribbean Airlines.
Strange enough, Hawaiian Airline being in similar tropical island environment also used MADDOGs for some years but decided to dump MADDOGS in favor for 717-200s because the 717s are more suitable for the super-frequent cycles of inter-island flying than MADDOGs are.
Now, why are MD-80 series and MD-90 series called MADDOGs? Some said it is because It looks like a hot dog with wings, handles like a dog, and climb like a mad dog chasing God knows what. Some said that The "MD" prefix for the MD-80 series is the same as a notorious and cheap American wine, labeled MD 20/20 but commonly known as "Mad Dog 20/20". It offers a mighty mean buzz for the money. It's wine for folks who like to keep the bottle in the paper bag while they drink it. If you attended college in The U.S., there's a very good chance that your first experience with drinking waaaay too much was with "Mad Dog" MD 20/20.
Enough with theories of why MD-80/90 series is called MADDOGS!!!
Time for exciting flight!!!
Allow me to introduce BWIA's short one hour hop MADDOG flight from SVMI Simón Bolívar International Airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas to Piarco International Airport located about 16 miles east of Port of Spain which is the is the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago.
Look at beautiful MD-83!!!
Making u-turn to head to taxiway to taxi to short of runway 10
Still taxiing with background view of Guaracarumbo suburb
Entering into runway 10 for take off via OSMAR2 departure
Airborne now on climb to FL310 with background view of Maiquetia
Finished turning left to position to head to OSMAR leaving background view of SVMI and gorgeous coastal water
Climbing through clouds to FL310
Intercepting OSMAR with background view of El Avila National Park and heading to CBC
Cruising at FL310 across deep blue waters of Caribbean
Passing Cabo Codera and its gorgeous coastal water to position to intercept CBC
Intercepting CBC and turning left to head to CUP via UGIRO
Cruising at FL310. Look at super shiny metallic bottom of the plane
Passing a Venezuela airport that I forgot to write down name. Maybe all of you can guess the airport's name between CBC and CUP waypoints??
Intercepting UGIRO above gorgeous coastal Caribbean waters of Venezuela and heading to CUP
Intercepting CUP above SVCP General José Francisco Bermúdez Airport in Carupano, Venezuela and heading to MEGIR
Cruising at FL310 showing off shine of metallic bottom of the plane
Descending from FL310 to 10,000 ft through clouds
Emerging out of clouds during descent
Now at 10,000 ft with background view of Parque Nacional Penisuala De Paria
Intercepting MEGIR and now turning left on way to TTPP runway 10
Deploying landing gear during final approach to runway 10
Few seconds before touchdown!!!
TOUCHDOWN
Exiting from runway 10 into taxiway C toward gates
Holding on taxiway C being informed that all gates are full and the plane is instructed to taxi to make u-turn on taxiway and hold position there waiting for any plane to depart from any gate
Still waiting on hold position on taxiway after completing u-turn
Still waiting while Caribbean Airlines propeller plane took off in background for Tobago
Finally arrived at gate to drop off passengers where some of them rushed to next door gate to catch another propeller plane for shuttle service flight to Tobago.
Thank you for viewing and stay tuned for next exciting flight!!
Regards,
Aharon
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