Boeing 717-200
(McDonnell Douglas MD-95-30)

Type (Muster)
Short- and medium-range airliner (Kurz- und Mittelstrecken-Verkehrsflugzeug)

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Boeing
3855 Lakewood Boulevard
Long Beach, California 90846
USA

Phone: 001-496/7474
Fax: 001-496/8720

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2 plus cabin attendants
Passengers (Passagiere): 106 in two-class layout (8 at 91 cm pitch - 98 at 81 cm pitch), 117 in single-class or 129 in high density layout.
Freight (Fracht): ca. 26,8 cu m of underfloor cargo volume

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x BMW Rolls-Royce BR715
Thrust (Schub): 2 x 18500 lbs (82,3 kN), with an increase to 21000 lbs (93,32 kN) as an option.

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 37,81 m
Height (Höhe): 8,86 m
Fuselage diameter (Rumpfdurchmesser): 4,88 m
Span (Spannweite): 28,45 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 92,97 sq m
Sweepback at quarter chord (Pfeilung): 24 degrees

Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 3,35 m

Weights (Massen)
Operating weight empty (Einsatz-Leermasse): 31675 kg or 32110 kg at high gross-weight option
Payload (Nutzlast): 12220 kg maximum, less with auxiliary fuel tanks
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 11162 kg or 13381 kg with auxiliary tank in lower baggage hold
Max. Zero fuel weight (Max. Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 43545 kg or 45585 kg at high gross-weight
Max. Ramp weight (Max. Masse beim Rollen): 52165 kg or 55338 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 51710 kg or 54885 kg for at high-gross weight option
Max. landing weight (Max. Landemasse): 46265 kg or 49895 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): Mach 0.76, 811 km/h
Max. certified altitude (max. Flughöhe): 11295 m (37000 ft)
Range (Reichweite): 2908 km or 3593 km with increased take-off weight
Take-off field length, sea level,ISA +15C (Startstrecke): 1950 m
Landing field length, sea level (Landestrecke): 1465

Costs (Kosten)
List price in 1999 dollars is given as 31,5 million US-Dollars, after early speculation was in the 18 to 20 million US-Dollar range. The heavy-weight version with all options should come out at 35,5 million US-Dollars. The AirTran (ex-ValuJet) order was said to be worth one billion US-Dollars for 50 aircraft.

Customers (Kunden)
By the time of certification in September 1999, customers in the United States and Europe have placed 115 firm orders and 110 options for the 717-200:

AirTran Airlines (previously known as ValuJet) was the launch customer with 50 firm plus 50 on option. Contract announced on 19 October 1995. AirTran will receive seven aircraft in 1999, 12 each in 2000 and 2001 and 18 in 2002.
Bavaria International Aircraft Leasing of Munich has ordered 5, for delivery in late 1999 and 2000. Two will go to Olympic Aviation in December 1998.
Pembroke Capital has ordered ten late in 1998, for a total of 320 million US-Dollars. Deliveries will be from May 2000.
TWA has signed a letter of intent for 50 plus 50 options in December 1998. Deliveries are to start in 2000.

Boeing sees a 100-seater market of close to 2000 aircraft as replacements for DC-9s, 737-200s and Fokker 100s.

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Airbus A318
Boeing 737-600
British Aerospace RJ100

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Boeing 717 is the latest of a long line of Douglas DC-9 derivatives, similar in size to the venerable DC-9 Series 30. It features a mix of simple and advanced technologies, designed for operation on high-frequency, short- to medium-range routes. The manufacturer claims flexible cabin arrangements, modern cockpit with liquid crystal flat-panel displays and low maintenance costs (less than 600 US-Dollars per trip). Noise emmissions should be more than five per cent below Stage III limits.
After years of study by McDonnell Douglas, dating back to the beginning of the 90s, official programme launch of the 100-seater came in October 1995 with an order from ValuJet (now AirTran). Assembly of the first test aircraft (T1) started in May 1997.
McDonnell Douglas (now taken over by Boeing) has outsourced many parts of the aircraft to companies around the world, like

AlliedSignal (avionics, pneumatics)
Alenia (major fuselage sections)
Honeywell (flight guidance)
Hyundai (wing)
IAI (landing gear)
Fischer (interior)
Korean Aerospace (nose)
Labinal (wiring)
AIDC (empennage)
Shin Maywa (horizontal stabilizer, engine pylons)

After the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas merger in mid-1997, the future of the programme remained in doubt. In the first few days of 1998, however, Boeing "relaunched" the aircraft as the 717. This followed extensive studies and a vigorous campaign to cut production costs further, yielding an attractive price for regional customers. It is not yet clear whether stretched or shrinked versions of the basic aircraft will become available, but studies of a 717-100X (80 seaths) and a stretched -300X (120 seats) are under way.
The first 717-200 was rolled out at Long Beach on June 10, 1998, but the first flight was delayed, mainly due to problems with the BR715 engine (blade cracking in the third stage ot the high-pressue compressor and redesign of the fan containment system). Also, there was additional work on the electrically signalled spoiler system.
The first aircraft finally took off on September 2, 1998 for a 4 hour, 7 minute mission which ended at the test center in Yuma, Arizona. Project pilot Ralph Luczak commanded the aircraft, with Tom Melody as copilot and Will Gibbons as flight test engineer. They evaluated aircraft performance and basic aircraft systems, checked handling qualities, engaged the autopilot and operated the data system. The aircraft achieved a maximum altitude of 11500 ft and a speed of 453 km/h.
The second aircraft flew on October 26.
The third 717-200 entered the flight test programme on December 16, a bit late. After take-off from Long Beach Airport, it flew for two hours and 30 minutes and landed at Boeing's facility in Yuma (Arizona). This aircraft is inteded for take-off tests, performance verification, systems evaluatian and pilot workload checks. As of December 15, 1998, there had been 193 flights and 361 hours.
The first customer model with complete interior for AirTran Airways, took off from Long Beach on February 24, 1999 for a 2 h 54 min flight, with Pat O'Donnell and Randy Wyatt at the controls. This aircraft has been used for function and reliability tests in simulated airline operations. Total flight time had risen to 756 hours by that time.
By April 1999, over 1000 hours flight time were completed. Preliminary results indicate a fuel burn 3 to 5 per cent below predictions, a 1000 ft gain in initial cruise altitude and 3 to 7 per cent shorter stopping distances. External noise is also lower, Boeing claims.
The 717 participated in the Paris Air Show in June 1999, followed by a 10-day customer tour in cities throughout Europe (Zurich, Helsinki, Berlin, Madrid, Athens, Rome, London etc.).
A yearlong flight-test and certification program was completed in August 1999. Five 717s accumulated more than 2,000 hours and more than 1,900 flights. This included a route-proving operation with launch customer AirTran Airways.
Joint certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities was received on September 1, 1999, some two months late. The 717 certification was conducted under an unprecedented FAA/JAA program called Concurrent and Cooperative Certification. It is the first airplane to have a single basis of certification, which was developed and implemented jointly by a FAA/JAA team.
All test airplanes have returned to Long Beach from their base of operations at the Boeing test center in Yuma, Ariz. The first test airplane will remain in a flight-ready status to support follow-on certification activities as required. The second and third test airplanes have been decommissioned, and their test equipment is being removed. The first production airplane is being readied for an Asian sales tour in October 1999. In addition, there are 13 other 717s in production. Twelve 717s will be delivered to customers this year. AirTran Airways, based in Orlando, Fla., will receive its first 717 in September.

Last updated September 2, 1999

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Boeing 717-200 (McDonnell Douglas MD-95-30)

Boeing 717-200
(McDonnell Douglas MD-95-30)