McDonnell Douglas MD-94X

{{Short description|Proposal for a propfan-powered airliner}}  {{Infobox aircraft |name= MD-94X |image= File:McDonnell_Douglas_MD-94X_propfan_aircraft.png |caption= A model of the proposed McDonnell Douglas MD-94X clean-sheet aircraft with two propfan engines |type= Airliner |national_origin= United States |manufacturer= McDonnell Douglas |designer= |first_flight= |introduction= |retired= |status= Canceled project |produced= |primary_user= |number_built= None |developed_from= McDonnell Douglas MD-80 |variants= |developed_into= }}

The '''McDonnell Douglas MD-94X''' was a planned propfan-powered airliner, intended to begin production in 1994. Announced in January 1986,<ref name="Genie"/> the aircraft was to seat between 160 and 180 passengers,<ref name="Spinoff"/> possibly using a twin-aisle configuration.<ref name="CargoAirlift"/> An all-new design that was investigated internally since at least 1984,<ref name="Stitched"/> the MD-94X was developed in the mid-1980s to compete with the similar Boeing 7J7. The price of oil would have to be at least US$1.40 per gallon for McDonnell Douglas to build the plane, though.<ref name= "GAStrong"/> Configuration was similar to the MD-80, but advanced technologies such as canard noseplanes,<ref name="ModernAircraft" /> laminar and turbulent boundary layer control, side-stick flight control (via fiber optics), and aluminum-lithium alloy construction were under consideration.<ref name="ICAS1986"/> Airline interest in the brand-new propfan technology was weak despite claims of up to a 60% reduction in fuel use, and both aircraft were canceled.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Under development at the same time were two propfan-powered commercial variants of the MD-80. The "MD-91X" would have seated 100-110 and entered service in 1991. The "MD-92X," a 150-seat aircraft targeted for service entry in 1992,<ref name="Spinoff"/> was originally to be a {{cvt|76|in|m|adj= mid|stretch}} of the MD-80.<ref name="CargoAirlift"/> The price per engine would have been an estimated US$ 1.6 million dollars more for the propfans than for the MD-80's Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 series engines.<ref name= "Flying199001" /> Existing DC-9s and MD-80s would also have been eligible for an upgrade to the new propfan powerplants.<ref name= "PriceFactor" /> On May 19, 1987, McDonnell Douglas tested General Electric Aviation's unducted fan (UDF) engine in flight for the first time on an MD-80 demonstrator,<ref name="JOC19870519"/> an aircraft that was restored after suffering an empennage separation in 1980 during the landing of a certification test flight for the DC-9 Super 80.<ref name="AVG20171225"/>

A propfan-powered military variant of the MD-87 or MD-91X, called the P-9D, was also proposed as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. The P-9D was intended for use in the United States Navy's Long Range Air ASW-Capable Aircraft (LRAACA) program, which was to initially replace the existing fleet of 125 Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft.<ref name="PropfanASW"/> In October 1988, the Navy selected a derivative of the P-3 Orion (which was later renamed Lockheed P-7A) as the LRAACA aircraft over the P-9D.<ref name="AfterOrion"/>

On October 10, 1989, McDonnell Douglas publicly announced that it was abandoning the development of propfan-powered aircraft, due to airline companies concerns about the technology risk and cost compared to a conventionally-powered airliner.<ref name="LAT19891011">{{cite news |work=Los Angeles Times |issn=0458-3035 |title=Douglas unveils 2 jets, drops prop fan |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-11-fi-226-story.html |url-access= limited |publication-date=October 11, 1989 |given=Ralph |surname=Vartabedian}}</ref>

==Specifications== {{Overly detailed|section|nosplit=1|details=per WP:AIRMOS, this section should cover the specifications of only a single variant|date=June 2025}} thumb|right|A desktop scaled model of the proposed McDonnell Douglas MD-91 propfan airliner. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |+ Characteristics ! Airplane ! MD-91X<ref name="TransportAircraftDesign"/> ! MD-92X<ref name="TransportAircraftDesign"/> ! MD-94X ! P-9D<ref name="PropfanASW"/> |- ! Derived from<ref name="PriceFactor"/> | MD-87 | MD-88 | N/A (clean sheet) | MD-87 or MD-91X |- ! Mixed-class seats | 114 | 165 | | N/A |- ! Sale price<ref name="PropfanSalesDrive"/> | US$25 million | >US$30 million | | |- ! Length | {{cvt|120|ft|11|in|m}}<ref name="StretchMD80"/> | {{cvt|157|ft|4|in|m}}<ref name="StretchMD80"/> | | {{cvt|132.2|ft|ftin m|order=out}} |- ! Operating empty weight | {{cvt|83508|lb|kg}} | {{cvt|91579|lb|kg}} | | |- ! MTOW | {{cvt|133000|lb|kg}} | {{cvt|155000|lb|kg}} | | {{cvt|165000|lb|kg}} |- !Cruise speed | colspan=2 | Mach 0.76 | | {{convert|430|kn|mi/h km/h}} |- !Range | {{cvt|2563|nmi|mi km}} | {{cvt|2424|nmi|mi km}} | | {{cvt|2000|nmi|mi km}} (4-hour loitering time) |- !Takeoff field length<ref>at MTOGW, sea level, {{cvt|84|F|C}}</ref> | {{cvt|5200|ft|m}} | {{cvt|7000|ft|m}} | | |- !Engines (×2) | General Electric GE36-C22<br/>or PW-Allison 578 | General Electric GE36-C25<br/>or PW-Allison 578 | | General Electric GE36 or PW-Allison 578-D<ref name="AfterOrion"/> |- !Thrust per engine | {{cvt|22000|lbf|kN}} | {{cvt|25000|lbf|kN}} | | {{cvt|25000|lbf|kN}} |- !Lower hold cargo volume | {{cvt|773|cuft|m3}} | {{cvt|1250|cuft|m3}} | | N/A |}

==See also== {{Portal|Aviation}} {{Aircontent |see also= |related= * McDonnell Douglas MD-90

|similar aircraft= * Antonov An-180 * Boeing 7J7 * MPC 75 * Tupolev Tu-334 * Yakovlev Yak-46

|lists= }}

==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="AVG20171225">{{cite web |work=Avgeekery.com |title=Hard landing: The demonstration MD-80 slammed into runway, lost its tail |url=https://avgeekery.com/hard-landing-demonstration-md-80-slammed-runway-lost-tail/ |access-date= March 28, 2023 |publication-date=December 25, 2017 |department=History}}</ref> <ref name="AfterOrion">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine= Flight International |publication-date= September 2, 1989 |pages=31–33 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%202693.html |title= After Orion |location= Los Angeles, CA, USA |given=John |surname=Bailey |volume= 136 |number= 4180}}</ref> <ref name="TransportAircraftDesign">{{cite conference |title=MD-90 transport aircraft design |given=P. A. |surname= Henne |location=Seattle, WA, USA |date=July 31 – August 2, 1989 |conference=AIAA/AHS/ASEE Aircraft Design, Systems and Operations Conference |doi=10.2514/6.1989-2023 |oclc= 1109563682}}</ref> <ref name="Stitched">{{cite report |oclc=34053899 |title=Development of stitched/RTM primary structures for transport aircraft |url=https://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19950025000 |page=[https://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19950025000/page/n20 13] |volume=CR-191441 |given=Arthur V. |surname=Hawley |publication-date=July 1993 |publisher=McDonnell Douglas Aerospace – Transport Aircraft |via=NASA |hdl=2060/19950025000}}</ref> <ref name="Flying199001">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-4806 |magazine=Flying |title=Propfan is shelved |url={{GBurl|JsVZgnUgo90C|p=13}} |publication-date=January 1990 |page=13 |department= Reporting Points |editor-first= Amy |editor-last=Harr |volume=117 |number=1}}</ref> <ref name="StretchMD80">{{cite magazine |issn= 0015-3710 |magazine= Flight International |title= Douglas ponders MD-80 stretch |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1988/1988%20-%203295.PDF |page=17 |publication-date=November 19, 1988 |volume= 134 |number=4140}}</ref><ref name="ModernAircraft">{{cite book |title=Modern commercial aircraft |publication-date=November 1, 1988 |publisher=Portland House |given1=William |surname1= Green |given2= Gordon |surname2= Swanborough |given3=John |surname3=Mowinski |date=12 September 1988 |isbn= 978-0-51763369-4}}</ref> <ref name="PropfanSalesDrive">{{cite news |issn=0307-1766 |title=Farnborough International Air Show: US launches propfan sales drive |given=Michael |surname=Donne |work=Financial Times |publication-date=September 7, 1988 |page=8 |department=UK News |number=30635 |url=https://archive.org/stream/FinancialTimes1988UKEnglish/Sep%2007%201988%2C%20Financial%20Times%2C%20%2330635%2C%20UK%20%28en%29#page/n7}}</ref> <ref name="PropfanASW">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |publication-date=August 22, 1987 |page=8 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1987/1987%20-%201522.PDF |title=MDC studies propfan ASW |location=Long Beach, California, USA |department=Defence |volume=132 |number=4076}}</ref> <ref name="Spinoff">{{cite book |title=Spinoff |date=1987-08-01 |publisher=NASA |edition=1987 |publication-date=August 1987 |chapter=Toward future flight |pages=[https://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19880002195/page/n31 30]–33 |url=https://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19880002195 |format=PDF |url-status=live |archive-date=April 12, 2009 |given=James J. |surname=Haggerty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412195700/https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/profan.html |hdl=2060/19880002195 |oclc=17914180}}</ref> <ref name="PriceFactor">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1987/1987%20-%200770.html |title=Propfan: the price factor |given=David |surname=Learmount |location=Seattle, Washington and Long Beach, California, USA |publication-date=June 13, 1987 |pages=76–79 |access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref> <ref name="JOC19870519">{{cite news |issn=1530-7557 |work=Journal of Commerce |title=New engine gets first test flight |url=https://www.joc.com/new-engine-gets-first-test-flight_19870519.html |first=Bill |last=Mongelluzzo |date=May 19, 1987 |url-access=limited}}</ref> <ref name="GAStrong">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-4806 |magazine=Flying |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-9TQQS3ThQwC&pg=PA96 |title=GA strong at Farnborough |given=Nigel |surname=Moll |date=December 1986 |pages=96–97 |department=Minifeature |publication-date=December 1986 |volume=113 |number=12}}</ref> <ref name="CargoAirlift">{{cite conference |issn=0148-7191 |work=SAE Technical Papers |publication-date=October 1986 |title=Cargo airlift: what's old? What's new? |given1=R. N. |surname1=Kehe |given2=H. F. |surname2=Morrison, Jr. |oclc=5818017739 |doi=10.4271/861152 |jstor=44470563 |conference=International Forum for Air Cargo and International Air Cargo Exposition |edition=13th |date=September 15–18, 1986 |location=Basel, Switzerland}}</ref> <ref name="ICAS1986">{{cite conference |title=A propfan status report |given=John |surname=Morris |url=https://www.icas.org/ICAS_ARCHIVE/ICAS1986/ICAS-86-3.8.1.pdf |conference=International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences |edition=15th |date=September 7–12, 1986 |location=London, England, United Kingdom |pages=1091–1098 |conference-url=https://www.icas.org/ICAS_ARCHIVE/ICAS1986/1986.html}}</ref> <ref name="Genie">{{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1986/1986%20-%200398.PDF |publication-date=February 22, 1986 |page=8 |department=Air Transport |location=New Delhi, India |title=Propfans—'the genie is out of the bottle' |access-date=May 17, 2019 |volume=129 |number=3999 |given=J. M. |surname=Ramsden}}</ref> }}

==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} * {{cite conference |conference=Commercial aviation to the end of the century: Expansion in an era of accelerating change. |location=London, England, UK |date=August 30 – September 1, 1988 |given=Jim |surname=Worsham |oclc=645843955 |hdl=2027/mdp.39015025179980 |title=A vision of the future—The role of the jet airliner builders |at=Chapter 26 |publisher=Financial Times Conference Organisation}} * {{cite web |work=West Europe |series=JPRS report |title=Current, projected military aircraft programs reviewed |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA347603.pdf#page=35 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601072152/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA347603.pdf#page=35 |url-status=live |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |pages=32–39 |publication-date=June 23, 1988 |date=May 1988 |agency=Wehrtechnik |location=Bonn, West Germany |department=Military: Federal Republic of Germany |translator=Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) |volume=JPRS-WER-88-031}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=McDonnell Douglas proposes modified MD-91 as Navy's next-generation ASW aircraft |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19880307/#!&pid=33 |publication-date=March 7, 1988 |page=18 |volume=128 |number=10 |url-access=subscription |department=Budget Control Dilemmas}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=McDonnell Douglas begins demonstrating UHB aircraft |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19880229/#!&pid=67 |given=Michael A. |surname=Dornheim |publication-date=February 29, 1988 |pages=66–67, 70, 73 |url-access=subscription |department=Air Transport |location=Long Beach, California, USA}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0730-6784 |magazine=Air Force Magazine |title=Jane's all the world's aircraft supplement: December 1987 |date=July 1987 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ic49AQAAIAAJ&pg=RA5-PA102 |page=102 |publication-date=December 1987 |volume=70 |number=12 |publisher=Air Force Association}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |title=Market place |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1987/1987%20-%201257.PDF |publication-date=July 25, 1987 |department=Air Transport |page=7 |volume=132 |number=4072}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=Midway's option on MD-91/92X represents gamble on fuel prices |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19870706/#!&pid=43 |publication-date=July 6, 1987 |pages=43, 47 |volume=127 |number=1 |url-access=subscription |given=James |surname=Ott}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |title=Douglas prepares for propfan |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1987/1987%20-%200735.PDF |publication-date=June 13, 1987 |department=Air Transport |page=41 |volume=131 |number=4066 |location=San Diego, California, USA}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/flightpdfarchive/1987/1987%20-%200278.pdf |publication-date=May 2, 1987 |given=David |surname=Learmount |location=Seattle, Washington, USA |department=World News |page=2 |volume=131 |number=4060 |title=Boeing offers long-range 7J7 |access-date=May 19, 2019}} * {{cite conference |issn=0148-7191 |title=Ultra high bypass engine applications to commercial and military aircraft |conference=SAE Aerospace Technology Conference and Exposition |publication-date=October 1, 1986 |doi=10.4271/861720 |given1=M. A. |surname1=Page |given2=D. M. |surname2=Ivey |given3=H. R. |surname3=Welge|journal=SAE Technical Papers }} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=Douglas studies MD-92X production |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19860818/#!&pid=33 |publication-date=August 18, 1986 |given=Keith F. |surname=Mordoff |pages=33–34 |volume=125 |number=7 |url-access=subscription}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=Douglas plans continuing upgrades to maintain MD-80 competitiveness |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19851111/#!&pid=52 |publication-date=November 11, 1985 |given=Keith F. |surname=Mordoff |pages=52, 54–57 |department=International Air Transport |volume=123 |url-access=subscription}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |title=MDC's propfan decisions |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/flightpdfarchive/1985/1985%20-%201857.pdf |publication-date=June 8, 1985 |department=Paris Report |page=13 |volume=127 |number=3963}} {{refend}}

==External links== {{commons category|Douglas airliners}} {{refbegin}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0005-2175 |magazine=Aviation Week & Space Technology |title=Our blades can shave LRAACA costs |url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19880627/#!&pid=50 |publication-date=June 27, 1988 |page=50 |volume=128 |number=26 |author=McDonnell Douglas |author-link=McDonnell Douglas |url-access=subscription}} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |title=You can't get it from anyone but McDonnell Douglas |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1988/1988%20-%201016.PDF |publication-date=April 23, 1988 |department=Inside front cover |volume=133 |number=4110 |author=McDonnell Douglas |author-link=McDonnell Douglas }} * {{cite magazine |issn=0015-3710 |magazine=Flight International |title=Nothing shaves fuel costs like our blades |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1988/1988%20-%200731.PDF |publication-date=March 26, 1988 |page=43 |volume=133 |number=4106 |author=McDonnell Douglas |author-link=McDonnell Douglas }} * {{cite report |title=UHB program review |publication-date=June 1987 |author=McDonnell Douglas |author-link=McDonnell Douglas |url=https://www.md-80.com/mcdonnell-douglas-md-80/die-md-80-serie/md-80-uhb |via=MD-80.com |access-date=October 6, 2019}} {{refend}}

Category:Abandoned civil aircraft projects of the United States MD-094X Category:Propfan-powered aircraft Category:Low-wing aircraft Category:Twin-engined pusher aircraft Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear