N292EA

This airframe, registered as N292EA, is a 1991-built McDonnell Douglas MD-87 (serial 53208) manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The aircraft is owned by CORSAIR TWO LLC, a corporation based in Hillsboro, OR, US, and carries a United States registration (US). Historically certificated with a high-capacity passenger layout, this specific airframe has undergone a significant role change and has been converted to an aerial firefighting tanker configuration with retardant tanks installed, marking a notable shift in operational use and registry annotations. The airframe’s condition and valuation reflect its life-cycle transition from passenger transport to a specialized firefighting platform.

The cabin of this MD-87 was originally certified for a high-capacity passenger configuration but on this airframe has been reconfigured to support aerial firefighting operations, with retardant tanks installed in place of typical passenger fittings. Avionics fitment details are not published beyond standard MD-80-series systems appropriate for a 1991 airframe; however, the conversion implies additional mission management and retardant delivery systems integrated into the cockpit and fuselage. Based in Hillsboro, Oregon by ownership, typical missions for this aircraft center on aerial firefighting sorties—short-to-medium range operations requiring rapid turnarounds, low-altitude retardant delivery, and frequent maintenance inspections driven by the added stresses of retardant carriage and deployment. Maintenance considerations include structural and systems inspections associated with the retrofitting of tanks and frequent corrosion control due to exposure to firefighting chemicals.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-87 is a short-to-medium-range derivative of the MD-80 family, offering a performance niche between regional jets and larger narrowbodies for specialized roles. Competing models for similar missions historically include converted narrowbodies and regional jets adapted for special missions. Buyer and charter demand for MD-80 derivatives has been driven largely by niche roles—cargo, charter, and special-mission conversions—rather than mainstream passenger markets. Resale and maintenance considerations for this airframe reflect its age (1991 manufacture) and the implications of its firefighting conversion on residual value and component life cycles.