In my last post here (which seems like so long ago in the past...🙂...as I now view the fresh new posts on this Forum), I'd flown a Boeing 717 of the Australian (low-cost carrier) Jetstar (Airways), the livery carrying the slogan of a local Pizza brand (see the post, if you wish). Domino's Pizza, originally founded in a college campus of the Midwestern U.S. has been around almost as long I've been alive...🙂...always brings back to me the nostalgic memories of my younger days...mixed in with (care-free) times of (boisterous) weekend Football Games and the (not-so-healthful) diet combo of Pizza and fermented drinks...🙂... (those days, I might have even asked you, what again LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides are...🙂...with that misguided sense of untouchability...🙂...) Actually, these metabolites were then not yet household terms, and the now-well-known (statin) medications were just about to be invented (or is it discovered...?) in the 80s...Oh well... 

Anyway, while awaiting patiently for a TFDi B717, I'd acquired this (not-high-fidelity but well-textured) B717 from the MSFS 2024 Marketplace (primarily driven by my fascination with this aircraft and my past (but vibrant) memories of the TFDi B717 of the FSX years). From my earliest FS9 (initiation) days, I now recall that I'd picked up a payware B717 model from somewhere for about $5, forgetting to note that it was "skins only". On climbing abord its virtual cockpit, and rather disappointed to see the mundane (FS9) 737-400 (stock) cockpit, I'd immediately (and most seriously) called up the developer to clarify why my B717 had a B737 cockpit (surely, the developer must have snickered behind my back, "After all, what do you expect to get for a $5 Boeing 717...🙂...?)... Simple times and even simpler SIM minds...!

In MSFS, I was triggered to fly the B717 after catching the (Domino's) Pizza brand on the Jetstar livery. Moreover, I'd learned that Domino's is apparently the biggest Pizza franchise currently in the continent of Australia...seven seas across, on the other side of the world, from the (small) town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where it had originated...How does that happen...Oh well...

Along with this (MSFS) B717 purchase, I'd also picked up 2 livery packs (one for Australia and one for North America) from the Marketplace, with nicely rendered sets of airline liveries in pleasing colors. Jetstar belonged to the Australian pack and the (now defunct) Midwest Airlines belongs to the North American pack. Of course, having lived most of my life in the Midwestern U.S., this airline is no stranger to me. In my past SIMs, I distinctly recall flying the B717s, DC-9s and MD-80s of Midwest Airlines. BTW, this Midwest Airlines is not to be confused with the Egyptian Airline of the identical name, denoted and distinguished, in the Wiki, as "Midwest Airlines (Egypt)". 

Geographically, the term "Midwestern U.S." is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau to include the 12 states of Illinois (my state), Indiana, Ohio, Michigan (HQ of Domino's Pizza), Minnesota, Wisconsin (HQ Midwest Airlines), Iowa, Kansas etc. Midwest Airlines was (originally) founded in Neenah (Wisconsin), a small lakeshore midwestern town, that I've passed through several times while driving from Chicago to Green Bay. Neena, Wisconsin, is also the founding place of the well-known American multinational consumer goods and personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark. In fact, earlier today, when I picked up, from the local Costco store, a mega size (almost all items at the Costco store are Mega...🙂...) of Kleenex and Cottonelle Tissues, I could not help reminding myself that both are made by Kimberly-Clark, the same corporate entity which also happens to be the parent (and founder) of this Midwest Airlines.  

The airline originated in 1948, when Kimberly-Clark began providing air transportation in the Midwest (as K-C Aviation), for company executives and engineers between the company's Neenah, Wisconsin headquarters and its mills, with my hometown Chicago O'Hare being one of the shuttle destinations. From that humble beginning, Midwest went on to become a major U.S. airline of the 1990s, to even do code sharing with Virgin Atlantic Airways for flights between London Heathrow Airport and Milwaukee with passengers connecting between the two air carriers in Boston. In 2002, the airline made another major change, shortening its name from Midwest "Express" Airlines to simply Midwest Airlines. A major reason for the change was the customary association of "Express" with a regional airline, which Midwest was not.... high ambitions indeed...from a one-time corporate shuttle service...! 

Midwest Airlines' final flight was operated with a Boeing 717-200 (in the livery you see below) landing in Milwaukee on November 2, 2009. Effective next day, on November 3, 2009, Midwest Airlines ceased to exist as an operating airline. On April 13, 2010, Midwest Airlines brands would merge under the Frontier Airlines name, and the last remaining traces of this 60-year-old airline would be gone forever. Parts of the Midwest brand were incorporated into the Frontier brand as part of the merger, notably the "Midwest Cookie" slogan of the airline. A defining feature of the airline was the chocolate chip cookies baked "on-board" the aircraft and served during flights. Throughout the airline's existence, warm chocolate chip cookies were served on most flights. So, their cookie outlived their brand, as it was briefly served on Frontier Airlines flights with Chocolate chip cookies continuing to be baked on the plane and served warm... (sounds good to me...🙂...) ...

In 2006, Midwest Airlines accepted one of the last two 717s delivered in a special ceremony. The B717s were built at Boeing's Long Beach, California, facility which was previously the McDonnell Douglas plant before the merger with Boeing. The 717 was the last airliner manufactured at that (historic) location. The B717 (aka MD-95) was originally developed by McDonnell Douglas but later renamed B717 when MD was acquired by Boeing. So, the MD-95/B717 inherited the (advanced and innovative) McDonnell Douglas cockpit features and avionics of the earlier introduced MD-11. Thus, the B717 may be regarded as a baby MD-11 with 2 (not 3) engines...🙂... (examine the close-up cockpit and flight-deck images below). 

In the aftermath of the (recent) horrific AI 171 B787 disaster, and while following the endless deliberations about the "Fuel Cut-off" switches, I've shown, below, a close-up pedestal image of the B717's Fuel Cut-off switches for comparison. In this B717 SIM, these two switches are marked "ON (Up position)" and "OFF (Down position)" whereas the same two (switch) settings on the Boeing 787 are marked "RUN (Up position)" and "CUTOFF (Down position)". Also, note that the B787 Cut-off switches have the additional "guard" brackets on each side (to prevent accidental activation). 

So, the MD-95/B717 was the final living breath of a McDonnell Douglas commercial aircraft and symbolizes the enduring legacy of the legendary airplane maker. McDonnell Douglas is currently no longer in business as an independent company, though, after it merged with Boeing, some of its military aircraft (such as the F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet) are still in production under the Boeing name.

Hope, you enjoy this collection of images of this iconic (exclusively Rolls-Royce powered) Boeing 717 (tail-mounted) twinjet in the nostalgic colors of Midwest Airlines, as I fly this a/c from Midwest's one-time main Hub Milwaukee Mitchell Intl (KMKE) to one of its main destinations in Boston Logan Intl (KBOS). En route, eastward, I overfly (or skirt) 3 of the 5 Great Lakes of North America (Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Huron; all 3 of which I've visited in RW). I've flown this flight under [NAV] guidance direct to KBOS and landed on Runway 04R via GOSHI (IAF) Fix of the ILS Approach (See cockpit ND Displays and MSFS EFB Map). 

Note also that my destination Boston, here, is one of the (free) scenery enhancements included the recent MSFS City Update 11.

Now, yours truly, Pilot-in-Command of this B717, welcomes you to the city of Boston...🙂...

Thanks for viewing...and happy flying in your SIM of choice...!

Edited July 12, 2025Jul 12 by P_7878

Interesting background info on Midwest. And great pictures. I just picked up a livery pack (on sale - 50% off) for the Virtualcol E170 that features the Midwest livery. So I'm good to go!  (I'm not a "study-level" flyer. 😀 )

Edited July 12, 2025Jul 12 by John F

4 hours ago, John F said:

Interesting background info on Midwest. And great pictures. I just picked up a livery pack (on sale - 50% off) for the Virtualcol E170 that features the Midwest livery. So I'm good to go!  (I'm not a "study-level" flyer. 😀 )

Thank you for the comment, John.

Indeed, just prior to their official merger with Frontier, Midwest operated the ERJ-170s, probably some of the last jetliners to bear the Midwest colors, hence, historically significant in the final years of existence of this airline. BTW, I'm not a (so-called) study-level flyer either ...🙂...I fly anything that flies in our virtual world of aviation...if it interests me...in one aspect or another...🙂...

Enjoy flying the Midwest Embraers...! Cheers...!

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

9 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

Appreciated the note, pmplayer. Glad you liked and you're welcome ...🙂...

Cheers...!

Nice set of a nice Midwest Jet P_7878. It's a nice livery.

On 7/13/2025 at 11:11 PM, andiflyit said:

Nice set of a nice Midwest Jet P_7878. It's a nice livery.

Thank you, Andreas...! Yes, it's a nice livery...and, of course, I'm a bit partial calling myself a "Midwesterner"...🙂...