Delta's Last DC-9's

All great points!

My experience the other day was superb! The aircraft was immaculate…felt like a new airplane inside. The flight was smooth and the landing was one of the best I’ve ever experienced in an airliner.

The Wi-Fi service was also really good…quite fast and easy to get connected to.

I also enjoy the view afforded by the windows in the DC-9…so much more viewing area than the small windows on an A320 or CRJ (yes I know the CRJ is smaller, but ERJ’s have great windows…)

In any case I was glad to be able to get what I assume will be my last flight on an original DC-9. I was up near the front so the cabin was pretty quiet, and I don’t think most on board would have guessed they were sitting in an airplane that was over 30 years old.

Great experience I’ll try to get some pics up soon.

It seems somewhat ironic to me that the company that produced such a superior product didn’t survive. The marketplace really isn’t fair sometimes.

No one has even mentioned how revoluntionary the DC-9 was in 1965 with the two pilot cockpit. Two engines, two pilots, and beat the 737 into service by several years!

Plusses: “built like a tank,” reliable/simple flight controls, small enough to get in and out of many smaller cities’ airports, efficient (at the time it was built), an aft airstair, an APU (rarity in 1965).

Minuses: Poor “hot and high” performance, aft engines prone to picking up FOD, noisy cockpit with windows prone to squealing, poor air conditioning during high ambient temps on the ground, relatively high cockpit workload compared to today’s aircraft (especially for the right seater).

There is really no reason why Delta or any other airline couldn’t operate the type indefinitely. Like the 757, there isn’t today a real replacement for this aircraft….though the latest round of Embraers are approaching it. Hopefully the 717’s and MD-90’s will remain operational for some time.

Somehow I don’t think anyone thought that 46 years and three weeks after the DC-9 first entered service that people would be flying onboard DC-9’s using tablet computers to send messages via wireless internet. 🙂

So we’re impressed? Too right!! 😀

DC-9 Wi-Fi

I felt like I should share the fact that I’m currently at 29,000 feet making this post from a DC-9-50. 🙂

For the record the plane feels like new inside. I’ll post some pics later. Great flight so far!

Here in Europe the DC-9 wasn’t ubiquitous at all. Only a few of first tier airlines used the (Iberia, Alitalia, Finnair and SAS) but some small IT charter companies flew them.

During the 1960s European carriers like Swissair, Alitalia, Iberia, SAS, KLM, Turkish Airlines introduced DC-9s and in the 1970s Aviaco, JAT, Austrian Airlines, Finnair and British Midland and others began to use the DC-9. SAS operated the biggest DC-9-fleet outside the USA and the fleets of Alitalia and Iberia were rather big during that time. The impact of the DC-9 in Europe was quiet huge during the 1970s and 1980s and lasted long and it is notable that the majority ordered MD-80s at a later stage. McDonnell Douglas was able to secure a high number of DC-9/MD-80-operators in Europe during the 1980s. The gradual decline began with the decisions by Swissair and Austrian to take the A320-family as replacements from the mid-1990s but even up to the 1995 Alitalia took delivery of factory-new MD-82s. The advantages of the A320-family were nevertheless clear and more and more operators replaced their MD-80s by these fare more modern aircraft and it is interesting to note that most Douglas-costumers choose Airbusses as replacements after McDonnell Douglas died and Boeing lost a considerable number of loyal Douglas-costumers.

Here are the factory-new DC-9-10-deliveries to European companies:

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 6
Swissair 5

Here are the factory-new DC-9-30-deliveries to European companies:

Alitalia 38
Atlantis Airways 3
Austrian Airlines 9
Aviaco 16
Balair 1
Iberia 35
Inex Adria Aviopromet 5
Italian Defence Ministry 2
JAT Yugoslav Airlines 14
KLM 18
Martinair Holland 4
Pan Adria Airways 1
SAS 2
Südflug 2
Swissair 21
Turkish Airlines 10

Here are the factory-new DC-9-40-deliveries to European companies:

SAS 49 (+ 10 DC-9-20s)

Here are the factory-new DC-9-50-deliveries to European companies:

Austrian Airlines 5
Finnair 12
Inex Adria Aviopromet 2
Swissair 12

The numbers are OK for that period and several airlines introduced used DC-9s at a later stage.

That was a pretty paintjob that was copied by a UK airline, also calling itself Northeast Airlines in yellow and grey.

Yeah, they flew Tridents, right?

Long live the Douglas twins!

🙂

Bye

Oh for sure, I love the 2-3 arrangement.

I actually had my first experience on an MD-90 just yesterday, and it was a great flight. My opinion is somewhat skewed as they upgraded me to First Class, but nonetheless I thought it was a great aircraft.

I was on a 319 afterwards…not nearly as great. 🙂

Long live the Douglas twins!

Nice to read that there are a few who also like the aircraft-types and the advantages when it comes to comfort (5-abreast etc..)

Regards

Here in Europe the DC-9 wasn’t ubiquitous at all. Only a few of first tier airlines used the (Iberia, Alitalia, Finnair and SAS) but some small IT charter companies flew them. I once flew on a DC9 series 80 (md-80) and we enplaned by the rear airstairs, which was interesting. I flew on a Caravelle and a BAC-111, both of which had rear airstairs but, never in use.

The DC9 is one of those classic mainstay types that you think will always grace our airports. And if Boeing had not taken over McDonnell-Douglas maybe they would have stayed the course. Instead the 737 has become the beast of medium haul. 🙁

The airline livery I most liked was the US carrier Northeast when they had their ‘yellowbird’ yellow and white scheme on DC9 and 727 jets. That was a pretty paintjob that was copied by a UK airline, also calling itself Northeast Airlines in yellow and grey.

I’m with you on the seating arrangement. I love the 2-3 layout (or 3-2 in the case of the MD-90 according to Delta’s website).

I actually spent way more time picking my seats for my next two trips than I usually do. Unfortunately I didn’t choose to sit near the back. I wanted a view of the wing so I could get some photos. Perhaps I can manage to get them up on Airliners.net….always worth a shot! 🙂

Love the Douglas twins though….they are beautiful in my opinion.

Cooper,

For the full experience, make sure you sit towards the back. maybe not the very last windows, as you’d just have an engine next to you. But if you choose right, you’ll be just in front of the intake.. They are great planes, and pretty roomy. I’d take them over a 320 with those uncomfy slimline seats in 3-3 configuration any day !

So if things hold up, I should be flying on a Delta DC-9-50 here in a few weeks. Is it silly that I’m really looking forward to it?

I’ll try and get some good photos if I can. It will probably be the last time I’m ever on an original DC-9. Ironically, on another leg of my trip the aircraft will be an MD-90, which I’ve never flown on before. I’m rather looking forward to both experiences.

Anyone else here a fan of the DC-9?

YES 🙂

So would you guys think that 1:200 would be the best size to get airliner display models in?

Any other sizes that are fairly common yet look good?

Guess you might as well start here especially as it is in your neck of the woods! 😉

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=111454

Nice!

I’m going to try and get on one around the holidays so wish me luck. If I can pull it off, it might be my last flight on an original DC-9 ever (though let’s be honest…the MD-80/90/717 are still DC-9’s at heart – heck American still refers to its MD-80’s at Super 80’s…wasn’t that the original name? DC-9 Super 80?)

The Douglas twins will be around for quite some time.

Anyone have suggestions for the best desktop models and the best scale to get them in? I was thinking of getting a DC-9 for display somewhere in the house…any suggestions on make or scale?

I flew on one a few weeks ago. Atlanta to Nashville…45 min. Got upgraded to first class!!!

Surely the best people to ask are Delta Air Lines

You can easily find out where they fly today but maybe they won’t be tomorrow

Some route might even be substituting a different type on certain days as part of a phase out.

And, I suppose they could also make last-minute equipment changes.
It’s worth a shot, though.

I flew on a Delta (Northwest) DC-9 twice. Once from EWR to DTW and once from DCA to DTW, both times connecting to a flight back to AMS. I suggest you try either of these routes. Just check the equipment before booking cause on the same routes they also use 320s, 757s and CRJs.