"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
01/06/2014 at 11:45 • Filed to: planelopnik
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"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
01/06/2014 at 11:45 • Filed to: planelopnik | 4
| 17 |
After 48 years of service, the DC-9 is having its last scheduled commercial flight in the US. Delta, who made the first commercial flight of the DC-9 in 1965, will make the final flight, flight number 2014, from Minneapolis to Atlanta Monday evening.
The DC-9 was designed to fill a niche below its contemporary DC-8s and 707s and provide mid-distance flights, from smaller, shorter airfields. The DC-9 really was a work horse of many airlines. Many of the ones operated by Delta at the end had extensive life extension work done to bring them into the 21 st century. This included systems updates and replacing some skins that were prone to fatigue.
Delta had retired all their original DC-9s in the 1990s only to get them back with the Northwest merger. The aircraft, which is one of the last bastions of the fully analog flight deck, was a favorite of stick and rudder pilots. They got to manually control the aircraft through many facets of flight and due to the flight leg length they got to make a lot of takeoffs and landings.
The DC-9 lineage will continue though. Many MD-80, MD-90 and 717 aircraft continue in service around the world and will do so for some time.
As someone who has been involved in keeping the DC-9 going over the last few years all I can say is the traditional flight attendant farewell, "Buh, bye."
Image Credits: aero.de, jonproctor.net, airlineratings.net, insidesocial.com, sunshineskies.com, fiddlersgreen.net
Jagvar
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 11:49 |
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And the DC-10 just had its last commercial flight last month. They're dropping like flies.
FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 11:50 |
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Marketplace had a story on it this morning. http://www.marketplace.org/topics/busines…
Is there much of a market for these in the private VIP transport world?
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f86sabre
> FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
01/06/2014 at 11:51 |
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I'm sure a few will hang around. Problem is spares for some of the systems and inefficient engines.
ttyymmnn
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 11:52 |
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Isn't American also phasing out this type in favor of the 737? Living in Austin, I usually get a steady stream of American -80's and -90's over my house. But I'm also seeing more and more AA 737's. Which is fine with me, because the MD was always a loud, smokey bird, especially in its earlier iterations.
For Sweden
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 11:52 |
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The DC-9 is dead! Long live the Mad Dog 80!
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f86sabre
> For Sweden
01/06/2014 at 11:53 |
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No end in site for those.
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For Sweden
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 11:54 |
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It will be a staring contest between the Mad Dog, the Herc, and the BUFF
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For Sweden
> ttyymmnn
01/06/2014 at 11:55 |
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The DC-9 was sold in a time of much lower fuel prices and a much more elementary understanding of aerodynamics. Moving to the 737 and similar aircraft only makes sense.
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f86sabre
> ttyymmnn
01/06/2014 at 11:56 |
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AA is phasing out the -80s. They never had the -90s. 737s and A320s seemes to be the way people are going.
Jayhawk Jake
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 12:01 |
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I'd say it's sad to see it go, but it isn't. It was a fine airplane, don't get me wrong, but nothing spectacular. Plus we will see MD-80/90s and 717s for a while to come.
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Jayhawk Jake
> FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
01/06/2014 at 12:02 |
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Not really. They are very old and inefficient. You'd be better off picking up a used Gulfstream III, IV, or V, or even an older Challenger.
While the DC-9 is bigger than all of those, the running costs would be too high to be viable for most private owners.
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f86sabre
> For Sweden
01/06/2014 at 12:09 |
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My money is on the Hurc.
HammerheadFistpunch
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 12:30 |
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I remember flying on a dc-9. I wish I could say I remember it being memorable...it wasn't. Still its sad, I like workhorse, tried and true craft like this.
Slave2anMG
> f86sabre
01/06/2014 at 12:53 |
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And A320s are not pleasant...can't quite put my finger on why but I've yet to get on an Airbus product that I liked. MD and Boeing all the way for me please.
Atomic Buffalo
> For Sweden
01/06/2014 at 13:12 |
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No disrespect to the C-130, but I gotta go with the B-52. Cargo hauling happens in sufficient volume that eventually efficiency could prompt a new plane to replace the Hercules.
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f86sabre
> Slave2anMG
01/06/2014 at 13:58 |
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330s aren't bad.
You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
> For Sweden
01/06/2014 at 14:28 |
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The 737 (FF 4/9/67) is truly contemporary to the DC-9 (FF 2/25/65). It apparently has just seen continued development along the way. Probably helps that Boeing is still around and purchased McDonnell-Douglass.