Flyboy80 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1856 posts, RR: 3 Posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 3316 times:
Hey, I've heard a lot of speculation about what NWA will do with their DC-9s (replacements...etc) They seem quite pleased with them for the time being. I know NWA would like to keep them, But the DC-9s as we all know can cost a lot to operate, even if they are completely paid for. And in these times (more and more less) we are having to see airlines become just as competitive as ever. I've heard some people say, Oh NWA will get the A318 or the 717, I personally don't think the A318 would work for them, and the 717 may not follow a market stradegy. I also think NWA will get more A319s and have their commuter carriers (messaba...etc) recieve more regional jets, most likely CRJs. But I've also heard about airlines investing money into programes to prevent mass changes with in that airline. Possibly, could we see NWA try to modernize the DC9s, and recieve another 15+years out of them? I know this is unlikely, and costs could be nearly as expensive as getting new aircraft, or would it be less? This could be a beneficial plan for NWA. I know re-engineing (how in the heck you'd do that I don't know) and modifying the DC-9s wouldn't have to much positive public affair with many people, as the flying public likes flying on the "newest and safest" aircraft, but then again, if you asked most people on a plane what color it is they wouldn't be able to tell you, unless its one of us Airliners.net nerds! lol. But Im interested in what you guys think, THis post isn't that same old NWA DC-9 replacement post (Not another one of those!!! lol), but what changes within the DC-9 division do you guys anticipate at NWA, and what are their fates, all 100+ of them (correct me If I'm wrong)
Bri
my views expressed here are my own, and do not represent any company or organization
Flyf15 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 3271 times:
Northwest is going to keep most (if not all) of their DC-9s for as far as can be seen into the future. I highly doubt anyone on this forum knows any differently...
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3208 times:
NW’s highest priority is to replace its widebody fleet. By year’s end, all but two of its B742 (flying SEA-NRT) will be parked; it’s likely those two B742 will be join the others in permanent retirement (from passenger service) sometime next year. The DC-10 fleet will likely be phased out by late 2005.
For the interim, the B744, A330 and DC-10 (until retirement) fleets will be utilized more (currently, NW’s B742 fleet is only lightly used). A320 will take over more flights within Asia, and B753 will likely take over West Coast – Hawaii flying. In the long term, NW will place a modest (re: about 20 planes) order for either the A345/A346 or B772/B773. Don’t expect a large order, and don’t expect any additions (other than perhaps two planes) to the B744 fleet.
Once the widebody fleet is overhauled, NW will consider its options for DC-9 replacement. At this point, the company has almost completely leveraged itself out, so a large order is probably unlikely.
I think most airliners.net users will be mightily disappointed… it’s likely the DC-9 will be replaced with A319 and CRJ and a large B717/A318/EMB19X order will never happen… sorry!
SESGDL From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3385 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3202 times:
Excuse me, but...... What exactly is replacing NW's 20+ 747-200's?
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3187 times:
Excuse me, but...... What exactly is replacing NW's 20+ 747-200's?
NW has 18 passenger B742.
ATLANTIC
- the B742 flying DTW-AMS will become A333
- the 2xB742 flying MSP-AMS will become DC-10 (and later A333)
PACIFIC
- the B742 flying SEA-NRT will remain for now - it will become a B744 eventually
- SFO-NRT will remain a DC-10 (it'll eventually become A332)
- LAX-NRT will be upgraded to a B744
- KIX-HNL will become DC-10
- NRT-HNL will become either 2xDC-10 or 1xB744 + 1xDC10
- MSP-HNL will stay DC-10 year-round
WITHIN ASIA
A total of eight A320 (up from three) will be based at NRT. Don't forget that NRT-KHH has been permanently cancelled. The A320 (only three previously served NRT), B744 and DC-10 (/A332 eventually) will fly flights within Asia.
- - -
Don't forget that NW will have added about a half-dozen A333 by early next year... the B742 fleet is only lightly utilized, so increased usage of the DC-10, B744 and A330 will enable NW to rid of the B742.
MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8418 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3056 times:
An order for twentysomething 777 or A345/6 is not to be taken lightly, however "modest" it might seem (modest in comparison to Emirates recent order, maybe).
Na From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9616 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 2970 times:
If NW plans to retire its 742s soon then its a new plan as the last thing publicised was that they want to keep them until the end of this decade and retire only one by one if needed because of individual cost issues.
And if this rumour should be true I wouldn´t wonder if the DC-9s are bound for scrapping soon against all statements. They´re older than most 742s!
HlywdCatft From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5321 posts, RR: 7 Reply 8, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2898 times:
Not only do we have the weekly DC-9 replacement topic but also the weekly 742 replacement topic.
NW will keep its DC-9s as long as it can until the Stage IV noise restrictions come out.
If Northwest intended on replacing them earlier then they wouldn't have redid the interiors and made them Stage III compliant when other airlines were dumping their DC-9s.
If I am correct in assuming this- The DC-9 engine cannot be modified anymore for Stage 4.
Also if I am correct- there is no set date for Stage 4.
DIA From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3273 posts, RR: 30 Reply 9, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2766 times:
NWA's future DC-9 plans include continuing to add the new interiors and flying them for many more years. They do not want to start retiring them in mass until 2010.
*I got this info from an NWA DC-9 pilot that I flew with on an NWA DC-9-30 MSP-EWR about two weeks ago.
Ding! You are now free to keep supporting Frontier.
XFSUgimpLB41X From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 3958 posts, RR: 36 Reply 10, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 2626 times:
A joke going around NW is that the A320 pilots will be riding a DC-9 back from taking their Airbus to the graveyard.
Beltwaybandit From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 495 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 2606 times:
Isn't there a rule that a topic name has to reasonably reflect the content? I seen nothing in the original post to back up the topic name. "Forced to Retire DC9s Early"??? I was expecting a breaking story about a big airworthiness directive or ageing aircraft directive. Nothing.
AIR757200 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 1579 posts, RR: 8 Reply 12, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 2595 times:
With a topic saying "be forced", I was expecting a news article or something, not an opinion. Strong choice for a topic/post that is just an opinion.
Timf From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 954 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 2590 times:
I agree that the topic is misleading. Nothing in the first post says anything about what might force Northwest to retire their DC9s early. It's just the same speculation that has been posted many times before here. The poster goes on to say it's not the same old DC9 replacement thread, but it seems to me that he's just restating the same question in a different way.
BR715-A1-30 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 2565 times:
I know re-engineing (how in the heck you'd do that I don't know)
Easy, You remove the JT8D-9A, 11A, and 17A from the DC9s. Remove the pylon, put some stronger pylon, run some new wire to the cockpit. and mount a BR710 or BR715 on it.
Gigneil From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 16215 posts, RR: 88 Reply 15, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 2533 times:
Heh... and then you replace all the avionics and add the necessary stuff for operating a FADEC engine.
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2466 times:
If NW plans to retire its 742s soon then its a new plan as the last thing publicised was that they want to keep them until the end of this decade and retire only one by one if needed because of individual cost issues.
And if this rumour should be true I wouldn´t wonder if the DC-9s are bound for scrapping soon against all statements. They´re older than most 742s!
It's not a rumor. The B742 is uneconomical and unreliable. Thus, it will be phased out much sooner than anticipated. The DC-9 is partially economical and reliable. Thus, it will stay in the fleet.
Beginning mid-2004, the DC-10 will be converted into a high-density configuration and fly MSP-HNL, 2xSEA-HNL, LAX-HNL, 2xHNL-NRT, HNL-KIX, SPN-NRT and GUM-NRT. The latter two routes may operate as an A320 seasonally. By late 2004, SFO-NRT will become an A332. SEA-NRT and LAX-NRT will operate as B744. Other flights within Asia will operate as B744, A332 or A320. The B742 will have been retired by mid-2004.
Acidradio From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 1855 posts, RR: 10 Reply 17, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2457 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
And you create a whole new kind of aircraft that you have to retrain EVERYBODY on! Then the cost savings are lost. Oh and in the process you have to invent something. I think that NW would rather fly planes, not invent new (reinvent old?) ones.
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2435 times:
NWA's future DC-9 plans include continuing to add the new interiors and flying them for many more years. They do not want to start retiring them in mass until 2010.
All of NW's DC-9 have the B717-like interiors. There are no plans to add to the fleet - in fact, it's just the opposite... a handful (re: half-dozen) of DC-9 will be retired each year beginning in 2004...
Brons2 From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2969 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2408 times:
What kind of engines do NW's 742 fleet have? JT9D?
Firings, if well done, are good for employee morale.
Acidradio From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 1855 posts, RR: 10 Reply 20, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 2364 times:
DIA From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3273 posts, RR: 30 Reply 21, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 2287 times:
All of NW's DC-9 have the B717-like interiors. There are no plans to add to the fleet - in fact, it's just the opposite... a handful (re: half-dozen) of DC-9 will be retired each year beginning in 2004...
I didn't mean that NWA will add more DC-9s to the fleet. I meant they will continue to "redo" the existing DC-9s interiors. If that info is wrong, then so be it. My info came from a pilot and sometimes pilots can get bad info too.
Ding! You are now free to keep supporting Frontier.
Beltwaybandit From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 495 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 2286 times:
Easy, You remove the JT8D-9A, 11A, and 17A from the DC9s. Remove the pylon, put some stronger pylon, run some new wire to the cockpit. and mount a BR710 or BR715 on it.
As noted, this is much easier said than done.
I would have thought that you could fit JT8D-217s to DC9s since they are evolutions of the JT8D. When the stage 3 noise requirements kicked in, I thought that this would be the logical conversion. That is not what happened. I imagine that, at that time (1999) a -217 engine would cost you $2-3 million; while a hushkit cost less than half that for the full aircraft.
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (9 years 11 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 2082 times:
I didn't mean that NWA will add more DC-9s to the fleet. I meant they will continue to "redo" the existing DC-9s interiors. If that info is wrong, then so be it. My info came from a pilot and sometimes pilots can get bad info too.
I'm not doubting somebody told that to you -- but I'd be weary about what a pilot or flight crew member told me. We’ve seen examples of this on airliners.net… while airline employees will instantly earn our respect, the information they give us is often wrong.
Truthfully, I’m not sure what the pilot meant… every DC-9 has a B717-like interior. If he meant refurbish, then let me remind you that the majority of NW’s B752 fleet is 20 years old, and the interiors have only been refurbished twice since delivery… since the DC-9 received the new interiors just several years ago, I doubt they’ll receive a total refurbishment before retirement. But stranger things have happened .
Has anyone heard anything about converting some of the pax 742's into freighters?
Yes, some of the B742 will be converted into freighters. It's to early to tell exactly which aircraft, though... I think it's a safe bet that the ones with -JT9D-7R4G2 engines will be retained...
25 RayChuang: I think NW's decision in regards to eventually replacing the DC-9 comes down to this: will the pilot's union inside NW allow more RJ flights? If yes,
26 Zrb2: While purely unscientific, I recently took a look at Air incidents at one of my favorite airports. A high percentage of them (over a 5 year period) ha
27 IndustrialPate: I think NW's decision in regards to eventually replacing the DC-9 comes down to this: will the pilot's union inside NW allow more RJ flights? NW can p
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1856 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Israel, joined Sep 2000, 3162 posts, 
From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9616 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
