Mozart From Luxembourg, joined Aug 2003, 2013 posts, RR: 14 Posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4558 times:
This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a joke question, but real interest: how old are NW's DC9s? I read so much about them that I started wondering. Also, do they "feel" old for pax, in terms of cabin facilities, flying experience, etc?
Thanks for any serious answers.
PS: Hope there won't be any threads "How dirty are AF planes really?" or "How absent are PTVs really on LH?"
RareBear From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 553 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4378 times:
I think some of the older DC-9s date to 1967. I last flew in one of the older ones in 1999, so I can't address current condition, but back then they didn't really feel "old". I've been on DL DC-9 / MD-80s that felt and looked older than the NW planes.
Dtwclipper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4359 times:
The interiors have been updated. New seats, overheads, etc. They don't have IFE obviously, but who needs that on most of the short hauls they are utilized for.
Granted, the seats are cloth and not leather, and F/C is a little tight, it still beats flying on a crj from DTW to CVG. I haven't been in coach in a long time, but the 3-2 config is much more pleasing than the tight 2-2 on a rj jor 3-3 on an airbus.
Access-Air From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1939 posts, RR: 15 Reply 5, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4327 times:
Some of the DC9-14s are probably vintage 1965 or 1966......There are probably some vintage 1966 or 1967 DC9-30s as well....
You have to remember that a majority of these DC9s came from the amalgamation of three basic airlines North Central, Southern Airways and Hughes Airwest. Hughes Airwest itself was made up of three carriers: Bonanza, Pacific and West Coast.
Southern's DC9-14s mostly came as ex-Eastern and Ex-Delta DC9-14s as those carriers phased them out. N948L if its still flying around is a former Bonanza DC9-15. The 30 series are mostly ex-North Central, Delta, Hughes Airwest, Eastern, N994Z is even a former Ozark bird.
An Interesting story about N994Z is that one time whilst doing a flight for Ozark, it had landed in Sioux Falls, SD and hit a snow plow on the runway, and the plow knocked one of the wings off. The plow driver was killed in the accident. However the insurance company had the aircraft fixed and it was subsequently sold to Republic airlines, where it now flies for NW.
The oldest DC9-30s are undoubtedly North Central birds and they might even have a couple Ex-Northeast Airlines 30 series. The 50s (built between 1975 and 1980 or so) are ex-North Central for the most part altho a few former Eastern DC9-50s have crept into the fleet. One of the NW DC9-50s I have flown on was N600TR which was actually a former Venezuelan airliner. A couple of 30s are from JAT of the former Yugoslavia one of which is N926RC. The 40s were picked up as SAS had decided to dump them out of their fleet.
The DC9 is a remarkable bird and as Ozark used to call them..."The Bugless Douglas."
The days are prolly numbered sadly but it goes to show you that they don't make planes like they used to. I'm thinking the reason that NW has kept them this long is because they have two engines and have a two man crew. Had they been like the 727s, they would have been Looooooooong gone!!
PHLBOS From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7253 posts, RR: 25 Reply 6, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4308 times:
You may want to check out the latest edition of Airliners magazine; the issue gives a history of Republic Airlines and touches a bit on NW's introduction to the DC-9 in 1986 (not as long as some would think) through its aquisitition of Republic.
"TransEastern! You'll feel like you've never left the ground because we treat you like dirt!" SNL Parady ad circa 1981
September11 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 3623 posts, RR: 23 Reply 7, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4301 times:
This Northwest Airlines DC-9 DOES NOT even look that old!
767-332ER From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 2030 posts, RR: 12 Reply 8, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4284 times:
I flew on them in 2002 in about 4 flights and they didn't have an old feeling to them. I flew on an IB MD-88 that felt much much older inside than any of NWA's DC-9's.
Regards
Twinjets...if one fails, work the other one twice as hard!!!
Isitsafenow From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4984 posts, RR: 26 Reply 9, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 4278 times:
The oldest in NW fleet, but they still fly good!
N8908E built 9-11-66
N8910E " 11-7-66
N8911E " 11-26-66
N8912E " 11-30-66
N8913E " 12-13-66
N8914E " 12-23-66
N8915E " 12-29-66
above are model tens
N8921E built 3-22-67
above is older model 30 in their fleet according a NW publication
N8920E was built 3-27-67..next oldest model 30
N750NW built 10-25-67
oldest model 40 in fleet
N675MC built 8-25-75
oldest model 50 in fleet
safe
If two people agree on EVERYTHING, then one isn't necessary.
Dvk From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1058 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (8 years 11 months 1 week ago) and read 4188 times:
Except for the DC9-50's, which are from the mid 70's to 1982, the majority of the DC9-30's, and I believe all the -40's, are pre-1970, which makes them 34+ years old.
I'm not dumb. I just have a command of thoroughly useless information.
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 17, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 4051 times:
Like I said in my comments, this one was built in 1966 and I've never been on anything so loud. I've flown on several AirTran DC-9-30's, flown on other NW DC-9's, sat in the back on L1011's and 727's and nothing compared to this. I was seated in row 14 (only 17 rows total on the plane). It sounded like buzzsaw's and chainsaw's behind my head, it was insane. Talking to the girl next to me, we were having a yelling match pretty much because you couldn't hear. Interior was a bit worn, but didn't look 38 years old! From a normal pax point of view, the -10's need to go and now (should be at the end of the year), but from a crazed lunitic like myself it was fun.
I also flew on N760NC (-51 series).....had a moan and groan sound for 10 mins after take off, but it was a smooth flight. The stretch DC9's are fine I guess, I still like the 727's
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 18, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 4033 times:
NWA never operated N8910E, it was written off in a crash in 1979 during a EAL touch and go landing @ Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT)
Isitsafenow From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4984 posts, RR: 26 Reply 19, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 4026 times:
SRBMOD...thanks..I attempted to correct my screwup.
and DAZED 767, on that model 10, were you in row 15 or 16, like the back of the plane?
It is noisy by the engines compared to rows 9 or 10 or closer to the leading edge of the wing or in front of the wing.
safe
If two people agree on EVERYTHING, then one isn't necessary.
DeskPilot From Australia, joined Apr 2004, 767 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 4002 times:
The flight deck picture on reply 17 has a light blue (or turquoise) interior. Did MD always use this colour on their aircrafts' flight decks ?
Patterns/standards I've noticed are :
- Boeing uses brown,
- Airbus uses a grey blue, and
- Former Soviet Union/Russians aircraft also seemed to use a similar pale blue.
Any other standards out there ? Any reason for the mix ?
By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?
Spoon04 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 180 posts, RR: 2 Reply 21, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 3958 times:
I actually DARE any non-aviation enthusiast to pick the newer aircraft if a newly repainted NW DC9-30 was parked next to a new Air Tran 717. I've flown on both recently, and outside of the "Gee-Whiz" flight deck of the 717, there really is no difference re the interior features of both aircraft. Kudos to NW for utilizing the DC-9 effectively, efficiently, and intelligently!!
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 22, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 3922 times:
Safe - I was in row 14, and there was only 17 rows total on the plane. I noticed the F/A in First Class cupping his hand over his ear to take drink orders. I can't imagine what a BAc-111 is like
SpeedbirdHeavy From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 427 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (8 years 11 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 3697 times:
AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
SOMEBODY STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED HUNDREDS OF TIMES!!!!!!!!
USE THE SEARCH ENGINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
China Airlines...Come fry with us!
25 Type-rated: Well, let's see..... When I was a teenager NC and SO already had some of these -9's. This was before I started flying. I started flying when I was 16.
26 CO737800: I sure wish Air Canada still had the DC9 I flew on them a few times in the late 90s and I loved the 9
27 GKirk: I hear that the DC-9s will be replaced with a fleet of L-188 Electra's
28 Airzim: The reason that these topics come up all the time is because our moderators have banned all the slightly controversial topics, as well as any slightly
29 Bredman1: The DC-9/10s are being parked beginning in August.
30 Dutchjet: Dont foget how much money NW invested into their DC9s, their manufacture date may be old, but they are new rebuilt aircraft
31 PHLBOS: Only if they got rid of those ugly colored cloth seats In 2000, I flew on a NW A320 that had the same exact seats as their DC9s. I don't mind the colo
32 Spoon04: As I mentioned in another thread, when the DC9-10's are completely retired at the end of this year, each aircraft will have averaged 90,000 cycles (ta
33 RayChuang: I believe that NW essentially did D-check overhauls of their entire D9 fleet from around 1995 on, complete with putting in interiors that are more or
34 NWA757: NW has a mixed bag of DC9s, from different sources, many acuqired through their mergers. The most of their DC-9's cam from the Republic Merger. Republ
35 BeechNut: The DC-9 is a great bird. It's not the DC-3 of the jet age, it's better! What other airliner lasted 38 years in service with mainline carriers? Not ev
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