CodyKDiamond From Canada, joined Nov 2006, 537 posts, RR: 1 Posted (3 years 4 months 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 5988 times:
Good morning everyone,
I was doing some research yesterday evening and found that NW's oldest aircraft, DC-9-31 N8920E/9927, was finally retired on 01/03/10. As the aircraft was built prior to the merger between Douglas and McDonnell, the airplane is one of the few DC-9s to be certified as a 'Douglas DC-9' and not a 'McDonnell-Douglas DC-9'. N8920E first flew on 01/03/1967. Ship 9927 retied on 01/03/2010, on her 43th birthday. She was delivered to EA on 01/18/1967, and has since flown for Midway before joining Northwest in 1995. Ship 9927 retired as NWA9860, MSP-MZJ on 01/03, having earned the honor of being the oldest jetliner flying passengers in North America. I am so happy to have had the privilege to fly on this aircraft into LGA in November of 2009.
PSU.DTW.SCE From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 6874 posts, RR: 29 Reply 2, posted (3 years 4 months 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 5661 times:
9927 had about 78,200 hours when it was put into storage in 9/2008.
They returned it to service sometime in early 2009.
So now when it was removed from service again, this time likely for good it was ~80,000 hours.
Jetjeanes From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 1415 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (3 years 4 months 1 day ago) and read 5570 times:
I guess we were both looking at these yesterday, I'm glad you posted i had forgotten the wording whisper jet. I did find one that had been retired with 104,000 hours and i bet it could have gone on further
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21488 posts, RR: 24 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 1 day ago) and read 5540 times:
Quoting Michman (Reply 5): Eastern called a un-hushkitted JT8D a Whisperjet??? Hilarious!
The Whisperjet name used on Eastern 727s and DC-9s was intended to refer to the interior noise level, not exterior. And inside, all rear engined jets were significantly quieter than those with wing-mounted engines. Even the rear seats are generally quieter than the rear seats on 707s and DC-8s etc.
Wingsofman72 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 116 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 1 day ago) and read 5337 times:
Thanks for the update on this.
I checked my log and found this Aircraft on 4 flight back in '86/87 when I was with System One traveling all over the country every day out of ATL on Eastern.
I remember thinking then that the DC-9s were getting pretty old then, it's just amazing that they were/are still flying today.
I'd love to get one more DC-9 before they are all gone, just like I got lucky to get on the TAME 727-200 in 2008, but most of my travel is not to/from Europe and in Europe (A319/20/21 are getting pretty boring).
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5932 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (3 years 4 months 11 hours ago) and read 4566 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 6): The Whisperjet name used on Eastern 727s and DC-9s was intended to refer to the interior noise level, not exterior. And inside, all rear engined jets were significantly quieter than those with wing-mounted engines. Even the rear seats are generally quieter than the rear seats on 707s and DC-8s etc.
On the Diesel 9, that moniker definitely did not refer to the seats in the back of the bus, between the engines...
I don't think I ever sat back there on a DC-9 flight when the (jet engine equivalent of)synchophasers were working, either. I always remember being able to hear the annoying sounds of the engines being slightly out of synch with each other...
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
Northwest727 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 491 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (3 years 4 months 10 hours ago) and read 4251 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 6): The Whisperjet name used on Eastern 727s and DC-9s was intended to refer to the interior noise level, not exterior. And inside, all rear engined jets were significantly quieter than those with wing-mounted engines. Even the rear seats are generally quieter than the rear seats on 707s and DC-8s etc.
You also have to remember, that the JT8D was considered a "quiet" turbofan by 1960s standards. So much, I remember reading that the 727 was the first jet airliner allowed into a major airport (was in NY, I believe), because the 707s, DC-8, Caravelles, etc. were just too loud.
TheSonntag From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 3347 posts, RR: 30 Reply 16, posted (3 years 4 months 5 hours ago) and read 2364 times:
Quoting Northwest727 (Reply 14): ¨So much, I remember reading that the 727 was the first jet airliner allowed into a major airport (was in NY, I believe), because the 707s, DC-8, Caravelles, etc. were just too loud.
Correct, but according to a legend, the wind conditions were favourable on the day... As far as I know, the noise levels of the JT-8D are not really lower than those of the JT-3D powered 707s. Of course, in the 1960s they still had cool JT-4A powered turbojets. Now that was sound!
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