DC-9: The end of an era is near

[Glenn Quagmire]

It was a DC-9-30 series. That was a painful experience for many of us. The tailcone release mechanism was a huge focus after that accident. Nuff said.

 

[blue collar]

Blue, were you at WN when the -200s went away? Did they do anything special?

Josh

No, I was at us air then. Not sure what WN did for that.

 

[700UW]

When I worked for the original Midway airlines at LGA we flew the -10 and 30s, loved those planes.

 

[WorldTraveler]

The DC-9, for me, was a much nicer alternative to the RJ. I always felt comfortable on the nine. Maybe it was because I had literally worked on each and every one of them in the NWA fleet. I always kept a little notebook with tail numbers and the work I did every day on each aircraft (not just DC-9's).

agreed, Glenn.

The DC9 was the original small jet.... later replaced by the CRJ which never really compared

The DC9 allowed DL to grow in the wake of EA's collapse because it DL retained them expecting EA's demise... DL opened and expanded countless stations in the years around EA's collapse.

 

[700UW]

Dont forget the F28 and F100, the F28 was the original RJ.

 

[WorldTraveler]

when did the F28 enter service? It's European, right?

 

[700UW]

Made in the Netherlands Piedmont acquired them I believe from the merger with Empire.
 
http://www.jetpiedmont.com/aircraft/?AC=284
 
http://www.jetpiedmont.com/aircraft/?AC=281
 
The F28-1000 prototype, registered PH-JHG, first flew on May 9, 1967 (exactly one month later than the famous Boeing 737). German certification was achieved on February 24, 1969. The first order was from German airline LTU, but the first revenue-earning flight was by Braathens on March 28, 1969 who operated five F28s.




Third prototype leased to Air Anglia


The F28 with an extended fuselage was named F28-2000 and could seat up to 79 passengers instead of the 65 seats on the F28-1000. The prototype for this model was a converted F28-1000 prototype, and first flew on April 28, 1971. The models F28-6000 and F28-5000 were modified F28-2000 and F28-1000 respectively, with slats, greater wingspan, and more powerful and quieter engines as the main features. The F28-6000 and F28-5000 were not a commercial success; only two F28-6000 and no F28-5000 were built. After being used by Fokker for a time, the F28-6000 were sold to Air Mauritanie, but not before they were converted to F28-2000s.
 
The most successful F28 was the F28-4000, which debuted on October 20, 1976 with one of the world's largest Fokker operators, Linjeflyg. This version was powered by quieter Spey 555-15H engines, and had an increased seating capacity (up to 85 passengers), a larger wingspan with reinforced wings, a new cockpit and a new "wide-look" interior featuring enclosed overhead lockers and a less 'tubular' look. The F28-3000, the successor to the F28-1000, featured the same improvements as the F28-4000.

 

[robbedagain]

Did mohawk operate the f 28 series along with the bac 111?

 

[WorldTraveler]

IIRC, the DC9 first flew in 1965 which meant it entered service before the F28. They were competitors but it is fair to say they were only a bit larger than the RJs which entered service a few decades later.

The Euro-US competition goes back a while.

 

[700UW]

No they were acquired with the Piedmont merger and Piedmont got them from the merger with Empire.
 
Some of them were gotten from Garuda Indonesia.

 

[topDawg]

The 319s and 320s are both supposed to get new seats - slimlines and another row or more similar to what was done on other fleets.

From what I have heard, the 319s will get AVODs because they are being prepped to do more Central America flying while the 320s will not since there are no plans to take them off outside of the continental US where WiFi is available. DL's current plans seem to be not to put AVOD on any fleet that flies or will fly exclusively over the continental US.
The 319s will be getting AVOD. The 75 or so 757-200s that are staying are getting AVOD. The 739s/321s are coming with AVOD. 
The MD90, rest of the 738s and the 320 are still TBD. At first the 320s were not getting AVOD because they were planning on parking the bulk of them and flying the rest on mostly short hauls. Sounds like that may be changing. Delta's fleet plan is very much in flux right now. 
Also the 88/90s are getting new cockpits. 753s are getting AVOD. 75Es are getting lie-flats. International fleet is about done. 
Pilots seem to be more and more convinced that additional 757s will be retained in the fleet that had been planned for retirement, making the 739s growth aircraft. Pilot hiring is also supposed to kick into high gear.
nothing official, but it is very possible the 200 fleet stays larger than planned. The 739 and 321 are simply not a true replacement. 
I'm not sure it is worth arguing about one week before the retirement of the DC9, but very few passengers could tell that they were not on any other modern airliner. It was well-maintained and comfortable for the 1-2 hour flights that it did. The fact that the DC9 remained in service as long as it did given how bad its fuel burn is relative to newer aircraft is proof that older, less fuel efficient aircraft can economically be kept in service, esp. to provide low cost flex capacity during peak periods.

Post AA/US merger, DL appears committed to retaining enough low cost flex capacity in the fleet to be able to grow as long as general economic conditions justify it. If the economy tanks, DL can pull capacity and keep the newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft flying.

 
As for the 9s and the airbus......and any other fleet, they are for the most part all in good shape. Now they need to be updated, but being compared to a 3rd world airline in a joke. Honestly you can't really tell a drastic difference between the 717 and DC9. (or the 88s)   
 
 
Oh and not sure if it has been posted but, one of the 9s should be going over the GO. Not sure what paint it will wear though. (hopefully they put the sideways widget on it) 

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

IIRC, the DC9 first flew in 1965 which meant it entered service before the F28. They were competitors but it is fair to say they were only a bit larger than the RJs which entered service a few decades later.

The Euro-US competition goes back a while.

 
Not sure what kind of a "competition" it was between F-28 and the DC-9, but IIRC there were less than 250 F-28s built compared to close to 1000 DC-9s.  Also, if you look at the list of Fokker operators - and I hate stereotyping - they're mostly 3rd world carriers ... ... ...

 

[700UW]

Empire, then Piedmont then US Air operated the F28-1000, F28-4000 and the F100(US only).
 
PI used the F28s mostly on the Florida Shuttle which accounted for 32% of Piedmont's gross revenue, US came in and screwed it all up.
 
KLM also operated a mix of all the Fokker fleet.

 

[wings396]

Empire, then Piedmont then US Air operated the F28-1000, F28-4000 and the F100(US only).
 
PI used the F28s mostly on the Florida Shuttle which accounted for 32% of Piedmont's gross revenue, US came in and screwed it all up.
 
KLM also operated a mix of all the Fokker fleet.

 
The 1000 series that PI had were from Garuda Indonesia as you stated. I know that PI had started to receive some 4000's prior to the merger with Empire, but I don't know if they were all new or not. I do know that Altair had some F-28's, and I believe that they may have ended up at Empire after Altair closed up shop. I also recall PI taking delivery of a few new 4000's in PI colors with the UR code at the end of the registration number.
As for the F-100, AA had a fleet of them also. While I'm sure that both the F-28 and the F-100 where economical A/C to operate in their day, both were a POS to handle from a ground perspective.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I remember flying on an F-28 out of Peru as a kid. I think it was around 1973. It was Aero Peru.

I do remember the funky tail speed brakes on the thing. I don't know of any other commercial aircraft that had those. They also did not have reversers (at least on the early models).