Northwest in no hurry to replace planes.

[Blueskies/400 UpperDeck]

[BR][SPAN class=headline][A href=http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/021115/airlines_northwest_1.html]Northwest says in no hurry to replace planes[/A][/SPAN]

 

[mga707]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 11/15/2002 6:05:29 PM Blueskies/400 UpperDeck wrote:
CHICAGO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Northwest Airlines Corp. [NWAC.O] is in no hurry to replace its 169 aging DC-9 aircraft [/blockquote]

Hmmm...my source material lists 9 -10s, 114 -30s, 12 -40s, and 35 -50s, for a grand total of 170 examples of the world's largest DC-9 fleet, aka flying aviation museum
.
Is Reuters one aircraft off, or has another 'stub' been retired?

 

[Blueskies/400 UpperDeck]

Mega707Hmmm...my source material lists 9 -10s, 114 -30s, 12 -40s, and 35 -50s, for a grand total of 170 examples of the world's largest DC-9 fleet, aka flying aviation museum. We'd prefer paid for, money making, not in, or looking at bankruptcy flying aviation museum. When we send one of these $1900 block hour, highly reliable boys to the desert, they sit for free. Oh how sweet it is...

 

[NWAfr8dog]

This may be the difference:

Northwest Donates DC9 to Northland College

Northwest donated a DC9-10 aircraft to Northland College's Aviation Maintenance Technology program Nov. 16.

The aircraft flew its last scheduled passenger flight Nov. 15 from Rapid City, S.D., to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Although the aircraft will be completely operational, it will not be flown again.

Northland College, in Thief River Falls, Minn., and Northwest have had an educational partnership for more than 30 years. Northwest donated a 727-100 to the school in 1991.

(I wonder if completely operational means can be counted against the RJ-Count...?)

 

[mga707]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 11/16/2002 2:42:59 PM NWAfr8dog wrote:

This may be the difference:

"Northwest Donates DC9 to Northland College

Northwest donated a DC9-10 aircraft to Northland College's Aviation Maintenance Technology program Nov. 16.

The aircraft flew its last scheduled passenger flight Nov. 15 from Rapid City, S.D., to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Although the aircraft will be completely operational, it will not be flown again.

[/blockquote]

Yep, that's got to be the one! thanks for the info.
So, only 8 NW 'stubs' left, along with 7 over at YX. 15 of the original DC-9s left flying scheduled passengers in the US. Not bad for a 35-year-old+ aircraft!

 

[ITRADE]

Is there an ICAO requirement that even hush-kitted aircraft be disposed of after a certain point?

 

[NWA/AMT]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 11/19/2002 8:00:21 AM ITRADE wrote:

Is there an ICAO requirement that even hush-kitted aircraft be disposed of after a certain point?
----------------
[/blockquote]


No, the Stage 2/Stage 3 hush-kitting requirements were a product of external, social and governmental, forces. The ICAO would be perfectly happy if everyone was flying 707-100s as long as they did it in a safe, standardized manner.

Most modern aircraft have an aspect of their design which limits their longevity, usually some structural element whose life is limited to a certain number of cycles. Since replacement of that structural element is usually more expensive that the aircraft is worth, it serves to limit their service lives. If operating cost doesn't end their economic viability, the repairs necessary to extend their operating lives will.

 

[ITRADE]

Thanks for that info.[BR][BR]Perhaps part of the equation with NW is the fact that most of NW's DC-9s are too small for a common replacement that's currently in NW's inventory. The DC-9-30s are at least 20 seats smaller than the A-319s and much lighter. The DC-9-10s are even smaller. [BR][BR]Frankly, I would foresee NW dumping the DC-9-10s and having that service replaced by RJs of some sort.[BR][BR]Otherwise, if NW were eventually to replace their DC-9s, they'd likely replace the -50s with A-319s and replace the -30s and -40s with ???? 717s seem a logical choice since you could run one craft to replace the two subtypes:[BR][BR]DC-9-10s - RJs flown by Mesaba[BR]DC-9-30s - 717[BR]DC-9-40s - 717[BR]DC-9-50s - A-319[BR][BR]In the alternative, NW could attempt to acquire 717-100s if Boeing ever decided to proceed with the program.

 

[ITRADE]

[P]
[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]----------------[BR]On 11/20/2002 7:03:54 PM NWA/AMT wrote:
[P]I believe the nascent A318 would also be considered, particularly now that the option of powering it with de-rated CFM56s is a possibility. Other than that your assessment is absolutely on target, in my opinion.[BR][BR]However, I don't see the decision being made soon.[BR][/P]----------------[/BLOCKQUOTE]
[P][/P]Possibility. How about definately now that the IAE engine has not measured up to spec and will require at least two years to get running correctly.

 

[NWA/AMT]

I believe the nascent A318 would also be considered, particularly now that the option of powering it with de-rated CFM56s is a possibility. Other than that your assessment is absolutely on target, in my opinion.

However, I don't see the decision being made soon.

 

[sideflare75]

Yep, that's got to be the one! thanks for the info.
So, only 8 NW 'stubs' left, along with 7 over at YX. 15 of the original DC-9s left flying scheduled passengers in the US. Not bad for a 35-year-old+ aircraft!

MGA,
YX only has 5 -10's left right now with one more to go away in December. 2 were scrapped and one was sold and is flying in Columbia now. That is also where the next one is going. But we are still flying the very first one to fly, FUSE # 2. The last four will slowly be replaced over the next two years along with the -30's when the 717's show up. I'll be glad to see the new planes but those -10's just keep flying. They don't seem to break.
Just thought you'd like to know.
Sideflare