Dl/nw Dc-9

[StopNTSing]

WOW! That's sounds pretty archaic. I'm glad nowdays most airliners have a box that can do all that stuff for us.

Well, consider that as pilots our only real value-added to our companies is our airmanship and judgment. Airmanship has been in steady decline ever since those boxes 'that can do all that stuff for us' began showing up, and a little more judgment seems to get taken away with every revision to the FOM. Someday we won't be needed at all...:crying:

 

[FBN0223]

I'd rather read the newspaper.

What's he talking about?

 

[d.fitz]

NWA hires while DAL displaces.... interesting.

No one said NWA wasn't displacing... Ask me in a few weeks, I'll let you know.

 

[d.fitz]

How do you plan you descents without a VNAV box? I heard that in the DC-9 autopilot, you have to manually level off at each altitude. How much of a pain is that?

It requires constant attention. I, for one, don't think it's all that fun.

 

[FmrFreightDog]

It requires constant attention. I, for one, don't think it's all that fun.

I, for one, do. I actually like flying instead of pushing buttons. I will leave the -9 the day they displace me off of it. Until then, I will happily fly that airplane around the eastern US for three or four (sometimes five) legs a day knowing that this is, more or less, my last chance to actually be a pilot and fly an airplane instead of program it. Call me crazy, but I somewhat enjoy an airplane that I have to manage instead of vice-versa. I like the fact that I know how to make a 40 year old autopilot fly smoothly. I like the fact that when I land I can hit 1.6 EPR in reverse just by the sound of the engines.

I came from button-pushing. I jumpseat with button-pushers. I appreciate the automation and the ease it brings to the job. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, I like being given the opportunity to actually fly a damn airplane. When they're gone and I get kicked off the thing, I can push buttons with the best of them, but for now I'd rather fly.

If you want to push buttons for a living, more power to you. I won't be gunning for your spot post SOC. You can push buttons to your heart's content (unless, of course, they don't open a DC-9 base in ATL... then all bets are off. I'll happily push buttons for a living if I get to drive to work!!!)

 

[Linedriver]

What's he talking about?

GP, a pilot, is saying he would rather read the newspaper than fly an airplane.

 

[dispatchguy]

A long time ago, I flew on a DC9-10 (ship 9150), and post-flight the captain and I were talking and he said that he would retire off the -9.

His attitude was that in the -9, especially the DC9-10, was his own little pocket rocket. When he started at North Central, he was assigned to the -9, fell in love with it, and ended up not flying anything else. He knew each quirk, each idiosyncrasy of each -9 in the NC>REP>NWA fleet.

I asked him if he ever thought about going and moving to the heavy iron, and he said hell no - he preferred to be an integral part of the airplane, instead of being along for the ride.

He absolutely was in love with the -9.

 

[licorice]

I think some people here are confusing airmanship (judgement) with eye-hand coordination (physical skill). Increasing automation on aircraft is not a plot by engineers to "take away the pilot's job". Rather, it is a very rational and effective way of allowing pilots to focus on the the "big picture"...thus increasing their ability to exersise good airmanship, and thereby, increase safety, which is the bottom line. For those of you who insist on the superiority or efficacy of hand flying...you have effectively turned yourselves into "autopilots with pride" -using a good portion of your mental energy and awareness merely wrestling your aircraft around the sky, rather than freeing up that mental energy and awareness to be in more complete command of the whole situation.

 

[GogglesPisano]

GP, a pilot, is saying he would rather read the newspaper than fly an airplane.

Not exactly. I'd rather read a newspaper than fly a DC9. :uzi:

Some people want to don goggles and scarf and hand-fly a jet all day long. Others want to come to work and use automation so that they can concentrate on other tasks -- whether work-related (Revisions, studying for recurrent ...) or not.

 

[volav8r1]

I, for one, do. I actually like flying instead of pushing buttons. I will leave the -9 the day they displace me off of it. Until then, I will happily fly that airplane around the eastern US for three or four (sometimes five) legs a day knowing that this is, more or less, my last chance to actually be a pilot and fly an airplane instead of program it. Call me crazy, but I somewhat enjoy an airplane that I have to manage instead of vice-versa. I like the fact that I know how to make a 40 year old autopilot fly smoothly. I like the fact that when I land I can hit 1.6 EPR in reverse just by the sound of the engines.

I came from button-pushing. I jumpseat with button-pushers. I appreciate the automation and the ease it brings to the job. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, I like being given the opportunity to actually fly a damn airplane. When they're gone and I get kicked off the thing, I can push buttons with the best of them, but for now I'd rather fly.

If you want to push buttons for a living, more power to you. I won't be gunning for your spot post SOC. You can push buttons to your heart's content (unless, of course, they don't open a DC-9 base in ATL... then all bets are off. I'll happily push buttons for a living if I get to drive to work!!!)

I'm with you! A lot of the people who bash the -9 have never even been on one. I don't post on here often but read most of the posts. It always makes me laugh when people talk about the horror of having to actually monitor an airplane. It's not that bad at all, in fact it's kinda fun (i was 10 yrs on glass prior to flying the -9).

I will also be on the -9 till they go away. I bid reserve (by choice). Life is not good, it's GREAT!!! Assuming you live in base, or at least driving distance to one, you will reap the benefits of NEVER working. I flew an average of 16 hrs a month in all of '08. Today is day 6 on call for Jan & not a peep from Scheduling! I have slept away from home 2 nights since May. I am one who takes quality of life over an extra $3000 / yr (on the airbus). I can read the paper in the "Can"!

p.s. this is no way a bash on anyone or anyone's airplane, I'm sure it's great for YOU. would I love to fly a 757, 737, etc...? Sure. But not yet. Just trying to clear up everyone's perception of how horrible the DC-9 flying is. Beats commuting to ANC to sit sideways! (i did that as well)

Later

 

[clippyrip]

Not exactly. I'd rather read a newspaper than fly a DC9. :uzi:

I'd rather have DC9s on the property and be flying than at home looking for work in the news paper.


Let us not forget the days we thought we were cool jumping in the piper Seminole.

 

[GogglesPisano]

I'd rather have DC9s on the property and be flying than at home looking for work in the news paper.


Let us not forget the days we thought we were cool jumping in the piper Seminole.

No doubt. And I'd rather fly a 9 than an RJ.

 

[hockeypilot44]

I would rather be a first officer on the 9 than a captain at Compass flying a 175. If you're flying a 9, you're in the game.

 

[FBN0223]

delete

 

[FBN0223]

I think that Delta net site screwed up my Mac. Anyway, went to the DL flight ops. site and downloaded the B757/767 manuals just to see what's in store. Definitely some procedural differences. NW guys should check it out that is if you're really, really bored.

 

[NuGuy]

I, for one, do. I actually like flying instead of pushing buttons. I will leave the -9 the day they displace me off of it. Until then, I will happily fly that airplane around the eastern US for three or four (sometimes five) legs a day knowing that this is, more or less, my last chance to actually be a pilot and fly an airplane instead of program it. Call me crazy, but I somewhat enjoy an airplane that I have to manage instead of vice-versa. I like the fact that I know how to make a 40 year old autopilot fly smoothly. I like the fact that when I land I can hit 1.6 EPR in reverse just by the sound of the engines.

I came from button-pushing. I jumpseat with button-pushers. I appreciate the automation and the ease it brings to the job. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, I like being given the opportunity to actually fly a damn airplane. When they're gone and I get kicked off the thing, I can push buttons with the best of them, but for now I'd rather fly.

If you want to push buttons for a living, more power to you. I won't be gunning for your spot post SOC. You can push buttons to your heart's content (unless, of course, they don't open a DC-9 base in ATL... then all bets are off. I'll happily push buttons for a living if I get to drive to work!!!)

Heyas,

Great post. Some of the best flying ANYWHERE is on the -9 out of MSP to points west. Once on the center freq, it's "fly 285, proceed direct when able, climb to 350". You start down when YOU want to start down, and most of the time they ask what runway/approach you want.

Heck, some places, you still need to talk to flight service to get your clearance in the morning. Gasp...the HORROR of making a CTAF call and remembering to click up the lights.

Compared with the continuous ATC chatter/vectors/reroutes/speeds of the coasts and hubs, it's a little bit of flying heaven.

Nu

 

[Linedriver]

I would rather be a first officer on the 9 than a captain at Compass flying a 175. If you're flying a 9, you're in the game.

I would rather fly anything as long as I didn't have to work.

Hell, I'd fly a 172 if pad enough!!

 

[General Lee]

Heyas,

Great post. Some of the best flying ANYWHERE is on the -9 out of MSP to points west. Once on the center freq, it's "fly 285, proceed direct when able, climb to 350". You start down when YOU want to start down, and most of the time they ask what runway/approach you want.

Heck, some places, you still need to talk to flight service to get your clearance in the morning. Gasp...the HORROR of making a CTAF call and remembering to click up the lights.

Compared with the continuous ATC chatter/vectors/reroutes/speeds of the coasts and hubs, it's a little bit of flying heaven.

Nu

Too bad most of the DC9s don't go straight West from MSP. You used to hit a lot of Montana, etc, but Compass E175s now do it along with A319s. If West you mean Fargo and Grand Forks, then yes, yes you do. I see a lot of the DC9s doing ATL to MOB, PNS, type stuff in the near future though. I will not be bidding it, though, and it looks like my 73N Captain seat will be postponed as well thanks to this last bid. Oh well.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I would like to fly an airplane that had good automation I could use when I wanted to, and turn it off if I want to hand fly it.

The -9s I have flown did not have any automation that I could trust. We were also required to turn of the Flt Director and Autopilot at the FAF on a non-precision approach. If I'm tired, I would prefer to use both on the non-prec.

I did not like the -9, but I'd rather fly it than be laid off.

I think my preference would be a newer 737, a 757 or any decent biz jet with a modern cockpit. Oh, I got to watch a bunch of 717 flying, and that was excellent!

cliff
GRB

 

[FDJ2]

I'd rather have DC9s on the property and be flying than at home looking for work in the news paper.

Agreed. Let's hope for a mainline replacement before 2012.