NWA DC-9's - how is it to fly?

[Patriot328]

Which is more fun to fly...DC-9, B737-200, or 727?

You forgot the 320!?!?!??

 

[Simon Says]

The only thing new in the second picture was the seat coverings....even the pilots are old!

 

[Fly Astar Jets]

Which is more fun to fly...DC-9, B737-200, or 727?

727-200 freighter. More fun, leg in leg out, than you can imagine playing with someone elses toy

 

[castle bravo]

DC in the DC9 stands for direct cable. Everything has a cable attached to it.



It even has a cable operated circuit breaker- the battery direct bus feed breaker is cable operated!

Look closely at the black window crank knobs (not visible in the pictures)- claimed to actually be DC-3 throttle knobs.

The radar in the third photo looks like the old monochromatic black & white version.

Altitude alerter- but NO altitude pre-select. Every level off in VSI- or by hand!

CAT II capable.

 

[Captain Jeff]

A DC-9 is a whistling, sshhiitt can. You and everything you own will smell like blue juice.

 

[Otto77]

I can only imagine the fun after flying a plane with an FMS that is taken granted for...being in the -9 and getting direct to a point only to have to dig out the charts and fly it manually without a box..old school skills..sounds like fun though!

 

[Dizel8]

727-200 freighter. More fun, leg in leg out, than you can imagine playing with someone elses toy

Not true, DC-8 freighter is mo' better!

 

[starvingredtail]

Great airplane. Goes fast and will slows down quick. They are all bent so work the trim. I really liked the -10's! What a sports car.

 

[exeagle]

Looks like one of the last real man's airplanes:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Nort..._id_DESC_&photo_nr=1&prev_id=&next_id=1129277

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Nort...C_&photo_nr=5&prev_id=0843912&next_id=0721206


http://www.airliners.net/photo/Nort...C_&photo_nr=9&prev_id=0574743&next_id=0108392


Is there an FMS? Looks like a CDU, but only on the right side?
What are the guys flying it saying? What are the positives/negatives?
Autoland?
Noise?
Space in the cockpit?

Thanks

I love the way it flies, but you will definitely feel like a zombie after a 5 day trip. I feel lucky to have flown it before it's gone!

 

[Clacker]

As pointed out earlier in this thread, the DC-9 is hot in the summer, leaks around the windows when it rains, and pure drudgery to fly when you're being vectored IMC for an approach. The aircraft are old and bent. Many have intermixed engines which can't be synched and are a throttle knob or two apart all of the time...

But, on a nice day and cleared for the visual (especially when you're a little high and/or fast with no RJ to follow), it''s pure joy!

Is it worth it? Probably not, but it's the last real stick and rudder airline flying, and I'll miss it in a perverse way when I leave it in a few months.