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

[dbrownie]

My first jet after the commuters... more like

the B1900c model than the DHC-8 I had flown.


The hard part is juggling charts, coffee etc...

The first 20 min in the DC-9 sim after downgrading

from the 320 was very humbling and I had flown it

for 5 years previously.

Things I hated..

I was always hot/cold.

Stuff drips on you in your bag when you deice.

We swaped all the time.

Your ears pop all the time.

Stuff I liked....

I had really sharp skills.

I always felt safe in bad weather, it is a tank.

Bottom line.....

Not hard to fly, not easy to fly well.

DB

 

[freightdogfred]

It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.

 

[FBN0223]

My first jet after the commuters... more like

the B1900c model than the DHC-8 I had flown.


The hard part is juggling charts, coffee etc...

The first 20 min in the DC-9 sim after downgrading

from the 320 was very humbling and I had flown it

for 5 years previously.

Things I hated..

I was always hot/cold.

Stuff drips on you in your bag when you deice.

We swaped all the time.

Your ears pop all the time.

Stuff I liked....

I had really sharp skills.

I always felt safe in bad weather, it is a tank.

Bottom line.....

Not hard to fly, not easy to fly well.

DB

Probably the best analysis of DC-9 flying on this thread. I also did my time on the NWA DC-9s (around 4k in the right seat). It was a really fun airplane to fly especially when we used to fly out west to MSO and FCA. My biggest complaint was the fact the APU would not supply enough air to the packs to keep the aircraft cool when on the ground. If the outside air temp was above 75F, you had to have external air hooked up or you were in for a pre-departure baking.

Descent planning was easy. Pull the power off and it comes down like a rock. It will easily do a 1000ft down for every 2 miles usually without the boards. GL, you and "the nine" might just be a nice fit for the next couple of years. It will be cool to see it in Delta colors.

 

[Superpilot92]

My first jet after the commuters... more like

the B1900c model than the DHC-8 I had flown.

The hard part is juggling charts, coffee etc...

The first 20 min in the DC-9 sim after downgrading

from the 320 was very humbling and I had flown it

for 5 years previously.

Things I hated..

I was always hot/cold.

Stuff drips on you in your bag when you deice.

We swaped all the time.

Your ears pop all the time.

Stuff I liked....

I had really sharp skills.

I always felt safe in bad weather, it is a tank.

Bottom line.....

Not hard to fly, not easy to fly well.

DB

We'll put!

The DC9 is a blast to fly. It can be a handful but you will be very sharp after flying it. Everyone should have to fly the DC9 before flying any other commercial aircraft.

 

[airplane wizard]

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

 

[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.