How old are the DC-9s flying today for airlines?
07-20-2008 | 08:00 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: C-172
How old are the DC-9s flying today for airlines?
There seem to be quite a few jokes about how old the DC-9's are that are still flying for carriers in the U.S. How old are the oldest of these -9s that are still being used for airlines here in the U.S.? I just looked it up on wikipedia, and it says that the prototype first flew in 1965, but Id find it hard to believe that the ones still flying today for airlines in the US are really that old! Just as a guess, Id assume that the oldest airliners flying in america today( excluding maybe some small charter outfits and "antique" airlines) were made in the early to mid '80s. Any info would be great!
07-20-2008 | 08:40 PM
#2
Underboob King
Joined: May 2005
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From: Guppy Commander
I flew one a couple days ago with a birth date of Jan 1968. It flew great 
They sure dont build em like they used to!! 
There isnt anything wrong with an old airplane as long as it is maintained. The standards on airliners today are very strict so while the DC9s may be old they are in great shape for their age and have LOTS of character.
They sure dont build em like they used to!! There isnt anything wrong with an old airplane as long as it is maintained. The standards on airliners today are very strict so while the DC9s may be old they are in great shape for their age and have LOTS of character.
07-21-2008 | 12:37 PM
#3
Weekends off? HA!
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07-21-2008 | 12:46 PM
#4
Working Class Dog
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From: Spares Pusher
07-21-2008 | 12:51 PM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
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I flew on one back in '94 and it was a '67 vintage. The interior was not well maintained, which had me thinking that there was probably places on the plane that you couldn't readily see, that were also being ignored. Far from fact, but as a paying passenger, that was the first thing that entered my mind: if they can't even keep the seat tray from falling in my lap, and fix the missing trim above the windows,etc, then are they even looking at the tough stuff? I swore off flying that airline, until they improved - which they have.
07-21-2008 | 12:58 PM
#6
With The Resistance
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Burning the Agitprop of the Apparat
Guess they were FUN!
YouTube - Ozark Air Lines DC-9 Commercial 1966
YouTube - Ozark Air Lines DC-9 Commercial 1966
Not a DC-9, but a nice commercial that could not be made today.
YouTube - Southwest Airlines commercial circa 1972
07-21-2008 | 11:12 PM
#8
Day puke
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Out.
I flew on one back in '94 and it was a '67 vintage. The interior was not well maintained, which had me thinking that there was probably places on the plane that you couldn't readily see, that were also being ignored. Far from fact, but as a paying passenger, that was the first thing that entered my mind: if they can't even keep the seat tray from falling in my lap, and fix the missing trim above the windows,etc, then are they even looking at the tough stuff? I swore off flying that airline, until they improved - which they have.
I'll take a 40 year old Douglas, Lockeed, or Boeing over the stuff built today. (Sorry W.E.B. but they don't build 'em like you did)
Last edited by FlyJSH; 07-21-2008 at 11:19 PM.
07-22-2008 | 05:09 AM
#10
Flying Farmer
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
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