End of the line for DC-9

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Well not all DC-9s, but I think the main airline that flew DC-9-30s and 40s, Northwest Airlines, is basically no more with the Delta merger. There are several of these still flying, but by October they will all be retired. No more 40-year old airliners flying people around {sigh}



Here's a photo of one taken a couple weeks ago

JetPhotos. Net Photo » N8926E (CN: 45863) Northwest Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 by FOKKER AIRCRAFT



and the very same plane in 1978

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[rbattelle]

I wonder if modern aircraft will have such long lifespans.

Ryan

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Hard to say, they've been in service longer than other models that have been retired.



I did this spreadsheet for fun, more than half of the fleet built in 1967 flew today. . .

 

[Bessler]

I doubt The new ones will last as long as Douglas aircraft, as Douglas used tighter specs on all their Birds. Fed-X wanted MD-11's but are now converting DC-10's to MD-10's