McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10/20/30

United States of America

Short range airliners

No other airliner in history has undergone more development than the prolific DC-9/MD-80/MD-90/717 series, which started life with the 70 seat DC-9-10 of the early sixties. Douglas developed the DC-9 as a short range airliner complementing the much larger DC-8. Development was launched on April 8 1963, with a launch order from Delta following soon after. The DC-9 was an all new design, featuring rear fuselage mounted engines, a T-tail, moderately swept wings and seats for up to 90 passengers in a five abreast fuselage. Construction of the prototype began in July 1963 and the first flight occurred on February 25 1965. Certification and service entry was on November 23 and December 8 1965, respectively. From the outset the DC-9 had been designed with stretched larger capacity developments in mind. The first stretch resulted in the biggest selling DC-9, the 4.54m (14ft 11in) longer, 105 seat DC-9-30, which entered service with Eastern on February 1 1967. Subsequent stretched versions are described separately. Small numbers of developed versions of the DC-9-10 were also built. The DC-9-20 featured the DC-9-10's fuselage with the 30's more powerful engines and longer span wings, giving better hot and high performance. The DC-9-15 was basically a -10 but with more fuel and higher weights. Factory built convertibles and pure freighters were also offered, while a number of DC-9-30s have been converted to freighters, and/or are having Stage 3 hushkits fitted, further extending their useful service lives.

10 - Two 54.5kN (12,250lb) Pratt & Whitney JT8D-5 turbofans. 30 - Two 64.5kN (14,500lb) JT8D-9s, or two 66.7kN (15,000lb) JT8D-11s, or two 71.2kN (16,000lb) JT8D-17s.

10 - Max cruising speed 903km/h (488kt), economical cruising speed 885km/h (478kt). Range with max payload 1055km (570nm). 30 - Max cruising speed 907km/h (490kt), long range cruise 798km/h (430kt). Range at high speed cruise with 64 passengers and reserves 2150km (1160nm), range at long range cruise with 80 passengers and reserves 3095km (1670nm).

10 - Operating empty 22,635kg (49,900lb), max takeoff 41,140kg (90,700lb). 30 - Empty 25,940kg (57,190lb), max takeoff 54,885kg (121,000lb).

10 - Wing span 27.25m (89ft 5in), length 31.82m (104ft 5in), height 8.38m (27ft 6in). Wing area 86.8m2 (934sq ft). 30 - Same except for length 36.37m (119ft 4in), wing span 28.47m (93ft 5in). Wing area 93.0m2 (1000.7sq ft).

Flightcrew of two. 10 - Seating for 80 in a single class at five abreast and 86cm (34in) pitch. Max seating for 90. 30 - Max seating for 115 in a single class, five abreast and 81cm (32in) pitch, standard single class seating for 105. 30CF - can carry over eight cargo pallets.

976 DC-9s of all models built including 137 -10s, 10 -20s and 662 -30s (including military C-9s). 97 DC-9-10s, 4 DC-9-20s and 381 DC-9-30s in airline service at late 2002. 9 DC-9-10s and 3 DC-9-30s used as corporate jets at late 2002.

McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10/20/30