Going way back to MissChief's post of the 2nd.Aug., hand flying a '9 was the most satisfying experience for anybody with any feeling for an aeroplane.
Fortunate enough to fly the 10 series and the -32 myself.
The -10s were the best (unless you were with SAS and could get your little "stickies" on a -20) and were known variously as the Pocket Rocket or even(in BMA on one famous occasion) as the DC9 GT !
Nothing better than ATC offering a "quick visual" when God's lot were dragging 'em in on a 10mile ILS.
350 Kts.IAS (legal then.) then casually popping the brakes to get the speed rapidly back to well within the gear and flap limits and feeling it gently round the corner to be well clear by the time a Trident was crossing the fence.
Just to tease a little, you understand ?!
And,I might add, never a complaint from any passenger !!
Yep, definitely a shame that such a good aircraft has finally reached its dotage.
[ 05 August 2001: Message edited by: Sleeve Wing ]