Ah, the DC9 one of the sexiest, female, bitchy, beautiful, Aircraft ever built. Any pilot who strapped her to his ar#e was privileged, she was a Pilots aircraft like the 707, and we loved her with a passion. I had the privilege of breaking a speed record with her from SYD to Willie in 8 mins 14 seconds with a 125 tail wind behind me, empty, with a F/O and one male C/C on a repostioning sector, asking the ATC for some clean air (he was aware what I was trying to achieve, you could in those days) and we flattened her. F111 eat your heart out. My understanding was the reason for keeping the DC9 instead of going over to the 737 (at that point) was basically about traffic. If you could not fill a 727 on a sector then replace with a pocket rocket. 100 seats against 150 made financial sense. I ended up blundering around the sky on the airbus, ( I had four little tackers to feed by then) I used to look with envy as a DC9 came off a arm, wishing, oh well. I shall go to bed tonight dreaming of a Col FD108. (I hope I have not offended any female pilot with my description of the DC9, if I have I did not mean to, it was simply in our dumb way, the way we saw her).