View Full Version : Iberia last DC-9 flight
TE RANGI
2nd Aug 2001, 00:46
Last Iberia DC-9 flight took place yesterday after the type serving the company for 34 years.
Flight IB0763 departed PMI for MAD as the venerable old workhorse -I belive it was an ex-Aviaco 30 series- flew to retirement.
Many a pilot has started his/her airline career in one of those. I've noticed drivers tend to either love or hate them, no middle ground.
Cheers. ;)
Ignition Override
2nd Aug 2001, 02:07
It is a shame to see a very good plane retire.
The DC-9 requires no FMS with VNAV and LNAV, autothrottle, or fly-by-wire to safely carry people/cargo. Any smooth flying is the result of pilot technique and experience.
Who can say that about the newest aircraft, other than takeoff and landing?
MissChief
2nd Aug 2001, 13:55
What's that,IO? Did you need to hand-fly the DC9 all the way? No AP? Sounds like hard work to me. (Just tweaking your tail)
moleslayer
2nd Aug 2001, 14:11
Absolutely right MC : frequently hand flew the 9 all week,including 20 min.holds for LHR,damned hard work,but oh soooh satisfying.Its not the same anymore - thank god!
Bokkerijder
2nd Aug 2001, 23:38
What happened to those DC 9īs based in MIAmi ?
Ignition Override
3rd Aug 2001, 10:15
MissChief: Well, maybe not grueling, but we must make constant inputs, you know, and re-tune plus set courses in hurry..., other than mostly put VHP in the "direct box" and push "execute" plus "VNAV", or push and turn the speed knob... I flew the 757 over three years, before I "defected" back to the "steam gauges", wanting to be a pilot again. "Steam", partly because the DC-9 is pretty hot on the ground in the US, with the wonderful APU going. Ever been south here in the summer?
[ 03 August 2001: Message edited by: Ignition Override ]
NG_Kaptain
4th Aug 2001, 17:56
The MIA DC-9s' have been replaced by A320s'. Left Miami yesterday and saw three Iberia "Minibuses" next to their 747 Classic.
Flew the nine for three years before going on to the MD83 and the NG, what a pleasure it was, very basic but alot of fun!!
[ 04 August 2001: Message edited by: NG_Kaptain ]
Squawk 8888
4th Aug 2001, 21:01
AC still has 17 DC9s in service. Used for a lot of transborder hops that are too busy for CRJs- they have them on the evening YYZ-CLT trip. Got bowled over when I boarded in CLT and saw my old instructor in the right seat :)
Bokkerijder
5th Aug 2001, 14:23
Ahh, flying the DC 9 out of MIA....what a dream job !
Of course the A320.....well.....itīs an Airbus and not a Boeing.
THX 4 the info NG captain !
[ 05 August 2001: Message edited by: Bokkerijder ]
Sleeve Wing
5th Aug 2001, 18:25
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 ]
Squawk 8888
5th Aug 2001, 22:42
When I was nine years old I had the pleasure of riding a DC9 from YYZ before the noise abatement rules were tightened. I swear AC only allowed ex-fighter pilots to fly them :cool: Pushed right back into my seat, never been in such a steep climb since!
xdc9er
6th Aug 2001, 00:15
Flew a -32 in the summer ,near enough to the equator to know a/c wasn't worth squat on the ground.
It was my first J(w)et experience.LOL.
Wunderful sport jet.
Had some wonderful experiences on Aviaco DC-9s who always went for tight visual approaches. One in particular was riding jumpseat on a positioning flight from TFS to LPA. Nearest I'll ever get to experiencing a rocket launch. The visual approach and landing was real fighter type stuff. For sure one of the sportiest airliners in our skies.