Douglas DC-9-50
The Douglas DC-9-50 was the longest and final stretch of the original DC-9 family, carrying more passengers than any earlier DC-9 variant. Its extra length and updated engines gave it noticeably better fuel efficiency per seat than the shorter models that came before it. It represented the last stop before Douglas (by then McDonnell Douglas) launched the even longer, re-engined MD-80 series based on the same basic airframe. Its long production run illustrates just how much growth the original 1965 DC-9 design had left in it.
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Did you know?
The DC-9-50, the longest of the original DC-9 stretches, paved the way for the re-engined MD-80 that followed it.
Specifications
| Length | 40.7 m (134 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 28.5 m (93 ft) |
| Height | 8.5 m (28 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 139 |
| Persons on board | 122-139 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 54.8 t |
| Range | 1,710 NM (3,167 km) |
| Maximum speed | 490 kt (907 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 37,000 ft (11,278 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 33,000 ft (10,058 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 2,100 m (6,890 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,500 m (4,921 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 16,120 l |
| Engines | 2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 |
| Units built | 96 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Douglas DC-9-50 starts as a Very rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
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