IATA D91ICAO DC91

Douglas DC-9-10

Douglas

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Douglas's pioneering short-haul twin-jet airliner.

First flight

1965

Category

Narrow-body jet

Seating

75–90 passengers

Range

1,850 km

Engines

Two rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans

Status

Retired

The Douglas DC-9-10 was the original and shortest variant of the DC-9 family, designed as a short-to-medium-range narrow-body jet for domestic and regional routes. It entered service in late 1965 with Delta Air Lines and quickly attracted orders from carriers seeking a modern replacement for propeller-driven aircraft on thinner routes. The -10 series featured a fuselage shorter than later DC-9 variants, seating typically 75 to 90 passengers, and was powered by two rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines. Its T-tail configuration and aft-engine layout became hallmarks of the DC-9 family and influenced subsequent aircraft design. Although the -10 series was eventually superseded by stretched variants such as the DC-9-30, -40, and -50, it established the commercial viability of the twin-engine rear-engine layout and formed the foundation for the highly successful MD-80 and Boeing 717 lineages. Most DC-9-10s were retired by the 1990s.

Notable operators

Major operators included Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, Continental Airlines, and Ozark Air Lines.

Notable facts

›First flight occurred on February 25, 1965.
›Delta Air Lines was the launch customer, placing the type into revenue service in December 1965.
›Only 73 DC-9-10 series aircraft were built before production shifted to the longer -30 variant.
›The rear-engine, T-tail layout was adopted to keep the wing aerodynamically clean and simplify ground handling.
›The DC-9-10 required only a two-person flight crew, reducing operating costs compared to earlier three-crew airliners.