A historical note on Air Canada DC-9s

Air Canada operated DC-9s for over 35 years - the last commercial
flight was in early 2002 and the last flight was in September 2002
when they delivered one to the Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe in Ottawa.

I recently found that the decision to buy them, announced on November 23,
1963 was very controversial.

Trans-Canada Airlines (to use the 1963 name) had a competition to
select a medium range jet. The DC-9 was the winner, with the BAC-111
in second place and the Caravelle Super B far behind.
The political problem was that Sud Aviation had offered to build
Caravelles at the Canadair factory in Montreal (although possibly at
an uneconomically small level), and Quebec felt they had been neglected
by the choice of the DC-9. Douglas did make some parts for the plane
in Canada.

With hindsight the decision looks good. I don't think AC would have
been flying either 111s or Caravelles into 2002.

--
Harry Dodsworth Ottawa Ontario Canada
----------------------------------------------------------------

Harry Dodsworth wrote:

Air Canada operated DC-9s for over 35 years - the last commercial
flight was in early 2002 and the last flight was in September 2002
when they delivered one to the Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe in Ottawa.

from YYZnews.com:
##
b)...Air Canada is donating one of their surplus DC-9-32s
to a University in Thunder Bay. The aircraft (C-FTLT FIN719) was planned to
be ferried from Mohave to Winnipeg for maintenance prior to going to Thunder
Bay today, 24 September.
##

So it seems AC may still have a bunch of DC-9s in the desert and there may
still be more flights. The one to the Aviation Museum isn't the last AC DC-9 flight.

Harry Dodsworth wrote in message ...

With hindsight the decision looks good. I don't think AC would have
been flying either 111s or Caravelles into 2002.


And they didn't fly DC9-15s into 2002 either.
It was the small 9 which went up against the (equally) small 111 and
slightly larger Caravelle.
The DC9-30s which formed the vast majority of AC's fleet turned out to be a
much better airplane than later versions of either the 111 or Caravelle. And
having the wings built at Malton (aka LBPIA) might just have played a part
in the original decision ;-)

B.

(Harry Dodsworth) wrote in message ...
Air Canada operated DC-9s for over 35 years - the last commercial
flight was in early 2002 and the last flight was in September 2002
when they delivered one to the Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe in Ottawa.

I recently found that the decision to buy them, announced on November 23,
1963 was very controversial.

Trans-Canada Airlines (to use the 1963 name) had a competition to
select a medium range jet. The DC-9 was the winner, with the BAC-111
in second place and the Caravelle Super B far behind.
The political problem was that Sud Aviation had offered to build
Caravelles at the Canadair factory in Montreal (although possibly at
an uneconomically small level), and Quebec felt they had been neglected
by the choice of the DC-9. Douglas did make some parts for the plane
in Canada.

With hindsight the decision looks good. I don't think AC would have
been flying either 111s or Caravelles into 2002.

I remember this controversy well. I was about 13 at the time AC opted
for the DC-9.

My late father worked in AC maintenance at Winnipeg and, being
British-born, had a strong personal preference for the 111 -- and all
things British, in fact. Many insiders at AC viewed the 111 as the
right size for AC, with about 65-70 seats ina 2-class config, whereas
the DC-9 would be closer to 80 (the Caravelle was never really a
serious contender: way too heavy and fuel-hoggish).

However, those with an eye to the future won out, as the '9' was a far
superior choice over the 111. It had lots of growth potential,
realised in the -30s that AC operated until 2002, about 45 or so of
them. The final derivatives of the 111 were very inferior performers
by comparison.

Dad even allowed, after he retired, that the DC-9 was a 'pretty damn
good airplace, except for the g*dd*mn landing gear'.

By the way, Douglas didn't just make 'some parts' for the DC-9 in
Canada, they made the _wings_ at the facility at Malton/Pearson
(ironically, in the old Avro Arrow plant).