IATA D95ICAO DC95

Douglas DC-9-50

Douglas

TravelerPulse profile

Stretched DC-9 variant offering greater passenger capacity.

First flight

1974

Category

Narrow-body jet

Seating

115–139 passengers

Range

3,030 km

Engines

Two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 turbofans, rear-mounted

Status

Retired

The Douglas DC-9-50 is the largest and final stretched variant of the original DC-9 family, developed by Douglas Aircraft Company in the 1970s. It features a fuselage extended beyond the Series 40, accommodating up to 139 passengers in a single-class configuration, while retaining the twin rear-mounted engine layout characteristic of the DC-9 line. Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17 turbofan engines, the Series 50 offered airlines improved capacity without sacrificing the short-to-medium-haul flexibility that made the DC-9 family popular. It entered service in the mid-1970s and was operated primarily by North American and European carriers. Although no longer in widespread commercial service, the DC-9-50 had a long operational career and paved the way for the later McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series, which drew heavily on DC-9 design principles. Most examples have since been retired from passenger service.

Notable operators

Major operators included Eastern Air Lines, Northwest Orient Airlines, Swissair, and Finnair.

Notable facts

›The DC-9-50 was the longest and largest variant of the original DC-9 family.
›Its fuselage was stretched approximately 14.3 feet (4.34 m) compared to the DC-9-40.
›A total of 96 DC-9-50s were built before production ended.
›The type entered service with Eastern Air Lines in 1975.
›Design lessons from the DC-9-50 directly influenced the subsequent MD-80 series.