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Name:	USAir
Type:	Boeing DC-9-30
Capacity:	up to 115

The DC-9 was designed specifically to operate from short runways and on short- to medium-range routes so that the speed, comfort and reliability of jet transportation could be extended to hundreds of communities previously served only by propeller-driven airliners.

Smaller than the DC-8, the trim DC-9 has a distinctive high-level horizontal stabilizer atop the rudder, commonly called a "T" tail. Two engines mounted on the aft fuselage power the aircraft at cruising speeds exceeding 500 mph (800 km/h) and altitudes over 30,000 feet (9,144 m).

Design, development and production of the DC-9 was centered in Long Beach, Calif., at what is now the Long Beach Division of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where 976 of the twin jets were built during an 18-year production run. The first flight was Feb. 25, 1965; the final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.

There are five basic DC-9 versions, designated Series 10, Series 20, Series 30, Series 40 and Series 50. Several models in each series provide operators maximum efficiency for diverse combinations of traffic density, cargo volume and route distances to more than 2,000 miles (3,218 km). All models use variants of the reliable workhorse Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine.

Fuselage of the Series 30 DC-9, actually second developed, is nearly 15 feet longer than the Series 10, at 119.3 feet (36.3 m), providing seats for up to 115 passengers and cargo space to 895 cubic feet (25.3 m3). Series 30 wingspan was increased to 93.3 feet (28.4 m), and a high-lift wing system of leading edge slats gives the Series 30 excellent short-field performance. The first of the type began airline service in February 1967.

Common to all versions of the DC-9 are the features that make them ideal for short- and medium-range flights providing direct service between small or large airports. All have built-in boarding stairs for use where jetways are not available. The low ground clearance puts the lower deck cargo bays at waist height, to allow loading and unloading without a conveyor or loading platform. The cockpit is designed for a two-member crew.

Passenger cabins of the DC-9s are designed for optimum passenger comfort and convenience. Economy class seating is five across -- an arrangement consistently preferred in passenger surveys to the six-across seating in other single-aisle jetliners. A "wide look" interior introduced in 1973 provides a greater feeling of spaciousness than in earlier models and offers enclosed overhead racks for carry-on bags.

Thirty years after beginning operations and more than a decade after the final aircraft rolled off the assembly line, DC-9s remain a mainstay in many airlines, still building a worldwide reputation for reliability and durability unmatched by any other aircraft. The fleet makes more than 3,500 flights per day, with each aircraft averaging more than five hours of revenue service daily.

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