The DC-8 first flew in 1958 and it is now 2001, I am lucky enough or unlucky depending how you look at it to be able to work on DC-8 seventy series everyday, the company i work for has one of if not the largest DC-8 fleets in the world. I think Mr. Douglas would be proud that his A/C is still the backbone of so many cargo outfits, the eights I maintain have had many upgrades to include CFM56 engines, EFIS, and GPS but there are countries still flying stock equipment and doing fine. They may leak fuel like crazy but its still a money maker.

--Turbine Surgeon

Hi Yes I emember the '8's with affection. I was based at Heathrow and serviced the Seaboard World eights. The 63's were my favourite. Amongst other freight we carried live animals including cattle. The poor old planes were never the same after such a cargo. We also shipped out from Heathrow the copper name plates of the famous London Bridge. As an airline we did the trial runs for thefirst Litton Inerital Navigation system. So there we are. Such great aircraft.

--SHOLTO THE VIKING

I am one of the lucky few who still see these birds flying. I live near Wilmington, Ohio; the hub of US cargo carrier Airborn express. These DC-8's fly over my house at low altitude every day.

--Anonymous

I had the priviledge to start my career as a mechanic on the DC-8. It was back in 1989 on the DC-8 -61, -62 and -63 series. I tell you those Pratt engine could take a beating and keep on ticking. But they where not built with the mechanic in mind. Neither was the rest of the airplane...(for your memories, remember the freon system? or was is fun to change an FCU on the JT3-3, or again a complete CSD/generator unit outside in the cold...mmmmmmemories!). But with time the manufacturers started to listen to us.

Today I work on the state of the art Airbus A330. When I have to change a unit or trouble shoot a system, everything is made easy. I think I find it easy now because of my "tough" year on the 8's. And to tell you the thruth, that bird was built like a tank... Some impacts I have seen on the newer planes that caused mega repair downtime would have been a small nick of the super tough 8's. But serioulsly if I had the choice to do it all again, I wouldnt change a thing. It was a good learning horse and a terrific airplane.

--CDS

I love this aircraft, as I love the DC-3. They are both amazing.
I remember being in first class on a DC-8-63 passenger model with Delta. My friend and and I, plus the fellow a few rows up that we never met were the only 1st class passengers in this stretch model. I believe it had, [in the stretch model] a large number of first class seats, which may have been 14 or 21 rows. Just the three of us up there, but let me tell you this...while deplaning and looking backward, the size of the economy compartments was huge! Each had a curtain separator, which was tied back as we left the aircraft....yet seeing each curtained compartment let me know just how long this plane really was.

After that, a visit to the flight deck, and shocked to find the centerpiece of the yoke is a glass ball, just like a '50s Buick. Yet, no safety was compromised by such a '50s design, and was quite happy with the flight.

A delight to ride in, fast, and fuel efficient, if I ever hit the Lotto, a Baby-8 will be my aircraft of choice to ferry me where I want to go. John Travolta now flies a 707, but I would pick the DC-8 over the Boeing.
It's just a terrific plane.

--Michael

Wow! Finding this sight really brings tears. The most memorable day of my life, including the most "goosebump" moment was on the wonderful DC-8. It was April 6th, 1972, and I had just recieved my UAL wings. We had graduated from United Airlines "Stew" School in the afternoon, and were rushed off to O'Hare Airport to fly to our new domiciles. Mine was Newark, New Jersey, but we had only intentions of living in the Big Apple and getting in our transfers to JFK as soon as possible. We were the first graduating class with guys, eight in all, but two with us. We were a wildly excited group. Naturally, we were put aboard a beautiful DC-8. The flight crew, knowing we were new graduates, put four of us in regular first-class, and the other four in the first-class (forward) lounge. It was love at first sight and flight. To take off in that beautiful plane, seated in that elegant and cozy lounge, was like lifting into the air, into a black, sparkle-lit night, seated at your favorite restaurant table, or the romantic, dimly lit dining room of your home. To recieve a Super70s first-class meal, seated in those lounges, tablecloths and fine china included, made for a cherished memory of the luxuries of yesteryear. Nothing, however, matched the moment when we gazed down through the night sky, parting the curtained windows, to see the Statue of Liberty, a first time for all of us, and the NYC skyline, our future lives and flying careers laid out in front of us. By my third and final year, I was flying only 747's to LAX, but nearest and dearest to my heart, will always be the one and only 8's, esp. the grand stretch.

--JFKSW Gail