On Nicosa, I was evaluating aircraft and it turns out the 707 is more profitable the DC10-30 and '10-10. Good job Douglas.
That´s rather unrealistic :huh: . The arrival of the DC-10 (and TriStar as well as Boeing 747) clearly opened a new chapter regarding efficiency. The long history of these aircraft underlined their versatility and efficiency.
I am also evaluating older types just for fun and to test demand on long haul routes. It took nearly five days but the first Douglas DC-8 Super 62-flight will be profitable soon! The major problem are the maintenance costs of these beautiful aircraft.
I am also on my track to enable a profitable operation of the DC-9-10/-20 at my main company Sparrow Air. These aircraft are a learning-curve for me and really expensive to operate (maintenance costs are horrible). The DC-9-30s and DC-9-40s are doing OK because of their higher capacities. The DC-9-50s are the least-problematic aircraft when it comes to the DC-9. Nevertheless I am quite happy that the DC-9 fits into my network as long as the routes are generally short, fuel expenses acceptable, and demand high enough to guarantee good load-factors. It is very important for me to ensure that these DC-9s are paying their bills alongside their much more modern sisters (MD-80/-90 and 717). Sparrow Air can´t afford the luxury of money-losing aeroplanes. They have to make money, money money! ;)