DC-8 FACTS
The DC-8 is called by her crews "a man's airplane" due to the pressure required to move the controls on the manual "back up" system. It can take up to 80 pounds of pressure to pull the control column.
The DC-8 is also known as the toughest airliner ever built as it was constructed to a heavier than required standard to be sure it never shared the same fate as the Air Comet. UPS discovered in 2005 that their DC-8's will have an even longer airframe life than previously estimated.
*The test-supported design life of the DC-8 is 100,000 hours and 50,000 cycles, (N8274H retired at 50.410 hours and many other early DC-8's retired at only 30.000 hours).
Maximum takeoff weight 155.130 kg 342.000 lbs (DC-8-31 limit was 300.000 lbs)
Maximum airborne weight 154.677 kg 341.000 lbs
Maximum landing weight 113.399 kg 250.000 lbs
Maximum zero fuel weight 104.327 kg 230.000 lbs
Empty weight 60.750 kg 133.930 lbs
Fuel weight 74.843 kg 165.000 lbs
General characteristics, DC-8-32
Crew: three
Capacity: 176 passengers, economy or 124 passengers, mixed
Length: 150 ft 6 in (45.87 m)
Wingspan: 142 ft 5 in (43.41 m)
Height: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
Wing area: 2,771 ft² (257.4 m²)
Empty: 134,000 lb (60,781 kg)
Maximum takeoff: 310,000 lb (140,614 kg)
Powerplant: 4× Pratt & Whitney JT4A-9 turbojets, 16,800 lbs., (74.7 kN) each
Performance
Maximum cruising speed: 588 mph (946 km/h)
Range with max. payload: 4,605 miles (7,410 km)
Wing loading: 111.9 lb/ft² (546.2 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 4.6 lb/lb
