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Douglas DC-8
The DC-8 was the first Douglas jet airliner, a four-engine, low-wing jet that first flew on May 30, 1958, and entered service with United Air Lines and Delta Air Lines on the same day, September 18, 1959. Over a 14-year production run Douglas built 556 in seven main versions, from the early turbojet models to the turbofan Series 50 and the stretched Series 60, whose DC-8-61 seats up to 259. The Series 70 is a Series 60 re-engined with quieter, more efficient CFM56 turbofans, keeping its weights but flying farther and meeting the stricter noise rules of the 1980s.
The variants side by side
| Variant | Range | Seats | Length | First flight | Status | Flights seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC-8-73 | – | – | 187 ft 5 in (57.12 m) | – | Still flying with a few operators | 8 |
Flights seen in US airspace in the last 14 days (public flight data).