Aircraft investigation >>>>>>> HOME PAGE
weight and performance calculations for the Douglas DC-8-33
KLM DC-8-33 PH-DCC c/n 45378 August 1968 at New York (JFK) apt.
Douglas DC-8-33
role : jet airliner
importance : ****
first flight : 21 February 1959 operational : April 1960 (KLM)
country : United States of America
design :
production : DC-8-33 : 57 aircraft, total DC-8 556 aircraft built between 1958 and 1972
general information :
The DC-8-30 was the first intercontinental version. In November 1955, KLM was the first non-American airline to order 8 DC-8-30s. Douglas also developed subversions of the main variants, which were adapted to the specific wishes of the customers, so you had the -30 to -33. Due to the higher take-off weight of the -30, the runway became very long and therefore hanging flaps were fitted. Initially the KLM ordered 8 DC-8-32s, but in July 1959 this was converted into 7 -33s and a -53. Due to the "Speed Recovery Program", the first DC-8-33 was delivered two months late. On 25 March 1960, KLM received its first -33, the PH-DCA "Albert Plesman". KLM was the first European carrier to order the DC-8. Before the arrival of the jet aircraft, runway 06-24 of 3300m length was specially constructed at Schiphol. Hangar 10 "Albert Plesman" was also enlarged and was able to maintain 2 DC-8's simultaniously. On April 16, 1960, KLM flew its first service flight with the DC-8, flying with 80 passengers to New York in 7 hours and 37 minutes, 6 hours faster than a DC-7C. KLM was the first European airline to put the DC-8 into service.
There were soon 13 flights a week to New York and 4 times to Montreal with the DC-8. From October 1960, the DC-8 also started flying to Tokyo. The DC-8 flew this in 27.5 hours against 46 hours with a DC-7C. Then in December 1960 the service was opened to Sydney which was flown in 33 hours (27 flight hours) against 56 hours with a DC-7C.
The DC-8 initially suffered from a number of malfunctions, especially in the hydraulic system that caused a number of aircraft to run off the runway or touch-down in front of the runway due to the slow response of the engines. The DC-8 also still did not reach the promised flight range. The wings had to be modified for 150,000 USD each and KLM was in negotiations with Douglas who would pay for it.
The DC-8-33 was equipped with Leading-edge slots (split nose flaps) to improve starting characteristics.
On 10 July 1961, the first KLM DC-8 flight was made with a spare engine attached below the wing, which was delivered in Karachi. For this purpose, the engine is placed in a streamlined pod pack.
To train its crews, KLM used a flight simulator for the first time.
V1, decision speed, at the -33 is around 120 km/h and the start time fully loaded is around 45 seconds.
KLM DC-8-33 PH-DCA “Albert Plesman” c/n 45376 at Schiphol, it was the first DC-8 delivered to the KLM on 25 March 1960 starting scheduled service on 16 April 1960.
In October 1962, the PH-DCA had made 8122 flight hours in which approximately 6 million km were covered, 70 million liters of fuel was burned and 400 tires were worn out (tire has to replaced after 100 cycles).This equates to 8.9 hours a day, an average speed of 739 km/h and a consumption of 8.4 kg of kerosene per km > 6207 kg/hr, calculated is 6425 kg/hr…
By September 1964, a total of 210 DC-8s had already been delivered.
KLM had set up the -33s for the transport of 113 passengers. In order to be able to make a profit on transatlantic flights, at least 73 seats had to be sold. Many airlines had problems getting their jets sufficiently full in the beginning.
The base price of a DC-8 was 19.5 million Dutch guilder (NLG,) 500,000 usd more expensive than the 707.
primary users : KLM(7), Swissair(3), SAS(7), JAL(5), Martinair(2), Northwest(5), Panam(19), TAI(3), UAT(2)
registrations :
KLM -33s were: PH_DCA "Albert Plesman", PH-DCB "Daniel Bernouilli", PH-DCC "Sir Frank Whittle", PH-DCD "Nicolaus August Otto", PH-DCE "Thomas Alva Edison", PH-DCF "Anthony Fokker", PH-DCG "Guglielmo Marconi". The first, the PH-DCA was registered on March 19, 1960 and the last one was decommissioned on March 7, 1973, the PH-DCF. Martinair flew 2 -33s, the PH-DCA and the PH-DCD taken over from KLM, from November 1967 to October 1975.
Accommodation:
flight crew : 4 cabin crew : 6
flight crew consist of pilot, co-pilot, navigator and flight engineer
passengers : seating for 132 in two class : 16 business class and 116 coach class
seats ( 34 -in pitch). high density seating for 179 passengers
engine : 4 Pratt & Whitney JT4A-11 turbojet engines of 77.86 [KN] (17503.3 [lbf])
Swissair DC-8-32, chord at root 9.67 [m] at tip : 2.22 [m]
dimensions :
wingspan : 43.41 [m], length : 45.87 [m], height : 12.91 [m]
wing area : 257.6 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 3.73 [m]
weights :
empty weight : 57607 [kg]
operating empty weight : 60692 [kg] max. structural payload : 20728 [kg]
Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 81420 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 93900 [kg]
max.take-off weight : 142880 [kg] weight fuel : 69888 [kg] (87360 [litres])
performance :
Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.87 [Mach] (952 [km/hr]) at 9150 [m]
max. cruising speed : 925 [km/hr] (Mach 0.86 ) at 10000 [m] (40 [%] power)
economic cruising speed : 880 [km/hr] (Mach 0.82 ) at 10000 [m]
service ceiling : 11200 [m]
range with max fuel and Max.TOW : 9200 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves - 370.0 [km]
alternate)
description :
cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
Wings : two main spar fail-safe wing structure with double slotted trailing edge flaps with
leading edge slots ,with spoilers airfoil : NACA sweep angle 3/4 chord: 30.9 [°]
engines attached with pylons to the wing, main landing gear attached to the wings, fuel
tanks in the wings and fuselage
Fuselage : Pressurized conventional all-metal fail safe structure with double-bubble cross
section
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
wing chord at root : 9.67 [m]
measured wing chord at tip : 2.26 [m]
taper ratio : 0.234 [ ]
mean wing chord : 5.93 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 5.89 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 7.32 []
Oswald factor (e): 0.685 []
seize (span*length*height) : 25707 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 13.1 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 6426.5 [kg/hr] (8033.1 [litre/hr]) at 28 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.14 [km/kg] at 10000 [m] height, sfc : 75.0 [kg/KN/h]
total fuel capacity : 87360 [litre] (69888 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
The JT4A engines of a KLM DC-8-33 in flight
weight engine(s) dry : 8680.0 [kg] = 27.87 [kg/KN]
weight 197 litre oil tank : 16.72 [kg]
oil tank filled with 2.0 litre oil : 1.8 [kg]
oil in engine 3.8 litre oil : 3.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 17.0 litre fuel : 12.46 [kg]
weight fuel lines : 144.6 [kg]
weight engine cowling : 809.7 [kg]
weight ejector rings : 155.7 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 9824 [kg](6.9 [%])
***************************************************************
Accommodation cabin facilities:
typical 2-class cabin layout for 132 passengers : economy : pitch : 86.4 [cm] 34.0 [-in] ( 3+3 ) seating in 22.5 rows
weight seats : 710.0 [kg]
high density seating passengers : 179 [pax] at 6 -abreast seating in 29.8 rows, pitch 86.4 [cm] 34.0 [-in]
pax density, normal seating : 0.73 [m2/pax], high density seating : 0.53 [m2/pax]
weight 4 lavatories : 65.6 [kg]
weight lounge : 35 [kg]
SAS DC-8-33 cabin interior
weight 4 buffets : 131.3 [kg]
weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 46.2 [kg]
weight 3 wardrobe closets : 26.4 [kg]
weight 3 movie screens : 21.1 [kg]
weight 47 windows (47x38cm) : 42.4 [kg]
weight 2 (1.83 x 0.88 [m]) main entry doors : 121.0 [kg]
weight 2 (1.63 x 0.85 [m]) service doors : 104.5 [kg]
weight 2 (1.12 x 0.91 [m]) freight doors (belly) : 66.9 [kg]
total belly baggage/cargo hold volume : 39.13 [m3]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 216 [m3]
passenger compartment volume : 146 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.51 [m] cabin length : 31.08 [m] cabin height : 2.21 [m]
floor area : 95.7 [m2]
weight cabin facilities : 1370.5 [kg]
safety facilities:
weight 4 type III over wing emergency exits (51x91 cm): 74.1 [kg]
evacuation time with 179 passengers : 45 [sec]
weight 7 hand fire extinguisher : 20 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 85.8 [kg]
weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]
weight 4 emergency evacuation slides : 111.9 [kg]
weight safety equipment & facilities : 302 [kg]
fuselage construction:
fuselage aluminium frame : 12036 [kg]
floor loading (payload/m2): 217 [kg/m2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 200.7 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 366.4 [m2] duraluminium 3.49 [mm]) : 3371.9 [kg]
weight floor beams : 617.0 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 844.3 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 1455.6 [kg]
weight (sound proof) isolation : 310.1 [kg]
weight 34844 [litre] main central fuel tanks empty : 1951.3 [kg]
weight empty 125 [litre] potable water tank : 11.1 [kg]
weight empty waste tank : 14.7 [kg]
weight fuselage structure : 20812.6 [kg]
Avionics:
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight dual cloud-collision radar : 25.0 [kg]
weight Doppler & radio direction finding (RDF) equipment : 5.0 [kg]
Martinair DC-8-33 PH-DCA c/n 45376 cockpit, April 1974
weight Sperry automatic flight control system, with SP-30 auto-pilot : 25.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizons, compass, alti-meters : 7 [kg]
weight engine monitoring gauges & control switches : 12 [kg]
weight avionics : 87.0 [kg]
Systems:
Air-conditioning and pressurization system maintains sea level conditions up to 7100 [m]
and gives equivalent of 2000 [m] at 12200 [m]. pressure differential : 0.62 [bars] (kg/cm2)
pressurized fuselage volume : 394 [m3]
weight air-conditioning and pressurization system : 202 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 38.9 [kg]
weight lighting : 43.6 [kg]
weight 210 bar hydraulic system : 85.7 [kg]
weight engine-driven 40kVA electricity generators : 33.0 [kg]
weight 22Ah battery : 12.0 [kg]
weight controls : 19.8 [kg]
weight systems : 435.3 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 23007 [kg](16.1 [%])
***************************************************************
average Take-off weight : 101342 [kg](70.9 [%])
total weight aluminium ribs (1051 ribs) : 4355 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 156 [kg]
6x4 = 24 first class 13x6 = 78 coach class seats > total 102 pax
weight 6 wing fuel tanks empty for total 52516 [litre] fuel : 2941 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 3.18 [mm]) : 4427 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 4306 [kg]
weight wings : 13087 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 50.81 [kg]
weight thermal leading-edge anti-icing : 47.8 [kg]
weight ailerons (11.24 [m2]) : 286.4 [kg]
weight fin (30.49 [m2]) : 776.7 [kg]
weight rudder (9.49 [m2]) : 232.1 [kg]
weight tailplane (stabilizer) (57.15 [m2]): 1601.8 [kg]
weight elevators (13.72 [m2]): 188.72 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 42.8 [kg]
weight trailing-edge double slotted flaps (41.57 [m2]) : 902.7 [kg]
weight leading edge slots (1.82 [m2]) : 28.8 [kg]
weight spoilers (12.2 [m2]) : 156.0 [kg]
total weight wing construction : 20448 [kg] (33.7 [%])
*******************************************************************
tire pressure main wheels : 12.20 [Bar] (nitrogen), ply rating : 23 PR
SAS DC-8-33 OY-KTA “Dan Viking” c/n 45384, Arlanda apt. (ARN), Stockholm, May 1970
tire speed limit : 364 [km/hr]
total tyre footprint : 0.55 [m2]
Aircraft Classification Number, MTOW on rigid runway and medium subgrade
strength (B) : 39 [ ] Can also operate from unpaved runways subgrade B
wheel pressure : 15716.8 [kg]
weight 8 Dunlop main wheels (1130 [mm] by 420 [mm]) : 969.0 [kg]
weight 2 nose wheels : 121.1 [kg]
weight multi-disc wheel-brakes : 81.4 [kg]
weight Hydro-air flywheel detector type anti-skid units : 9.0 [kg]
weight oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers : 108.6 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 1197.9 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts (four-wheel bogies) with axle 3442.4 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 5929.4 [kg] (4.1 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 59209 [kg](41.4 [%])
weight oil for 11.9 hours flying : 170.7 [kg]
weight lifejackets : 59.4 [kg]
weight 2 life rafts : 82.5 [kg]
weight catering : 138.6 [kg]
weight water : 110.9 [kg]
weight crew : 810 [kg]
weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 111 [kg]
operational weight empty : 60692 [kg] (42.5 [%])
********************************************************************
weight 132 passengers : 10164 [kg]
KLM DC-8-33 PH-DCG c/n 45382 at Perth, Australia baking in the sun, January 1963.
weight luggage : 2112 [kg]
weight cargo : 8452 [kg] (cargo+luggage/m3 belly : 256 [kg/m3])
zero fuel weight (ZFW): 81420 [kg](57.0 [%])
weight fuel for landing (1.9 hours flying) : 12480 [kg]
max. landing weight (MLW): 93900 [kg](65.7 [%])
max. fuel weight : 130580 [kg] (91.4 [%])
payload with max fuel : 132 passengers+luggage 12300 [kg]
published maximum take-off weight : 142880 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 459 [kg/KN]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 612 [kg/KN]
max. total take-off power : 311.4 [KN]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 7.7 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 2.5 [g] ultimate load : 3.8 [g] load factor : 1.1 [g]
design flight time : 2.10 [hours]
design cycles : 14775 sorties, design hours : 31028 [hours]
max. wing loading (MTOW & flaps retracted) : 555 [kg/m2]
wing stress (2 g) during operation : 177 [N/kg] at 2g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.79 ["]
Inside Japanese Airlines JA8005 DC-8-33 c/n 45421 “Miyajima”
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 13.39 ["]
max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 12.85 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.57 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.15 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.28 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.27 [ ]
max. lift coefficient full flaps : 1.61 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0250 [ ]
drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0270 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0071 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0199 [ ]
lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 11.28 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
take-off safety speed (V2) : 275 [km/u]
take-off (initial climb) speed (Vto) : 325 [km/u]
stalling speed clean at sea-level (OW loaded : 136454 [kg]): 294 [km/u]
max. rate of climb speed : 556 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed (Vbe): 473 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 5649 [kg/hr] at height : 3658 [m]
max. range speed (Vbr): 914 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 7.137 [kg/km] at cruise height : 10363 [m]
cruising speed : 925 [km/hr] at 10000 [m] (power:29 [%])
max. operational speed (Mmo) : 952 [km/hr] (Mach 0.87 ) at 9150 [m] (power:31.9 [%])
airflow at cruise speed per engine : 99.0 [kg/s]
speed of thrust jet : 1745 [km/hr]
initial descent speed 10000 - 7315 [m]: Mach 0.75
descent speed 7315 - 3048 [m]: 537 [km/u]
approach speed 3048 - 500 [m] (clean): 463 [km/u]
stalling speed clean at 500 [m] height at Max.Landing Weight : 93900 [kg]): 250 [km/u]
final approach speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight) (Vapp): 261 [km/u]
ICAO Aircraft Approach Category (APC) : D
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight(Vtd): 93775 [kg]): 247 [km/hr]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (max. landing weight): 200 [km/u]
rate of climb at sea-level ROC (loaded, 65 % power) : 836 [m/min]
rate of climb at sea-level ROC (loaded, 75% power) : 1092 [m/min]
rate of climb at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF/MTOW, 100 % power on
remaining engines) : 840 [m/min]
rate of climb at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 274 [m/min]
max.rate of descent with landing gear extended, with use of spoilers: 457 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
low wheel pressure, can also take off from unpaved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 2893 [m]
ICAO Aerodrome Reference Code : 4D
take-off distance (C.A.R) at sea-level over 10.7 [m] height : 3011 [m]
FAR TO runway length requirement at MTOW, standard day at SL (ASDA): 3014 [m]
landing distance (MLW) : 870 [m]
landing distance (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, dry runway : 2072 [m]
landing distance (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, wet runway : 2372 [m]
FAR landing runway length requirements at SL : 2101 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 14.05 [ ]
climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 5.54 [min]
climb to 10000 [m] with max payload : 17.04 [min]
descent time from 10000 [m] to 250 [m] : 24.33 [min]
ceiling limited by max. pressure differential 16225 [m]
theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min.fuel: 136454 [kg] ) : 16200 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
range with max. payload: 8244 [km] with 20728.0 [kg] max. useful load (87.9 [%] fuel)*
range with high density pax: 8880 [km] with 179 passengers (93.8 [%] fuel)*
range with typical two-class pax: 9571 [km] with 132 passengers (100.0 [%] fuel)*
range with max.fuel : 9570 [km] with 10 crew and 132 passengers and 100.0 [%] fuel*
ferry range : 10174 [km] with 4 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)*
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 103654 [litre] fuel : 11714 [km]*
* calculated ranges without fuel reserves
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 1491063 [paskm]
useful load with range 1000km : 20728 [kg]
useful load with range 1000km : 179 passengers
production (theor.max load): 19173 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 19173 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 150098 [paskm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.336 [kg]
calculation *11* (operating cost)
fuel cost per hour (8033 [litre]):4819 [eur] (19 [pax-km/litre fuel])
fuel cost per seat 1000km flight (162 [pax] 2-class seating): 32.11 [eur/1000PK]
oil cost per hour: 54 [eur]
crew cost per hour : 1350 [eur]
list price 2023 : 157 [mln USD]
average flying hours in 1 year : 2943 [hours] technical life : 11 [year]
real average service life : 10 [years]
economic hours (average real flown hours): 29430 [hours] is 5 [%] less then design hours
financing interest per flying hour : 1244 [EUR]
write off per flying hour : 4593 [EUR]
time between engine failure : 14838 [hr]
can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
workhours per day : 10.94 [hr]
average flight hours till crash : 0.84 [mln hr] (285 service years)
safe flight hours till fatality : 22072 [hr] (7.5 service years)
reservation pax liability/flying hour : 5.84 [SDR*] (7.30 [eur])
insurance cost per hour : 207 [eur]
engine maintenance cost per hour : 116.4 [eur]
wing maintenance cost per hour : 269.9 [eur]
fuselage maintenance cost per hour : 166.18 [eur]
tire life (time till worn out) : 100.61 [cycles]
maintenance cost per hour (excluding engines): 1667 [eur]
direct operating cost per hour: 14058 [eur]
DOC per seat 1000km flight (162 [pax] 2-class seating): 93.66 [eur/1000PK]
DOC per seat 1000km flight (high density seating): 84.90 [eur/1000PK]
DOC per kg cargo for a 1000km flight : 0.73 [eur/kg] (= DOC/tonkm)
passenger service charge (depart at Schiphol): 11.34 [eur]
security service charge (depart at Schiphol): 10.08 [eur]
airport take-off fee / passenger : 5.26 [eur/pax]
airport landing fee / passenger : 5.26 [eur/pax]
retour ticket price 1000km trip : 276.30 [eur/pax]
price retour ticket Schiphol-Barcelona : 327.81 [eur/pax]
KLM DC-8 Interior in the 1960
accidents with fatalities > see the accident file
Literature :
Verkeersvliegtuigen (Moussault) page 156
De Nederlandse DC-8 vliegtuigen page 1 - 33
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 5 page 65
Onze Burgervloot page 27,28
Jane’s all the world aircraft ’64-’65 page 212
Jane’s all the world aircraft 1970-71 page
Alles over straalvliegtuigen (Hooftman) page 12-25
confidence rating regarding source data : medium - all information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 16 September 2023 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com ac jetpax 2020.py python 3.7.4