Aircraft investigation >>>>>>> HOME PAGE
weight and performance calculations for the Douglas DC-8-55CF Jet Trader
***** PRELIMINARY FILE ****
Martinair PH-MAU at Dusseldorf airport, 1975
Douglas DC-8-55CF Jet Trader
role : jet airliner
importance : ****
first flight : 29 October 1962 operational : August 1963
country : United States of America
design :
production : -54CF/-54AF/-55CF : 54 aircraft total DC-8 : 556 aircraft
general information :
Douglas built three cargo versions, the -54AF (All Freighter) for United, the -54CF and -55CF (Convertible Freighter) all equipped with JT3D-3 turbofans of 8165kg of thrust. They have a reinforced floor, a cargo door of 3.56x2.16 [m] and a higher MTOW. Max. payload as a freighter : 40247kg on 13 pallets of 3.18x2.75 [m]. Through balls and rollers in the floor, the load could easily be pushed in and out.
In addition to the -55CF convertible, there was also the regular -55 passenger version that could not be converted into a freighter. During the construction of the -54 and -55 models, Dougals succeeded in moving the rear pressure bulkhead 2.1 [m] more to the rear. As a result, passenger capacity increased from 179 to 189 passengers. Douglas was going to offer the passenger versions in 2 versions, one with the pressure bulkhead still in its old place, internally designated as -55L, which was ordered by KLM, and one with the pressure bulkhead further back, designated as -55AB, which were ordered by the SAS (DC-8-55) and the VARIG (DC-8-53).
From September 1964, KLM flew 2 DC-8-55s. These aircraft were flown to New York 5 times a week. In mid-1965, KLM ordered a third -55CF due to the sharp increase in cargo traffic across the Atlantic. A few more followed later. In June 1981, the -55CF PH-DCZ made the last DC-8 cargo flight for KLM. The aircraft had made 54000 flight hours for KLM in 11 years, an average of 13.44 hours a day !
primary users : KLM, SAS, Martinair, Japan Air Lines, Surinam airways, Garuda, VARIG,
VIASA
registrations :
KLM DC-8-55’s :
PH-DCS DC-8-55CF c/n 45683 "Alfred B.Nobel" delivered July 1964
PH-DCT DC-8-55CF c/n 45691 "Pierre de Coubertin » August 1964 delivered
PH-DCU DC-8-55CF c/n 45859 « Sir Winston Churchill" delivered February 1966
PH-DCV DC-8-55 c/n 45766 "Bali" delivered August 1966, this is not a CF but a regular passenger version, factory designation -55L*
PH-DCW DC-8-55CF c/n 45762 "Gerard Mercato" purchased from Philippine airlines, December 1967
PH-DCY DC-8-55 c/n 45765 "Anthony Fokker" leased from Garuda March 1969, this is not a CF but a regular passenger version, factory designation -55L*
PH-DCZ DC-8-55CF c/n 45804 “Hans Christianson Andersen”
Martinair DC-8-55’s :
PH-MAS DC-8-55CF c/n 45824 “Sydney”
PH-MAU DC-8-55CF c/n 45856 « Toronto »
PH-MBH DC-8-55CF c/n 45818
Accommodation:
flight crew : 4 cabin crew : 5
flight crew consist of pilot, co-pilot, navigator and flight engineer
passengers : seating for 148 in two class : 16 business class and 132 coach class seats ( 34 -in pitch)
high density seating for 189 passengers
engine : 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B turbofan engines of 84.51 [KN](18998.3 [lbf])
dimensions :
wingspan : 43.41 [m], length : 45.87 [m], height : 13.21 [m]
wing area : 267.84 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 3.73 [m]
weights :
empty weight : 59526 [kg]
operating empty weight : 63000 [kg] max. structural payload : 38600 [kg]
Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 101600 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 108860 [kg]
max.take-off weight : 147418 [kg] weight fuel : 70851 [kg] (88564 [liter])
performance :
Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.88 [Mach] (960 [km/hr]) at 9150 [m]
normal cruise speed : 933 [km/hr] (Mach 0.86 ) at 9144 [m] (38 [%] power)
economic cruise speed : 880 [km/hr] (Mach 0.81 ) at 9144 [m]
service ceiling : 12000 [m]
range with max fuel : 10400 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves-370.0 [km] alternate)
description :
low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
tapered multi-cellular wing with flush-riveted stressed skin
with Fowler flaps airfoil : NACA
sweep angle 3/4 chord: 30.0 [°]
engines attached with pylons to the wing, main landing gear attached to the wings, fuel
tanks in the wings and fuselage
construction : all-metal aluminium-alloy stressed-skin construction with pressurized
fuselage fuselage shape : 8
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 6.17 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 6.17 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 6.07 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 7.04 []
seize (span*length*height) : 26304 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 7.4 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 5789.1 [kg/hr] (7236.4 [litre/hr]) at 26 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.15 [km/kg] at 9144 [m] height, sfc : 65.0 [kg/KN/h]
total fuel capacity : 88564 [litre] (70851 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 8200.0 [kg] = 24.26 [kg/KN]
weight 127.7 litre oil tank : 10.85 [kg]
oil tank filled with 2.1 litre oil : 1.9 [kg]
oil in engine 4.1 litre oil : 3.7 [kg]
fuel in engine 18.4 litre fuel : 13.52 [kg]
weight fuel lines 88.6 [kg]
weight engine cowling 1014.1 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 9333 [kg](6.3 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage aluminium frame : 15022 [kg]
floor loading : 368 [kg/m2]
typical 2-class cabin layout for 148 passengers : economy : pitch : 86.4 [cm] ( 3+3 ) seating in 25.2 rows
pax density (normal seating) : 0.71 [m2/pax]
high density seating passengers : 190 at 6 -abreast seating in 31.7 rows, pitch 81.3 [cm]
weight 5 toilets : 73.7 [kg]
weight 7 hand fire extinguisher : 22 [kg]
weight 2 galleys : 137.7 [kg]
weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 51.8 [kg]
weight 3 closets : 29.6 [kg]
weight 52 windows : 47.2 [kg]
weight 4 over wing emergency exits : 116.3 [kg]
Japan Air Lines DC-8 interior
weight lifejackets : 66.6 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 96.2 [kg]
weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]
weight 4 emergency evacuation slides : 69.0 [kg]
weight 4 entrance/exit doors : 271.3 [kg]
weight 2 freight doors (belly) : 96.9 [kg]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 287.24 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.51 [m] cabin length : 33.20 [m] cabin height : 2.19 [m]
floor area : 105.0 [m2]
pressure difference :0.59 [kg/cm2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 185.6 [kg]
weight air pressurization system : 63.8 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 387.6 [m2] duraluminium 3.22 [mm]) : 3299.2 [kg]
convertible pax/freighter strengthened floor
weight 2.34 x 3.40 [m] upper deck cargo door : 308.3 [kg]
weight floor beams : 774.3 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 916.0 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 1763.2 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 281.4 [kg]
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight dual cloud-collision radar : 25.0 [kg]
weight radio direction finding (RDF) equipment : 5.0 [kg]
weight Sperry Integrated Flight System : 11.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizon : 1.1 [kg]
weight instruments. : 38.0 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 42.3 [kg]
Martinair DC-8-55CF PH-MAU “Toronto” in front of the ATC tower at Schiphol airport
weight lighting : 37.0 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 37.0 [kg]
weight controls : 18.7 [kg]
weight seats : 785.0 [kg]
weight 44282 [litre] main central fuel tanks empty : 2479.8 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 222 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 27051 [kg](18.4 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (1220 ribs) : 5257 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 169 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 44282 [litre] fuel : 2480 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 2.19 [mm]) : 3174 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 5006 [kg]
weight wings : 13437 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 50.17 [kg]
weight rubber de-icing boots : 47.8 [kg]
weight fin & rudder (21.9 [m2]) : 1100.6 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (30.1 [m2]): 1513.7 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 73.4 [kg]
weight fowler flaps (17.2 [m2]) : 436.7 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 19258 [kg] (13.1 [%])
*******************************************************************
JAL DC-8-55CF JA8014 “Asama” c/n 45678 March 1976 being serviced at Tokyo-Haneda (HND) apt.
wheel pressure : 16216.0 [kg]
weight 8 Dunlop main wheels (1130 [mm] by 226 [mm]) : 1033.7 [kg]
weight 2 Dunlop nose wheels : 129.2 [kg]
weight hydraulic wheel-brakes : 101.6 [kg]
weight pneumatic-hydraulic shock absorbers : 135.5 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 1171.0 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 3225.5 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 5796.5 [kg] (3.9 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 61438 [kg](41.7 [%])
weight oil for 13.4 hours flying : 108.2 [kg]
weight catering : 344.2 [kg]
weight water : 275.3 [kg]
weight crew : 729 [kg]
weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 105 [kg]
operational weight empty : 63000 [kg] (42.7 [%])
********************************************************************
weight 148 passengers : 11396 [kg]
weight luggage : 2368 [kg]
weight cargo : 24836 [kg]
Drawing of the upper deck main cargo door, 3.56 x 2.16m
zero fuel weight (ZFW): 101600 [kg](68.9 [%])
weight fuel for landing (1.3 hours flying) : 7260 [kg]
max. landing weight (MLW): 108860 [kg](73.8 [%])
max. fuel weight : 133851 [kg] (90.8 [%])
payload with max fuel : 146 passengers+luggage 13567 [kg]
published maximum take-off weight : 147418 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 436 [kg/KN]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 379 [kg/kN]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 581 [kg/KN]
max. total take-off power : 338.0 [KN]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 8.1 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 0.7 [g]
design flight time : 4.65 [hours]
design cycles : 5052 sorties, design hours : 23496 [hours]
operational wing loading : 4686 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 280 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.80 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 13.98 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.66 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.15 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.29 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.31 [ ]
max. lift coefficient full flaps : 1.58 [ ]
DC-8-55CF PH-DCU "Sir Winston Churchill", crashed on 31 March 1988 in service with Arax Airlines for cargo flights reg. 5N-ARH at Cairo, killing 4.
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0239 [ ]
drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0243 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0053 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0190 [ ]
lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 12.06 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 141629 [kg]): 289 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 230 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 108550 [kg]): 265 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 700 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 416 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 4789 [kg/hr] at height : 1219 [m]
max. range speed : 892 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 6.203 [kg/km] at cruise height :
10058 [m]
cruising speed : 933 [km/hr] at 9144 [m] (power:27 [%])
max. operational speed (Mmo) : 960.00 [km/hr] (Mach 0.88 ) at 9150 [m] (power:28.6 [%])
airflow : 680.1 [kg/s]
speed of thrust jet : 1622 [km/hr]
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 1906 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 1640 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 1585 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 353.9 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 2792 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 2884 [m]
landing run : 1243 [m]
landing run from 15 [m] : 2126 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 14.91 [ ]
max. theoretical ceiling : 17500 [m] with flying weight :141629 [kg] line 3359
climb to 1000m with max payload : 0.59 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 1.15 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 1.68 [min]
climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 2.64 [min]
minimum flying speed at 12000 [m] : 651 [km/hr]
theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min. fuel:141629 [kg] ) : 17500 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
range with max. payload: 6622 [km] with 38600.0 [kg] max. useful load (64.7 [%] fuel)
range with high density pax: 10058 [km] with 190 passengers (94.2 [%] fuel)
range with typical two-class pax: 10736 [km] with 148 passengers (99.7 [%] fuel)
range with max.fuel : 10770 [km] with 9 crew and 146 [kg] passengers and 100.0 [%] fuel
ferry range : 11377 [km] with 4 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 106803.1 [litre] fuel : 13357 [km]
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 1588910 [paskm]
useful load with range 1000km : 38600 [kg]
useful load with range 1000km : 190 passengers
production (theor.max load): 36014 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 36014 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 138084 [paskm/hour]
combi aircraft mail/freight/passengers
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.161 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.042 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.009 [eur]
economic hours : 22300 [hours] is less then design hours
time between engine failure : 481 [hr]
can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
writing off per paskm : 0.017 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.0007 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.037 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.105 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 0.404 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 0.404 [eur]
On November 29, 1963, TCA's brand new DC-8-54CF CF-TJN c/n 45654 crashed in the dark under foggy conditions near Saint Therese de Blainville, Canada. All 111 passengers and 7 crew members were killed. Domestic flight 831 from Dorval airport ( 45°28'13"N 73°44'11"W ), Montreal to Toronto. Crash 5min after take-off from RW06, course NNW, 15km NW of Montreal, water filled crater of 30m diameter and 2 meters deep. (location as indicated in the final crash investigation report : 45°40'53"N 73°53’55"W ) It seemed as if the aircraft had been trimmed incorrectly, but the cause was never determined.
The aircraft had made its first flight in 1963 and had only made 2174 flight hours.
This watery crater is all that was left of DC-8-54CF CF-TJN, it is nowadays a residential area with nice houses with swimming pools
PH-MBH pictured at Schiphol airport
On December 4, 1974, the DC-8-55CF PH-MBH c/n 45818 operating for Garuda flies against a mountain in Sri Lanka. All 182 passengers and 9 crew members are killed. Martinair airplane, leased by Garuda. Flight 138 from Surabaya (SUB) via Colombo (CMB) to Jeddah (JED), full of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. Flies during approach RW04 CMB against Anjimalai Mountain at 4355ft altitude, at Maskeliya 40nm east of CMB. misinterpretation of Doppler and weather-radar system. 1st flight : 1966, 35613 flight hours. JT3D-3B engines.
This was at that time the second largest disaster in aviation history. (location +-2km 6°53'38"N 80°29'25"E )
literature:
Wikipedia
Photo of McDonnell Douglas DC-8-55F PH-MBH - Aviation Safety Network (aviation-safety.net)
https://www.boeing.com/resources/boeingdotcom/commercial/airports/acaps/dc8.pdf
Verkeersvliegtuigen (Moussault) page157
Jane’s all the world aircraft ’64-’65 page 212
De Nederlandse DC-8 vliegtuigen page1 t/m 33
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 5 page 65
Google earth
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 27 June 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4