Douglas DC-9

摘要

During the first few years of the 'jet age', the speed and comfort offered by the de Havilland Comet 4, the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8 were mostly enjoyed by long-distance air travellers. The economics of those early jetliners best suited them for long-haul routes, which is why at the start of the 1960s, much of the world's intercity air traffic was still being carried by propeller-driven airliners, including piston-powered types such as the Douglas DC-6 and Lockheed Constellation. However, the tremendous popularity of the big jets generated a growing demand for smaller jets on medium- and short-haul routes.