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94-536: The airport is the second-busiest in the country, after Punta Cana International Airport , and one of the largest in the Caribbean, handling 3.5 million passengers in 2015. It is also the busiest cargo hub in the Caribbean and Central America, with 355,000,000 lbs of cargo transported in 2019. Las Américas Airport opened in 1959 as the official airport of Ciudad Trujillo , the capital of the Dominican Republic, with

188-412: A daily routing of San Juan - Ciudad Trujillo - Port au Prince - Havana - New Orleans. Also during the mid-1950s, U.S. based Pan American World Airways ( Pan Am ) was serving Ciudad Trujillo with nonstop flights to New York City , Miami and Port au Prince operated with Douglas DC-6 four engine propliners (which the airline called the "Super-6 Clipper"). In 1960, locally-based Dominicana de Aviacion ,

282-535: A further 44. Unlike the competing but larger Boeing 727 trijet , which used as many 707 components as possible, the DC-9 was developed as an all-new design. Throughout its development, Douglas had placed considerable emphasis on making the airliner as economic as possible, as well as to facilitate its future growth. The adoption of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engine, which had already been developed for

376-462: A gross weight of 69,000 lb (31,300 kg). This design was changed into what would be the initial DC-9 variant. During February 1963, detailed design work commenced. On April 8, 1963, Douglas announced that it would proceed with the DC-9. Shortly thereafter, Delta Air Lines placed the initial order for the DC-9, ordering 15 aircraft along with options for another 15. By January 1965, Douglas had garnered orders for 58 DC-9 as well as options for

470-522: A half. The small control tower also began operation. In January 1984, Punta Cana had its first international flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico , operated by the Puerto Rican airline, Prinair . The aircraft was a small double turbo propeller aircraft with 20 passengers. In 1984, the airport received 2,976 passengers. With a proper airport, many new hotels were built. As a result, this brought an increased demand to bring jet aircraft to Punta Cana, since

564-419: A key factor that contributed to the DC-9 becoming the best selling airliner in the world for a time. By May 1976, the company had delivered 726 aircraft of the DC-9 family, which was more than double the number of its nearest competitor. However, following decades of intense competition between the two airliners, the DC-9 would eventually be overtaken as the world's best selling airliner by Boeing's 737. From

658-554: A larger wing and a higher MTOW. This was further developed into the third generation, the MD-90 , in the early 1990s, as the body was stretched again, fitted with V2500 high-bypass turbofans, and an updated flight deck. The shorter and final version, the MD-95, was renamed the Boeing 717 after McDonnell Douglas's merger with Boeing in 1997; it is powered by Rolls-Royce BR715 engines. The DC-9 family

752-653: A larger wing and more powerful engines for a higher maximum takeoff weight (MTOW); it first flew in August 1966 and entered service in February 1967. The Series 20 has the Series 10 fuselage, more powerful engines, and the Series 30's improved wings; it first flew in September 1968 and entered service in January 1969. The Series 40 was further lengthened by 6 ft (2 m) for 125 passengers, and

846-477: A maximum weight of 82,000 lb (37,000 kg). The Series 10 was similar in size and configuration to the BAC One-Eleven and featured a T-tail and rear-mounted engines. Power was provided by a pair of 12,500  lbf (56  kN ) JT8D-5 or 14,000 lbf (62 kN) JT8D-7 engines. A total of 137 were built. Delta Air Lines was the initial operator. The Series 10 was produced in two main subvariants,

940-421: A new Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) were all presented. In November 2014, Terminal B was officially inaugurated. This terminal uses jet bridges , the first terminal at the airport to use them. The new terminal is also completely enclosed, unlike the other terminals at the airport. In November 2017, a new VIP lounge opened, which included a pool. The airport has five terminals: Terminal A,

1034-510: A new taxiway. In 1989, the first private jets started to fly to the airport. Towards the end of 1989, another expansion started to extend the runway to 10,171 feet (3,100 m). This expansion was completed in late 1990. The 1990s brought a major change to the airport. Now that the runway was 10,171 feet (3,100 m), long-haul jets could fly there. Some of the first airlines to fly charters to Punta Cana during this time were Monarch Airlines and Air Belgium in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Condor

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1128-606: A paradise feeling. The problem was that the planners did not want to pay for expensive air conditioning . The solution to this problem was to build the terminal in such a way that the coastal breezes from the Caribbean Sea would come in and cool down the passengers. The terminal building was planned to have palm fronds for the roof, and stone from the nearby jungles for the walls. For the columns, they would use eucalyptus logs and build them in Taíno and Arawak styles. Construction on

1222-505: A sizable fleet of DC-9s, most of which were over 30 years old at the time. With severe increases in fuel prices in the summer of 2008, Northwest Airlines began retiring its DC-9s, switching to Airbus A319s that are 27% more fuel efficient. As the Northwest/Delta merger progressed, Delta returned several stored DC-9s to service. Delta Air Lines made its last DC-9 commercial flight from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Atlanta on January 6, 2014, with

1316-582: A small expansion of the terminal and the tarmac was expanded to allow seven aircraft to park. This was also the year the Grupo Puntacana had begun the planning of a second runway. In 2004, Terminal 2 opened, the second terminal at the airport. As many old charter carriers from the 1990s began to cease operations to the airport, each new year brought new airlines and destinations. Several prominent leisure carriers such as Transaero , Pullmantur Air , and Corsairfly started operations with large aircraft such as

1410-530: A still modern look. Concourse B has four gates (B1 through B4) and remote stand (P8). Terminal B now features a co-branded Copa Club operated jointly by United Airlines and Copa Airlines , and a Private Lounge exclusive to members and business people. The average number of daily flights in and out of Las Américas ranges between 68 and 84. JetBlue is the largest airline operating at Las Américas. Punta Cana International Airport Punta Cana International Airport ( IATA : PUJ , ICAO : MDPC )

1504-416: A very short runway and still no terminal. This meant passengers would exit their plane and be directed onto a road to be picked up to ride to their hotel, which was inconvenient. Grupo PuntaCana knew it needed a real airport. In late 1974, Grupo Puntacana started to plan the first private international airport. However, the local government disapproved of the new airport. After eight full years of arguing with

1598-463: Is 600 nmi (1,100 km; 690 mi), increasing to 1,450 nmi (2,690 km; 1,670 mi) with full fuel. The aircraft is fitted with a passenger door in the port forward fuselage, and a service door/emergency exit is installed opposite. An airstair installed below the front passenger door was available as an option as was an airstair in the tailcone. This also doubled as an emergency exit. Available with either two or four overwing exits,

1692-500: Is 81,700 lb (37,100 kg). The Series 14 has a fuel capacity of 3,693 US gallons (with the 907 US gal centre section fuel). The Series 15, certificated on January 21, 1966, is physically identical to the Series 14 but has an increased MTOW of 90,700 lb (41,100 kg). Typical range with 50 passengers and baggage is 950 nautical miles [nmi] (1,760 km; 1,090 mi), increasing to 1,278 nmi (2,367 km; 1,471 mi) at long-range cruise. Range with maximum payload

1786-531: Is a further lengthened version. With a 6 ft 6 in (2 m) longer fuselage, accommodation was up to 125 passengers. The Series 40 was fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines with thrust of 14,500 to 16,000 lbf (64 to 71 kN). A total of 71 were produced. The variant first entered service with Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) in March 1968. Its unit cost was US$ 5.2 million (1972) (equivalent to US$ 28.73 million in 2023) . The Series 50

1880-515: Is a privately owned commercial airport in Punta Cana , eastern Dominican Republic . The airport was built with open-air terminals and roofs covered in palm fronds . Grupo Punta Cana built the airport, which was designed by architect Oscar Imbert , and inaugurated it in December 1983. It is owned by Grupo Punta Cana and became the first privately owned international airport in the world. The airport

1974-511: Is a result of the rear-mounted engines. The DC-9 series, the first generation of the DC-9 family, includes five members or variants and 10 subvariants, which are the production versions (types). Their designations use the Series (DC-9-) prefix followed by a two-digit numbering with the same first digit and the second digit being a zero for variant names and a nonzero for version/type designations. The first variant, Series 10 (DC-9-10), has four versions (Series 11, Series 12, Series 14 and Series 15);

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2068-605: Is an American five-abreast, single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company . It was initially produced as the Douglas DC-9 prior to August 1967, after which point the company had merged with McDonnell Aircraft to become McDonnell Douglas . Following the introduction of its first jetliner, the high-capacity DC-8 , in 1959, Douglas was interested in producing an aircraft suited to smaller routes. As early as 1958, design studies were conducted; approval for

2162-626: Is derived from the DC-9 family. The ARJ21 is built with manufacturing tooling from the MD-90 Trunkliner program. As a consequence, it has the same fuselage cross-section, nose profile, and tail. The DC-9 was designed for short to medium-haul routes, often to smaller airports with shorter runways and less ground infrastructure than the major airports being served by larger airliners like the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, where accessibility and short-field characteristics were needed. The DC-9's takeoff weight

2256-462: Is north–south (designated 17–35). This runway is the largest in the country, and one of the largest in the Caribbean. With a length of 3,355 m, it is able to support a Boeing 747 . The runway of SDQ was last renovated in June 2008. The old taxi-way was also renovated and converted into a full runway while the old runway was being renovated, then it was converted back into a taxiway after the normal runway

2350-491: Is the busiest in the Dominican Republic , and the second-busiest of the Caribbean , only behind Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport . In 2022, more than 8.3 million passengers (arrivals and departures combined) passed through the terminals that year, with almost 50,000 commercial aircraft operations. In 2023, the airport accounted for 60% of all air arrivals in the Dominican Republic. The airport serves 90 airports in 26 countries. The history of aviation in

2444-420: The Boeing 727 , enabled Douglas to benefit from the preexisting investment. Pratt & Whitney had long collaborated with Douglas on various projects, thus their engine was a natural choice for the company. In order to reduce the considerable financial burden of its development, Douglas implemented one of the first shared-risk production arrangements for the DC-9, arranging for de Havilland Canada to produce

2538-496: The Boeing 747 . In 2011, a new second runway was opened, which permitted more long-haul flights from countries like France, England, and Brazil with large planes such as the Boeing 747-400 , the Boeing 777 , and the Airbus A340 . With this expansion, the airport became the first in the Caribbean to have two runways longer than 10,000 feet. Along with the new runway, a new control tower, Terminal Approach Radar Control facility and

2632-593: The Federal Aviation Administration , and the US Air Force . The Series 20 has an overall length of 104.4 feet (31.82 m), a fuselage length of 92.1 feet (28.07 m), a passenger-cabin length of 60 feet (18.29 m), and a wingspan of 93.3 feet (28.44 m). The DC-9 Series 20 is powered by the 15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust JT8D-11 engine. The Series 20 was originally certificated at an MTOW of 94,500 lb (42,900 kg) but this

2726-471: The Sud Aviation Caravelle and produce a licensed version if sufficient orders were forthcoming from airlines. However, none were ever ordered from the company, leading to Douglas returning to its design studies after the co-operation deal expired. In 1962, design studies were underway into what would become the DC-9, known as Model 2086. The first envisioned version seated 63 passengers and had

2820-673: The Caribbean Sea and of the city. This secondary road crosses the Ozama River by means of a floating bridge, connecting traffic onto the Av. George Washington (el Malecón) which leads into the heart of the colonial city. On 18 April 2007, a new terminal was completed and opened for operations. It can accommodate four Boeing 747s simultaneously. This new terminal has four gates with boarding bridges, an air-conditioning system, and maintenance facilities for aircraft. Las Américas Airport's runway direction

2914-500: The Chilean airline Lan Chile began to fly 767s from Bogota and Santiago . Over time, more airlines from Europe, Canada, and the US began operations to Punta Cana. The late 1990s saw many new European charter carriers such as Britannia Airways , Air Europe , and Iberworld . There was increasing demand for an expansion, as the tarmac was not big enough to fit all of the new jet aircraft. This

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3008-417: The DC-9 was largely analogue, with flight controls mainly consisting of various levers, wheels, and knobs. The problem of deep stalling , revealed by the loss of the BAC One-Eleven prototype in 1963, was overcome through various changes, including the introduction of vortilons , small surfaces beneath the wings' leading edges used to control airflow and increase low-speed lift. The need for such features

3102-607: The DC-9, a smaller all-new jetliner, came on April 8, 1963. The DC-9-10 first flew on February 25, 1965, and gained its type certificate on November 23, to enter service with Delta Air Lines on December 8. The DC-9 is powered by two rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engines under a T-tail for a cleaner wing aerodynamic. It has a two-person flight deck and built-in airstairs to better suit smaller airports. The Series 10 aircraft are 104 ft (32 m) long for typically 90 coach seats. The Series 30, stretched by 15 ft (4.5 m) to seat 115 in economy, has

3196-516: The DC-9-10 can seat up to a maximum certified exit limit of 109 passengers. Typical all-economy layout is 90 passengers, and 72 passengers in a more typical mixed-class layout with 12 first and 60 economy-class passengers. All versions of the DC-9 are equipped with a tricycle undercarriage, featuring a twin nose unit and twin main units. The Series 20 was designed to satisfy a Scandinavian Airlines request for improved short-field performance by using

3290-464: The Model -51. Some visual cues to distinguish this version from other DC-9 variants include side strakes or fins below the side cockpit windows, spray deflectors on the nose gear, and thrust reversers angled inward 17 degrees as compared to the original configuration. The thrust reverser modification was developed by Air Canada for its earlier aircraft, and adopted by McDonnell Douglas as a standard feature on

3384-526: The Punta Cana region started in 1971, when Grupo Puntacana built the first hotel in the area, called "Punta Cana Club", along with a small airstrip. There were no terminals and no runway; it was just a flat piece of land. The only problem was that the area was very secluded from the rest of the Dominican Republic. Also, many more people were starting to go to Punta Cana for vacation, with more and more small cabins being built. Since there were no roads nor harbors ,

3478-399: The Series 14 and 15, although, of the first four aircraft, three were built as Series 11s and one as Series 12. These were later converted to Series 14 standard. No Series 13 was produced. A passenger/cargo version of the aircraft, with a 136-by-81-inch (3.5 by 2.1 m) side cargo door forward of the wing and a reinforced cabin floor, was certificated on March 1, 1967. Cargo versions included

3572-407: The Series 15MC (minimum change) with folding seats that can be carried in the rear of the aircraft, and the Series 15RC (rapid change) with seats removable on pallets. These differences disappeared over the years as new interiors were installed. The Series 10 was unique in the DC-9 family in not having leading-edge slats. The Series 10 was designed to have short takeoff and landing distances without

3666-491: The Series 30, 40 and 50, has a slightly lower basic fuel capacity than the Series 10 (3,679 US gallons). The Series 30 was produced to counter Boeing's 737 twinjet; 662 were built, about 60% of the total. The -30 entered service with Eastern Airlines in February 1967 with a 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m) fuselage stretch, wingspan increased by just over 3 ft (0.9 m) and full-span leading edge slats , improving takeoff and landing performance. Maximum takeoff weight

3760-579: The Series 31 is the JT8D-7 (14,000 lbf (62 kN) thrust), although it was also available with the -9 and -17 engines. On the Series 32 the JT8D-9 (14,500 lbf (64 kN) thrust) was standard, with the -11 also offered. The Series 33 was offered with the JT8D-9 or -11 (15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust) engines and the heavyweight -34 with the JT8D-9, -15 (15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust) or -17 (16,000 lbf (71 kN) thrust) engines. The DC-9-40

3854-507: The airline Hapag-Lloyd Flug began a route from Düsseldorf . Air Transat began a route from Montréal , which became the first route from Canada. In 1994, American Airlines started operations to Miami International Airport . The same year, Lauda Air began operations from Vienna . The Dutch wanted a route to Punta Cana, so in January 1995, Martinair began operations from Amsterdam Schiphol . ATA Airlines started to fly to Midway International Airport in early 1996. In October 1996,

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3948-640: The airport in 1996 included American Airlines with nonstop Airbus A300 -600R, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 service from New York City as well as nonstop Airbus A300-600R and Boeing 727-200 service from Miami in addition to direct one stop Airbus A300-600R service from both Boston and Orlando , Continental Airlines with nonstop Boeing 727-200 service from Newark , Trans World Airlines ( TWA ) with nonstop Boeing 767-200 and Lockheed L-1011 service from New York City, and locally-based APA International Air with nonstop Airbus A300 service from both New York City and Miami. Las Américas

4042-581: The airport including Pan Am with Boeing 707 service nonstop to New York City , Miami , San Juan, Puerto Rico, Kingston, Jamaica and Curacao as well as direct, no change of plane 707 service to Montego Bay , Caracas , Port of Spain , Georgetown, Guyana and Paramaribo while Brazil-based VARIG was operating Sud Aviation Caravelle and Convair 990 jetliner flights nonstop to New York City and Miami as well as direct, no change of plane jet service to Port of Spain, Belém , Fortaleza , Recife , Rio de Janeiro , São Paulo and Porto Alegre . By 1976,

4136-543: The airport to South America in 1996 included nonstop Boeing 727-200 flights to Bogota operated by ACES Colombia as well as nonstop McDonnell Douglas DC-10 flights to Lima operated by Iberia Airlines in addition to direct, no change of plane Boeing 737-200 flights also to Lima operated by Copa Airlines via a stop at this air carrier's hub in Panama City, Panama . Also according to the OAG , other airlines operating flights into

4230-982: The airport was being served by American Airlines with nonstop Boeing 707 and Boeing 747 flights from New York City, Dominicana de Aviacion with nonstop Boeing 727-100 , Boeing 727-200 , Boeing 707 -399C, Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (leased aircraft) service from New York City, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Eastern Airlines with nonstop Boeing 727-100 service from San Juan, Puerto Rico as well as direct, no change of plane 727 flights from Cleveland and Miami, Pan Am with nonstop Boeing 707 service from Port au Prince as well as direct, one stop 707 service from Miami, ALM Antillean Airlines with nonstop and direct one stop McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 service from Curacao, Viasa with nonstop Douglas DC-8 service from Curacao and direct one stop DC-8 flights from Caracas, and locally-based Aerovias Quisqueyana with nonstop Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 service from Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Also in 1976, Aerovias Quisqueyana

4324-436: The airport would have to accommodate more people. This led to the airport's first expansion in 1986. The runway was extended to 7,500 feet (2,300 m), and there was a small expansion in the check-in area of the terminal, along with the renovation of the terminal. The tarmac was also expanded to accommodate jet aircraft, and the control tower had new radar systems added to it. This expansion allowed many more aircraft to land at

4418-409: The airport's route network was too excessive for the small airport. As the number of passengers grew, Grupo PuntaCana planned a massive expansion, which began in 1999. In 2000, after the completion of the expansion, the terminal was renovated and expanded to twice its original size to 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft). A long taxiway was added to prevent a collision on the runway, and the tarmac

4512-507: The airport. In 1987, the first route between Punta Cana and the United States began, with Miami International Airport . During this time, new airlines from around the Caribbean started to fly here. There were only about four airlines in 1988. All of these small airlines were regional, coming from different parts of the Caribbean . The second expansion was added in 1988, with the addition of

4606-478: The airport. The area was secluded, which dissuaded many construction workers from trying to build the airport. However, after eight years of persuading the government, and two more years of construction, the airport began operations on 17 December 1983. The airport started out with a 5,000 foot (1,500 m) runway, which could fit larger propeller planes. The building was 300 square metres (3,200 sq ft) in area, and could assist 150 passengers every hour and

4700-469: The city center) was expanded and modernised. The airport was also modernised, and two more terminals were added, including 20 more gates. The new expressway crosses a new suspension bridge which spans the Ozama River , connecting traffic into the city's Elevated Freeway and Tunnel system onto the city's main street, Av. 27 de Febrero. A more scenic route following the coastal shore provides beautiful views of

4794-469: The city subsequently changing its name to Santo Domingo . The official name of the airport was changed in 2002 to "Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas- José Francisco Peña Gómez (AIJFPG)" but is known as "Las Américas International Airport", or locally, "Las Américas Airport, AILA or "El Aeropuerto". In 1954, U.S. based Delta Air Lines (which was known as "Delta C&S" at the time following its acquisition and merger with Chicago and Southern Air Lines )

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4888-402: The family members would be: First generation (Series 10, Series 20, Series 30, Series 40, and Series 50), second generation (Series 81, Series 82, Series 83, Series 87, and Series 88), and third generation (Series 90 and Series 95). The Series 10 (DC-9-10) was the smallest family member and the Series 90 (MD-90) was the largest. The original DC-9 series was followed in 1980 by the introduction of

4982-515: The final DC-9-50 series first flew in 1974, stretched again by 8 ft (2.5 m) for 135 passengers. When deliveries ended in October 1982, 976 had been built. Smaller variants competed with the BAC One-Eleven , Fokker F28 , and Sud Aviation Caravelle , and larger ones with the original Boeing 737 . The original DC-9 was followed by the second generation in 1980, the MD-80 series, a lengthened DC-9-50 with

5076-605: The first in Latin America to offer such preclearance service. As of December 2020, the preclearance station is still planned, but is waiting to receive authorization from the Dominican Government to begin construction. The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Punta Cana International Airport: [REDACTED] Media related to Punta Cana International Airport at Wikimedia Commons McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 The McDonnell Douglas DC-9

5170-402: The former flag carrier of the Dominican Republic, was operating scheduled international passenger service nonstop between the airport and Miami with Douglas DC-4 four engine propliners and also nonstop between the airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico with Douglas DC-3 and Curtiss C-46 twin prop aircraft. By the early and mid-1960s, several airlines were operating international jet service from

5264-511: The high customer demand for the DC-9 made the company attractive for either an acquisition or a merger; Douglas would merge with the American aerospace company McDonnell Aircraft to form McDonnell Douglas in 1967. The DC-9 family is one of the longest-lasting aircraft in production and operation. It was produced on the final assembly line in Long Beach, California , beginning in 1965, and later

5358-504: The high-capacity, long-range DC-8 ( DC stands for Douglas Commercial ). The Model 2067 , a four-engined aircraft sized for medium-range routes was studied in depth, but work on it was abandoned after the proposal did not receive enough interest from airlines. In 1960, Douglas signed a two-year contract with the French aeronautics company Sud Aviation for technical cooperation; under the terms of this contract, Douglas would market and support

5452-431: The more-powerful engines and improved wings of the -30 combined with the shorter fuselage used in the -10. Ten Series 20 aircraft were produced, all as the Model -21. The -21 had slats and stairs at the rear of plane. In 1969, a DC-9 Series 20 at Long Beach was fitted with an Elliott Flight Automation Head-up display by McDonnell Douglas and used for successful three-month-long trials with pilots from various airlines,

5546-454: The new airport started in early 1982, and the small airstrip had to close down. To substitute for the loss, a small concrete airstrip was made into a temporary airport. This strip would turn into a runway when the airport opened. Since the terminal was small and there was not a lot of construction needed, the terminal was completed in under four months. The runway and tarmac took a long time since there were not many construction workers building

5640-416: The older terminal of the two international terminals, uses aircraft stairs for passengers to deplane and board aircraft with access for disabled people using wheelchair lifts . Terminal B was built with seven airbridges, three being for wide-body aircraft. This new terminal was completed in 2014 and can comfortably accommodate 6,500 travelers daily and over 2 million travelers annually. As of 2023, Terminal B

5734-482: The only airline transport class jet certified to date by the FAA for skydiving operations as of 2006. This is the last and only -21 series still airworthy, and after being out of service for over a decade, it returned to the sky on May 7th, 2024 During the mid 1990s, Northwest Airlines was the largest operator of the type in the world, flying 180 DC-9s. After its acquisition of Northwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines operated

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5828-468: The only way to get into Punta Cana was by air. In the late 1970s a road was built to connect the area with the capital of La Altagracia Province , Higüey . Tourists from various countries started to come in. They had to pass through Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo , then take a short flight in a small plane to Punta Cana. The airstrip itself had significant problems, such as having

5922-407: The onset of its development, the DC-9 had been intended to be available in multiple versions to suit varying customer requirements; the first stretched version, the Series 30, with a longer fuselage and extended wing tips, flew on August 1, 1966, entering service with Eastern Air Lines in 1967. The initial Series 10 was followed by the improved -20 , -30 , and -40 variants. The final DC-9 series

6016-424: The original leading-edge slat design to achieve lower drag . The flight test program proceeded at a rapid pace; the initial Series 10 received airworthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on November 23, 1965, permitting it to enter service with Delta Air Lines on December 8. Through the DC-9, Douglas had beaten rival company Boeing and their 737 to enter the short-haul jet market,

6110-621: The original DC-9 series. The MD-80 series includes the MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, MD-88, and shortest variant, the MD-87. The MD-80 series was further developed into the third generation, the MD-90 series, in the early 1990s. It has yet another fuselage stretch, an electronic flight instrument system (first introduced on the MD-88), and completely new International Aero V2500 high-bypass turbofan engines . In comparison to

6204-450: The original or first generation DC-9 series used the new designation with McDonnell Douglas initials (MD- prefix) followed by the year of development. The first derivative or second generation was the MD-80 series and the second derivative or third generation was the MD-90 series . Together, they formed the DC-9 family of 12 aircraft members (variants), and if the DC-9- designation were retained,

6298-533: The possibility of replacing engines on the DC-9 with the JT8D-109 turbofan, a quieter and more efficient variant of the JT8D. This progressed to the flight-test stage, and tests achieved noise reduction between 8 and 9 decibels depending on the phase of flight. No further aircraft were modified, and the test aircraft was re-equipped with standard JT8D-9s prior to delivery to its airline customer. Two further developments of

6392-404: The province, a contract was made to begin construction on the new airport. The airport would be built where the old airstrip stood. In early 1981 planning started on the airport. Oscar Imbert (son of General Antonio Imbert ) was chosen as architect. He wanted the terminal architecture to be based on Native American Tainos and Arawak structures. At the same time, he wanted to give the passengers

6486-519: The second generation of the DC-9 family, the MD-80 series. This was originally called the DC-9-80 (short Series 80 and later stylized Super 80). It was a lengthened DC-9-50 with a higher maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), a larger wing , new main landing gear , and higher fuel capacity. The MD-80 series features a number of variants of the JT8D turbofan engine that had higher thrust ratings than those available on

6580-426: The second variant, Series 20, has one version (Series 21); the third variant, Series 30, has four versions (Series 31, Series 32, Series 33 and Series 34); the fourth variant, Series 40, has one version (Series 41); and the fifth or final variant, Series 50, has one version (Series 51). The original DC-9 (later designated the Series 10) was the smallest DC-9 variant. The -10 was 104.4 ft (31.8 m) long and had

6674-423: The series 50. It was also applied to many earlier DC-9s in the course of regular maintenance. As of May 2024, a total of 30 DC-9 series aircraft remain in service, of which 20 are operated by Aeronaves TSM and two passenger aircraft in service with African Express Airways , and the rest in cargo service. With the existing DC-9 fleet shrinking, modifications do not appear to be likely to occur, especially since

6768-438: The structure associated with the slat is a more efficient torque box than the structure associated with the slotted Krueger. The wing had a six-percent increase in chord, all ahead of the front spar, allowing the 15 percent chord slat to be incorporated. The Series 30 was built in four main sub-variants. The DC-9-30 was offered with a selection of variants of JT8D including the -1, -7, -9, -11, -15. and -17. The most common on

6862-400: The tail-mounted engines was the reduction in foreign object damage from ingested debris from runways and aprons, but with this position, the engines could ingest ice streaming off the wing roots. The third was the absence of engines in underslung pods, which permitted a reduction in fuselage ground clearance, making the airliner more accessible to baggage handlers and passengers. The cockpit of

6956-449: The use of leading-edge high-lift devices. Therefore, the wing design of the Series 10 featured airfoils with extremely high maximum-lift capability to obtain the low stalling speeds necessary for short-field performance. The Series 10 has an overall length of 104.4 feet (31.82 m), a fuselage length of 92.1 feet (28.07 m), a passenger-cabin length of 60 feet (18.29 m), and a wingspan of 89.4 feet (27.25 m). The Series 10

7050-498: The very successful MD-80, relatively few MD-90s were built. The shorter and final variant, the MD-95, was renamed the Boeing 717 after McDonnell Douglas's merger with Boeing in 1997 and before aircraft deliveries began. The fuselage length and wing are very similar to those of the DC-9-30, but much use was made of lighter, modern materials. Power is supplied by two BMW/Rolls-Royce BR715 high-bypass turbofan engines. China's Comac ARJ21

7144-409: The wing at its own financial cost in return for promises on prospective future production orders. The pace of development on the program was rapid. The first DC-9, a production model, flew on February 25, 1965. The second DC-9 flew a few weeks later, with a test fleet of five aircraft flying by July. Several key refinements to the aircraft were made during flight testing, such as the replacement of

7238-501: The wing design makes retrofitting difficult. DC-9s are therefore likely to be further replaced in service by newer airliners such as Boeing 737 , Airbus A320 , Embraer E-Jets , and the Airbus A220 . However one former Scandinavian Airlines DC-9-21 is operated as a skydiving jump platform at Perris Valley Airport in Perris, California . With the steps on the ventral stairs removed, it is

7332-468: Was becoming a major problem, as new airlines could not introduce new routes unless the airport expanded. Towards the end of 1998, the airport became highly congested, with severe delays due to restricted space on the apron. This congestion was also exacerbated by the lack of a parallel taxiway next to runway 09/27, which meant aircraft had to backtrack down the runway in order to utilise the runway's full length when taking off or landing. The rapid growth of

7426-399: Was expanded to fit six aircraft. This expansion was completed in 2001, and airline growth continued. During this time, Punta Cana was drastically changing, with the addition of new hotels, malls, and infrastructure. Many people were flying to Punta Cana annually, and once again the airport was crowded by 2002. A new parking lot was built along with the new PuntaCana Village. By 2003, there was

7520-526: Was expanded with 7 additional gates and 3 remote gates serving multiple airlines with a modern terminal expansion. Terminal B went from 7 gates to 14 gates with boarding bridges and 3 remote gates. Plans were underway for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance station to be opened at the airport by the end of summer 2009; however, this has not yet begun. According to Frank Rainieri, president of Grupo Puntacana, negotiations have re-opened (as of June 2015) and he anticipates that this airport will be

7614-431: Was expanding rapidly, following the addition of their new Boeing 767s and one of its new destinations from Frankfurt was Punta Cana. These became the first routes from Europe and the first long-haul routes in the airport's history. Around the same time, LTU International started a route from Berlin. Many airlines around the Caribbean stopped operations to the airport, as a result of the new long-haul flights. In 1993,

7708-470: Was finished. The runway accommodated the Antonov An-225 to supply goods after the 2010 Haiti earthquake . Las Américas has five gates on the main satellite concourse (A), A2 through A6. Other gate facilities are for the flights departing from a parking in the taxiway. back in the 1960s and 70s the airport used to be much smaller, The original building was half the size of today's newest structure but with

7802-415: Was increased to 98,000 lb (44,000 kg), eight percent more than on the higher weight Series 14s and 15s. The aircraft's MLW is 95,300 lb (43,200 kg) and MZFW is 84,000 lb (38,000 kg). Typical range with maximum payload is 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi), increasing to 1,450 nmi (2,690 km; 1,670 mi) with maximum fuel. The Series 20, using the same wing as

7896-440: Was limited to 80,000 lb (36,300 kg) for a two-person flight crew by the then-Federal Aviation Agency regulations at the time. The commercial passenger aircraft have five abreast layout for economy seating that can accommodate 80 to 135 passengers, depending on version and seating arrangement. Turnarounds were simplified by built-in airstairs, including one in the tail, which shortened boarding and deplaning times. The DC-9

7990-506: Was offered with the 14,000 lbf (62 kN)-thrust JT8D-1 and JT8D-7. All versions of the DC-9 are equipped with an AlliedSignal (Garrett) GTCP85 APU, located in the aft fuselage. The Series 10, as with all later versions of the DC-9, is equipped with a two-crew analog flightdeck. The Series 14 was originally certificated with an MTOW of 85,700 lb (38,900 kg), but subsequent options offered increases to 86,300 and 90,700 lb (41,100 kg). The aircraft's MLW in all cases

8084-925: Was on a common line with the second generation of the DC-9 family, the MD-80 , with which it shares its line number sequence. Following the delivery of 976 DC-9s and 108 MD-80s, McDonnell Douglas stopped series production of the DC-9 in December 1982. The last member of the DC-9 family, the Boeing 717, was produced until 2006. The DC-9 family was produced in total 2441 units: 976 DC-9s (first generation), 1191 MD-80s (second generation), 116 MD-90s, and 155 Boeing 717s (third generation). This compared to 2,970 Airbus A320s and 5,270 Boeing 737s delivered as of 2006. Studies aimed at further improving DC-9 fuel efficiency , by means of retrofitted wingtips of various types, were undertaken by McDonnell Douglas, but these did not demonstrate significant benefits, especially with existing fleets shrinking. The wing design makes retrofitting difficult. Between 1973 and 1975, McDonnell Douglas studied

8178-923: Was operating nonstop Boeing 707 transatlantic service from the airport to Madrid with this flight also providing direct one stop service to Rome . According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), in 1996 a number of European based airlines were operating transatlantic flights from the airport including Air France with nonstop Boeing 747 service to Paris , Alitalia with nonstop Boeing 767-300 service to Rome , Condor Airlines with nonstop Boeing 767-300 service to both Cologne / Bonn and Frankfurt , Iberia Airlines with nonstop McDonnell Douglas DC-10 service to Madrid , LTU International Airways with nonstop McDonnell Douglas MD-11 service to Dusseldorf , Martinair with nonstop Boeing 767-300 service to Amsterdam , and TAP Air Portugal with direct one stop Airbus A310 service to Lisbon . Airline service from

8272-601: Was originally designed to perform a maximum of 40,000 landings. The DC-9 has two rear-mounted JT8D turbofan engines, relatively small, efficient wings, and a T-tail . The tail-mounted engine design facilitated a clean wing without engine pods, which had numerous advantages. First, the flaps could be longer, unimpeded by pods on the leading edge and engine-blast concerns on the trailing edge. This simplified design improved airflow at low speeds and enabled lower takeoff and approach speeds, thus lowering field length requirements and keeping wing structure light. The second advantage of

8366-451: Was produced between 1965 and 2006 with a total delivery of 2441 units: 976 DC-9s, 1191 MD-80s, 116 MD-90s, and 155 Boeing 717s. As of August 2022, 250 aircraft remain in service: 31 DC-9s (freighter), 116 MD-80s (mainly freighter), and 103 Boeing 717s (passenger), while the MD-90 was retired without freighter conversion. During the late 1950s, Douglas Aircraft studied a short- to medium-range airliner to complement their then-sole jetliner ,

8460-481: Was serving the Dominican Republic on a daily basis via the then-named General Andrews Airport in Ciudad Trujillo with nonstop flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Port au Prince, Haiti operated with Convair 340 twin prop aircraft. The eastbound Delta flights operated a daily routing of Houston - New Orleans - Havana, Cuba - Port au Prince - Ciudad Trujillo - San Juan and the westbound Delta flights operated

8554-418: Was the -50 , which first flew in 1974. The DC-9 series, the first generation of the DC-9 family, would become a long term commercial success for the manufacturer. However, early production of the type had come at a higher unit cost than had been anticipated, leading to DC-9s being sold at a loss. The unfavorable early economics of the type negatively impacted Douglas, pushing it into fiscal hardship. However,

8648-429: Was the hub for Dominicana de Aviación , APA International Air , PAWA Dominicana , and a number of other, smaller airlines. Currently Sky High Dominicana and Arajet are based there. Las Américas also has served as a hub for airlines such as Aeromar Líneas Aéreas Dominicanas , Aero Continente Dominicana and Queen Air . Recently, the expressway leading from Santo Domingo to the airport (roughly 20 km east of

8742-434: Was the largest version of the DC-9 to enter airline service. It features an 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) fuselage stretch and seats up to 139 passengers. It entered revenue service in August 1975 with Eastern Airlines and included a number of detail improvements, a new cabin interior, and more powerful JT8D-15 or -17 engines in the 16,000 and 16,500 lbf (71 and 73 kN) class. McDonnell Douglas delivered 96, all as

8836-540: Was typically 110,000 lb (50,000 kg). Engines for Models -31, -32, -33, and -34 included the P&;W JT8D-7 and JT8D-9 rated at 14,500 lbf (64 kN) of thrust, or JT8D-11 with 15,000 lbf (67 kN). Unlike the Series 10, the Series 30 had leading-edge devices to reduce the landing speeds at higher landing weights; full-span slats reduced approach speeds by six knots despite 5,000 lb greater weight. The slats were lighter than slotted Krueger flaps , since

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