howardwhite 6 #1 August 31, 2006 This is a question for Pop (though others are welcome to chime in.) A couple of weeks ago, I had a reunion of sorts with a guy I often jumped with in southeastern Massachusetts many years ago. In the course of our conversation, he said he had been at Indiantown once when McDonnell-Douglas was test flying a DC9 there. He recalled it had to do with a military certification program indended to show it could operate out of "unimproved" airports. The guy knows airplanes (he's a 767 captain) and not known to be a wacko. So....is it true? And if so, do you have pictures? HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poppenhager 1 #2 August 31, 2006 I let Douglas use my 6600' runway to get the DC-9 certified for unapproved runways.The reason being that Quantus Airlines had routes to many islands with coral runways and would buy them if they could get the approval (which was granted with some limits).I was suppose tp get a jump out of it but it had to be on the QT and there were to many news people hanging around so I never did.I did get a ride though. Soon after I let Cessna use the runway for the same purpose on their Citation.They did 2 landings and wipped out the nose gear both times so packed up and went back to Wichita. POP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #3 August 31, 2006 Excellent. My source was almost right, but being at the time an Air Force type (ROTC, soon to be tanker jockey), remembered it as a military thing. So, any pictures? (I jumped at Indiantown on winter visits in the past, and have many Seminole Inn memories -- several involving Ottley. First visit was in January '68 and I have both your signature and John Coppe's in my logbook.) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poppenhager 1 #4 September 2, 2006 Howard,Sorry no pic's.There were some in the local news paper but didn't save them. POP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
