Douglas DC-9-21 N127NK - Perris Valley Skydiving

After many years of inactivity, Perris Valley Skydiving’s DC-9-21 took to the skies again. Enjoy a couple of angles of it working L65 Perris Valley Airport.

[@Airforceproud95]

This may be the greatest DC-9 video on the internet. Cannot express how awesome it is to see this in 2025. Up close JT8D sounds are incredible, must be such a thrill for the pilots operating here. Amazing camerawork, thank you for this video.

[@Skyes9]

Thank you! I recall a Learjet 25 video you shot some years ago. Still one of my favorites.

[@OHAREAVIATION]

She’s still got it! always fun to watch the impressive performance this old-timer has! great up-close on-the-roll runway shots

[@Sylver9898]

He*

[@scotabot7826]

Man, This is flipping AWESOME!! I love that ole girl, just a beautiful and classic aircraft!!

[@Sylver9898]

Ole guy*

[@AviationLBA]

Terrific! Never expected to see this baby 9 fly again.

[@KuostA]

WOW THIS is some TRULY INCREDIBLE footage of it!!! thank you!! truly must have been incredible in person from soooo close!! crazy he was opening the reversers BEFORE they touched down! def some pretty crazy looking landings with huge rudder action as well + the high landing speed for such a small, short, narrow runway + the interesting pitch oscillations up and down on short final!

[@aerialbugsmasher]

It's not interesting, it's downright poor airmanship. Look up the dangers of PIO, pilot induced oscillations

[@kurtbilinski1723]

Neighbors: We demand that you guys stop using those noisy propeller aircraft. Perris Skydiving: Noted.

[@Skyes9]

😂

[@rudylerma3042]

You have probably lived around here long enough to know there was a airport here, stop complaining!

[@motorTranz]

Love the DC 9! Thank you for sharing this!

[@kurtbilinski1723]

Very well produced. The mass take-off toward the end reminds me of the old movie Catch-22 with all the bombers taking off. Even has the crickets at the end - nicely done!

[@Skyes9]

Thank you!

[@N125AS]

A masterpiece of filming and editing 👏👏👏✈️

[@DieCor]

Outstanding footage! Kudos to the camera man. That was an epic day indeed!

[@machpodfan]

The beautiful DC Hotrod!!

[@AviaGrapher_ID]

Awesome catches mate!! ❤❤❤

[@Duderocks5539]

Excellent footage!

[@hdcarfiIms]

Excellent video

[@johnwill7918]

DC-9 ….the ultimate time building gig

[@mgregggphone]

Please explain, what is a "baby 9"?

[@kevinperry6009]

Awesome stuff Buddy 👌

[@Skyes9]

Thanks, Kev! 👍

[@diversherwood9631]

How cool is that!?! Sweet!

[@jettnit1]

For the heads up to Perris Mgt. Delta is retiring there 717. A quiet & efficient jet for jumpers.

[@thud9797]

No rear airstairs on the 717.

[@wavebuff]

Great shots! Thanks!!

[@keithrickson8522]

I love how insanly impractical this plane is. Yet, just like the idea that even a rock can fly if it has enough thrust behind it, if there's enough demand for jumping a jet, Perris is the place that will make it happen! 😂 Such a beautiful thing to see, absolute one of a kind operation they have there.

[@russell1882]

incredible. Loved the whole video!

[@KutWrite]

I live about four miles from this airfield and used to feel so sorry for that nice DC-9, corroding over in a corner. I'm glad they got 'er going again. Good catch, esp. the landing followed by the flowers. As a passenger back in the day, I loved the steep "angle of the dangle" on climb-out. So they fly with the "DB Cooper door" open all the time?

[@jaysmith1408]

They don’t even have the cooper door, just the rear passenger door.

[@KutWrite]

@@jaysmith1408 Oh, that's too bad. The "cooper" door would be more fun & people could imagine they're making a getaway.

[@NathanElcoate]

Coolest thing ever!

[@anels9]

Great to see it flying again.

[@MagicalBacon]

Wow I never thought she’d fly again. I’m sure it’s way more cost effective to use the twin otters or the skyvans, unless it’s filled up. Really rare bird (at least for the US) for sure, great capture!

[@Altenholz]

You've seen a lot of airdrops in your life. Now a DC-9, unbelievable! By the way, what is the usual droping altitude?

[@dominiqueroudier9401]

4:51 fantastic short field performance. I have seen similar with one of ten DC9-21 hot rod😅 with SAS colors rented by TAT for summer season in south of France,.....1982😮

[@HBvD]

Are we there yet? yes!

[@XaymacaJah]

Thhats one awesome dc9 driver. \

[@upstateplanes6702]

Anyone else notice on the first landing the thrust reversers actually deploy before it touches down?

[@SpectrumRob]

5:05 Wow!

[@smokingspitfire1197]

Thank god for all the youtube experts in the comments, without their input I’m sure Skydive Perris would be unable to even fly!

[@donstor1]

Pretty hard on that old plane. I sure hope everybody stays safe on her.

[@tomsamuelson8512]

This runway is only 5000 ft long and 50ft!!! wide. Tough to stay on the centerline in a crosswind.. Most taxiways at big airports are 75 ft wide.....and the runway around 150 ft wide.

[@asquare9316]

How much does this cost the skydivers per person?

[@tomsamuelson8512]

I saw $150-$200 per person

[@moriver3857]

A 30 series DC9 still doing work, Short Brothers, Twin Otters, great workhorses as jump platforms.

[@kcindc5539]

That’s an ultra-rare 20 series - it combines the Series 10 fuselage with uprated JT8D-11 engines, and the Series 30 higher lift wing. That makes the Series 20 the official hot rod of the original DC-9 family.

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Where’s the jumper videos?

[@RLVIDEOS2024]

Excellent

[@henriachalme443]

Bellevideohenri😊😊😊

[@a-fl-man640]

360 jumps in 75 or so, jumped mostly C-180, C-182, DC-3, Loadstar, Beech-18, never saw a turboprop, much less a DC-9

[@wayneschenk5512]

Engines would be a critical factor in this old bird I’m sure they have a parts back up.

[@zulgadams5837]

There's no plane on the planet sexier than a DC-9, sorry, but the 737-100/200 is right behind her!! how long dose it take to get to jump altitude with that beast?

[@thinkingai6017]

14,500 feet looks to be the drop altitude on ADSB exchange, so from takeoff to cruise, looks like 5 to 10 minutes.

[@tylerprufer7066]

You're the only person who thinks the DC-9 is sexy.

[@flyerbob124]

Used to work for a cargo airline that leased some old Alitalia DC9 freighters. They had JATO bottles on them in case they lost an engine on takeoff. Should put them on this bird then watch her climb.

[@v31.48]

Ex Valujet!

[@sjokomelk]

Originally SAS. But that was all of the DC9-21s since they were a special order of 10 ever built and only for SAS.

[@Flies2FLL]

That's awesome! But the cost per hour? I guess that this can carry a lot more people than most jump planes but still. JT8D engines EAT jet A in a big way: 6000 pounds per hour total, or about 895 gallons per hour. And that is at cruise; At takeoff it is twice that and since this just goes up to altitude and then basically glides back, the fuel bill is horrendous. Maintenance on this old airplane can be an issue too, and there is of course the problem with parts that are unobtainium; I'm sure this isn't pressurized due to the exit out of the back of the plane so that saves some money, but this is an expensive proposition and needs to be handled by mechanics that know what they are doing. Again, expensive. I'd like to hear if the owner is making money with this airplane....

[@jayryia]

Bloody cool, but can't help but think hugely impractical considering the fuel burn.

[@SuperDave_BR549]

had the pleasure of jumping out of her twice. almost as good is sitting in the bomb shelter watching her take off and land thru the big windows in the bar. Pat rocks at his job. miss ya big time Bad Spot Tim rip my friend.

[@CarlosRodriguez-hw3nt]

They should have left the old Spirit Airlines colors on it.

[@sjokomelk]

Would have been more fun with the 80s SAS with the color bands.

[@kclefthanded427]

The only DC-9 still flying today? Maybe

[@Skyes9]

Not the only one, but certainly the only -21 flying I believe.

[@cwa4584]

@@Skyes9 still a few freighters lerking around, but this ones unique

[@stevee4636]

Lots around,they are called the 717

[@tomsamuelson8512]

@@stevee4636 This is smaller than a 717. It's a DC-9-10 with DC-9-30 wings and engines for extra performance out of short runways.

[@stevee4636]

You better get a Crew that knows what they are doing, or it's a Crash waiting to happin No Airbourne Cowboys needed, find some DC 9 guys quick, before is too late, Rough....

[@bradleyjanes2949]

Amen

[@vk3wl]

?

[@tylerprufer7066]

Why did you capitalize the letters in your comment like you did?

[@wallochdm1]

Isn't a jet a poor choice for skydiving because of 1). The inability to fly slowly enough for safe egress, and 2). The propensity to stall and issues with spooling-up at low speeds??

[@randygravel2057]

But you get to jump out of a 🛩️

[@andreabaront2240]

The most beautiful plane ❤😢

[@barrvason5431]

We used to call those Baby 9s.

[@skippyscage]

we still do...

[@sjokomelk]

The weird muscle baby with the 10-series fuselage and 30-series wings and engines. 🤩😎