Northstar Commuter McDonnell Douglas DC-9-20

This freeware repaint brings the characteristic colors of Northern Star Airlines’ regional offshoot, Northstar Commuter, to the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-20. It is developed for the Historic Jetliners Group (HJG) DC-9-20 base pack (JT8D-11 v1.13). Created by Tom Tiedman, this package includes optional engine smoke data for Microsoft Flight Simulator X ([SMOKESYSTEM]) so that you can replicate the classic emissions these aging aircraft once produced. The package does not contain the base model, and you will need to acquire that separately from the Fly Away Simulation file library.

Livery Specifics and Aircraft Background

The DC-9-20 series is a short-fuselage, twin-engine jetliner introduced by McDonnell Douglas to enhance performance on shorter runways. Equipped originally with JT8D turbofan engines, it served commuter and mainline carriers on medium-range routes. In this repaint, Northstar Commuter’s color scheme is displayed on tail number N434LF, reflecting an affiliate relationship with Northern Star Airlines. Within the cockpit, the aircraft retains the familiar DC-9 layout, recognized by many aficionados for its conventional analog instrumentation.

Integrated Preview

Steps for Integration

1. Insert the provided texture.Northstar Commuter N434LF folder into your existing DC-9-20 aircraft directory. Confirm that it coexists with your other DC-9-20 textures in the correct location.
2. Open the aircraft.cfg file and add the following [fltsim.X] entry, making sure to adjust “X” to the consecutive number for your collection of DC-9 liveries. Save the file afterward.
3. In Microsoft Flight Simulator X, if you prefer an FSX-compatible set of cockpit gauges and sounds, replace the panel and sound folders to match your chosen FSX-based configurations.
4. Launch the simulator, locate the airplane under the McDonnell Douglas manufacturer listing, and load up the Northstar Commuter DC-9-20 repaint.
5. Should you wish to enable realistic JT8D smoke trails, use the [SMOKESYSTEM] text provided below. Remove any older [SMOKESYSTEM] lines before adding these new smoke entries.

Required Entries for Aircraft Configuration

[fltsim.X]
title=DC-9-20 Northstar Commuter N434LF (HJG JT8D-11 v1.13)
sim=DC-9-20
model=02
panel=
sound=
texture=Northstar Commuter N434LF
kb_checklists=
atc_id=N434LF
atc_airline=
atc_flight_number=
atc_heavy=0
atc_parking_codes=
atc_parking_types=GATE,CARGO,RAMP
ui_manufacturer=McDonnell Douglas
ui_type=DC-9-20 (HJG)
ui_variation=Northstar Commuter N434LF
ui_typerole=Commercial Airliner
ui_createdby=Historic Jetliners Group
description=HJG McDonnell Douglas DC-9-20 v1.13... Northstar Commuter N434LF repaint by Tom Tiedman.

Optional Engine Smoke System

[SMOKESYSTEM]
smoke.0=-32.739, -8.351,  2.701, fx_smoke_f6
smoke.1=-32.739,  8.351,  2.701, fx_smoke_f6

Additional Notes

This custom paint job by Tom Tiedman captures the regional flair of Northstar Commuter and highlights the versatile characteristics of the DC-9-20 design. Remember that you will need the freeware Historic Jetliners Group base model available in the Fly Away Simulation archives to use these textures in your simulator. Feel free to incorporate the included smoke effects if you want an extra layer of authenticity, particularly in higher-throttle segments.