Fly Sooner:
The 757 remains the most efficient aircraft in the world on a cost per seat mile basis.(1) Pilots like its pleasant handling characteristics, excellent control coordination, generous lift and power, as well as vice free operation that allows pilots to focus their attention on flying the jet.
Others have already commented on the fact the 757 barely slows down and descends with the power at idle. The 767 that ran out of fuel and glided to a landing in Gimli, Manitoba, demonstrated a glide ratio of about 23:1. The 757 is more efficient and an educated guess is that the 757’s glide ratio exceeds 25:1 and is even better with the Aviation Partners blended winglets installed. It is not unusual to look at the EICAS and see EPR’s at 1.0 or .99 in level flight at lower flight levels. Technically, the engines have to producing some thrust, but the power required to maintain level flight is so minimal as to not be detectable on the EPR gauges.
The aircraft has very little difficulty going straight to its maximum certified altitude of 42,000 feet. Most aircraft lack the power and the wing to achieve this feat unless the OAT and the aircraft’s weight are both low. The reason for the 757’s altitude limitation is the time it would take for the jet to make a rapid descent to 10,000 feet in the event of depressurization.
This extra power and wing also provides excellent operational flexibility, allowing the 757 to serve high altitude airports. The jet was never designed for trans-oceanic operations, but with a nearly 5,000 mile range, the aircraft have been modified to serve ETOPS missions allowing point to point service and increased frequency, covering 95% of the Earth’s surface.
From a pure pilot’s perspective, I doubt there is any better flying commercial jet. Boeing designed the systems to beat any criticism skeptics of two man crew operations might level against the concept, resulting in very easy day to day operation. It is just nice to know everything “works.” The brakes work well, there is plenty of control authority and if there are surprises hidden deep in the aircraft’s handling, I’ve not found them. In training the 767 and 757 handle single engine operations and wind shear beautifully, with much less drama than other transport jets. It is a very confidence inspiring jet.
I’ve wondered why more were not sold and why they did not remain in production. The answer seems to be that the 757 was always just a little too good. It offered much more capacity than the 727 it replaced and its size and systems come with higher acquisition and maintenance costs. A 737 NG accomplishes much of the 757’s mission at less cost. Unless you need the extra capability of the 757, that capability is wasted.
The 757 and its larger sister, the 767, are on the short list of my favorite airplanes. I lost my seat on the 757 in a recent displacement at my airline, but have my reinstatement bid in and will return at the earliest opportunity.
I missed the L1011 by a few years... you need to hurry up and get to the majors before the 757 is replaced by some tupperware tube, or an ETOPS certified RJ. These airplanes are getting some age on them ....
(1) DOT BTS form 41 data, 757-300 as operated by Northwest Airlines.