Don't know if it is true or not but reportedly Boeing said they would NEVER again build a wing so complex.. triple slotted fowler flaps with leading edge slats and kreuger flaps. We used to refer to full flaps as 75% wing disassembly.



FWIW, I never got used to the yoke being offset to the outside in the -100. Loved the -200.

 

You're bringing tears to my eyes with a picture of the best turbojet ever built.

When I was a Check Airman, I always said that the most difficult maneuver to perform correctly in the B-727 was the noise abatement take-off. I still stand by that statement. When one considers, as you pointed out, there are so many things moving on the wing during the flap retraction segment and then ATC throws a turn into the equation and the flying pilot is busy just trying to hold the airspeed where it should be and follow the profile.

A Cat II landing in a crosswind...a piece of cake with the center line thrust but when one had to learn to "release" the back pressure on the yoke during the last landing phase, or as we used to say, "roll it over", well, that was another story.

For those who never had the honor of flying the "three-holer", it would go fast, go slow, go high or go low and the O'Hare controllers absolutely loved the aircraft. The Chicago approach guys could put a 727 in the low 20's and enjoyed the flexibility of having an aircraft at 220 knts or up to 330 to fit into the flow. Thanks Boeing !!

I'm starting to tear up but thanks for the memories III Corps.

G'Day from an I Corps guy

 

You're welcome.

We often flew in the "A mode" and I saw INDICATED of over 400 a number of times. "B mode" made us like other mere mortals in the civilian pattern.. 350kts.

And now for a special treat



Note the tailwheel is still in the air. The big square tail was always the give-away for me.

 

400kts

the best I can do is 335.

I wish I could have had an opportunity to fly the 727. EVERYONE that talks about it says all kinds of great things about it.

 

How about taking the 727 through the break at Yuma at 800ft FCLP pattern and doing bounces with the ball. 60 degrees angle of bank, full speed brake, gear down at 300kts....somewhere around the Yucatan Penisula when slowed enough for pattern work. Uh, just heard that may have happened in the late 80s. And funny thing "Phantom Flyer" just so happens it was a former Navy Phantom flyer in the left seat. The Marines in the twr loved the "show".

 

I've had the clacker going off turning base to final in Auckland, NZ. "High speed approved," what a concept!

 

Those were the days. Many happy memories about the 727-200/Advanced...the -100 always looked a little too short to me, but everyone's got their thing.

What a fantastic airplane it is.

 

The Mighty Tri-motor was NOT light on the controls. It was, however, SOLID. Set the power, configure, trim and it would stay there. It is an airplane that you could go down and slow down. The speedbrakes were excellent. But it, like the 707 and 737 was a NOISY cockpit over 250kts. 300kts and you were speaking loudly. 400kts and it may as well have been hand signals. Also, the brakes were VERY good. IF you had (and only a few did use them) the nose brakes, it would stop right NOW!

And yes, I LOVED flying it.

 

Almost the 727-300.. but not completely. The -RE took the engines off the MD-80 (JT8D-217/219) and replaced the #1 and #3. No one could figure out how to get #2 to breathe properly with the bigger engine.



Note the #2 reverser gone and the winglets.

United nixed the 727-300 proposal and it remained a paper airplane. The next proposal became the 757.

 

Why does the inboard slats look so weird.