727 passes Mach one

[NavajoKing]

Thanks for the info guys, but whats the story on the Mach 1 DC-8, i never heard this one.

 

[tomgoodman]

Supersonic DC-8?

Thanks for the info guys, but whats the story on the Mach 1 DC-8, i never heard this one.

I heard it was a British DC-8 with Rolls-Royce "Conway" engines. A crew reported that they had "accidentally" exceeded Mach 1 in level flight. Supposedly, a test crew then took the airplane up and verified that it could be done.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Here ya go....supersonic DC-8 press release.

http://www.dc-8jet.com/0-dc8-sst-flight.htm

It was a pre-delivery Canadian Pacific DC-8

 

[Princedietrich]

This trick with the slats is the origin of the Dougan modification that some 727s have. Both Sunworld jets had them. It consists of a pair of winglets, modified exhaust cones on the engines (which unfortunately eliminates the #2 TR) and a re-regging of the flaps. Essentially the flaps are selected at full up but they are REALLY at 1 or 2 degrees deployed. Makes the 727 into a dang rocket. The only time we ever saw .80 in that thing was when we were blasting THROUGH it. Had to really back off on the power to keep from overspeeding, those babies would do .87 MMO without even sweating.

Of course, having -17 engines helped too. More power! Grunt grunt grunt!

 

[RedGuy]

Here's the NTSB report.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=37981&key=0

4/4/1979

SAGINAW, MI
BOEING 727-31
N840TW
[SIZE=+0]Nonfatal [/SIZE]
Part 121 Scheduled TRANS WORLD AIRLINES INC


NTSB Identification: DCA79AA016
14 CFR Part 121 Scheduled operation of TRANS WORLD AIRLINES INC
Event occurred Wednesday, April 04, 1979 in SAGINAW, MI
Aircraft: BOEING 727-31, registration: N840TW
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FILE DATE LOCATION AIRCRAFT DATA INJURIES FLIGHT PILOT DATA
F S M/N PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-0022 79/4/4 NR.SAGINAW,MI BOEING 727-31 CR- 0 0 7 SCHED DOM PASSG SRV AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
TIME - 2148 N840TW PX- 0 0 82 44, 15710 TOTAL HOURS,
DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL OT- 0 0 0 2597 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
RATED.
OPERATOR - TRANS WORLD AIRLINES,INC.
DEPARTURE POINT INTENDED DESTINATION
JAMAICA,NY MINEAPLS-ST PAUL,MN
TYPE OF ACCIDENT PHASE OF OPERATION
UNCONTROLLED ALTITUDE DEVIATIONS IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
PILOT IN COMMAND - MISUSED OR FAILED TO USE FLAPS
PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER OPERATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS
FACTOR(S)
PILOT IN COMMAND - DIVERTED ATTENTION FROM OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT
AIRFRAME - FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES: SPOILERS AND SLOTS-LEADING EDGE FLAPS,SPEED BRAKES
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - IMPROPER ALIGNMENT/ADJUSTMENT
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - ASYMETRICAL FLAPS
MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AIRPORT
LATERAL CONTROL PROBLEM
PITCH CONTROL PROBLEM
REMARKS- LE SLATS EXTENDED.NR7 SLAT DID NOT SUBSEQUENTLY FULLY RETRACT,RESULTING IN ASYMMETRICAL SLATS

 

[2EASYPilot]

Please correct me...but I believe Hoot actually returned to flight status and retired.

 

[con-pilot]

It should also be noted that the Captain was Harvey 'Hoot' Gibson not to be confused with the astronaut Robert 'Hoot' Gibson who recently retired from SWA.

Quite correct, I was remiss in not pointing that out.

Thank you.

 

[BenWA]

(greater curve in the wing, Bernuli at work here)

Not to nitpick, but correction: Coanda at work here, not Bernoulli.

 

[Huggyu2]

As a side note, a friend of mine was the co-pilot of the KC-135 that went supersonic ~1983.
I can sure see a 727 going supersonic long before I could imagine the -135 doing it.

 

[AerroMatt]

Here ya go....supersonic DC-8 press release.

http://www.dc-8jet.com/0-dc8-sst-flight.htm

It was a pre-delivery Canadian Pacific DC-8

According to this press release, it appears that the aircraft experienced both rudder and aileron flutter during the time they were supersonic. Amazing that this bird experienced no structural damage, let alone no separation of control surfaces.

When I consider the Airbus that lost its vertical stabilizer over NYC 5 years ago and compare that to this report, all I can say is, "They sure don't build em like they used to."

Those test pilots who did this stunt had to have had cajones of solid rock.