Tips to flying the Boeing 727

[Rally]

Any oldtimers here have any general tips or gotchas for flying the Boeing 727? In particular landing? Whats a good technique to use to grease it on?

No flamers please. Might be getting some time in one and just want to be prepared.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Best grease advice...Check and roll. Check the rate of descent with the flare and just before touchdown slightly lower the nose (roll). The landing gear are aft of the center of rotation and that little push will cushion the landing nicely.

 

[GuppyWN]

The second landing is never as good as the first.

Gup

 

[Rally]

When do you normally pull the power?

 

[Colonel Savage]

When you're ready for the bottom to fall out.

 

[GuppyWN]

Drive it on, flare, relax, bounce. But you fly around at .84 looking like a damn stud!

Gup

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Ear plugs or a good set of ANR head sets is a must

 

[Dizel8]

But you fly around at .84

Slacker!

 

[tomgoodman]

The Stuka maneuver

40 flaps will require a healthy flare and probably a shot of thrust. Some airlines actually blocked off that flap position.

 

[dougdrvr]

Don't bring the flaps up while the Capt is making a hard turn with the tiller.

Don't turn the "A" pumps on or open the interconnect with the tow bar attached.

Don't dump fuel to balance it (this actually happened to a new FE who got rattled by by a grizzeled old Captain who asked her to do it 4 times and finally lost his patience)

 

[XTW]

.....

 

[mt2]

Be patient on rotation. Don't "yank" it off the ground, fly it off, especially on hot days unless you want to get the tail. Easy on the ailerons on final, it's not good form to dutch roll from the marker all the way inbound. Keep the power on until the last second -- once you pull it off you WILL land shortly thereafter. Greasers are very tough at Flaps 40 and light weights. After a little time in the airplane you'll perfect the trick I learned from an old Eastern pro -- relax back pressure just before touchdown to get a smooth landing. If you pull back too much in the flare you'll drive the mains on - and bounce - because the mains are aft of the center of pitch rotation.

The jurassic jet, scooter, 72, etc is a great airplane, enjoy the .84 cruise on those commuting legs and the fact you can make any runway you see over the nose. Enjoy your time in the 727 -- I remember mine fondly.

 

[SELCAL checks]

What's the only letter of the alphabet not on the FE panel?

How many pieces of wood in the cockpit?

 

[jimcav]

Any oldtimers here have any general tips or gotchas for flying the Boeing 727? In particular landing? Whats a good technique to use to grease it on?

No flamers please. Might be getting some time in one and just want to be prepared.

Never flew it, but I wish I did. ENJOY the opportunity to fly a REAL airplane!

 

[Dan Roman]

Best grease advice...Check and roll. Check the rate of descent with the flare and just before touchdown slightly lower the nose (roll). The landing gear are aft of the center of rotation and that little push will cushion the landing nicely.

I'll second that. All my time was in the 200 and used to have good success by using that exact technique. I heard that doesn't work with the 100's though. Like fubijaakr said, stop the rate of descent and than roll it on kind of like a wheel landing in a conventional gear aircraft.