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Another FedEx 722 donated to education
In my hometown!! It's the largest aircraft to ever land on KGMU's 5400' runway. "After arriving from the FedEx hub in Indianapolis, the 727 will be towed to its permanent home at USAeroTech, where students there will learn about the mechanical aspects of large aircraft. "FedEx 727 freighters, once the backbone of FedEx's domestic fleet, are being retired and replaced with Boeing 757s," Beth Rush of FedEx Express Aircraft Acquisitions and Sales, said.… (www.wyff4.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Short field? Fooey! I am an aged ex-Eastern Airlines Captain. Back in the 70s and 80s we served St. Thomas USVI nonstop from JFK before runway lengthening. The flights were 727 100 series usually hauling a full passenger load (+/- 100), their bags and cargo. Landing fuel was enough to continue to St. Croix with reserves. At the time the runway was 4,650 feet long. Believe me the pucker pressure was about maxed out. If there was a button on the seat bottom I could have done a go around by picking up the airplane with my butt. This was multi flight daily service and shall we say,"It was a challenge". To the best of my knowledge the flight was 100% problem free without even blowing a tire in the entire time we served it.
Thanks for joining the discussion Bill. Always enjoy hearing stories from guys like you and Wayne here!
Now those are the comments I find most useful...from the guys who actually flew 'em! Thanks for the info, Bill. My uncle was a "replacement" pilot for EAL in the company's last years and loved this bird. I know they're missed by many.
Mike, I bored holes in the sky in the 727 for about 10,000 hours. I'll tell you if I ever thought about getting married again I would marry a 727. No other flying machine I ever drove matched it's abilities to get any job done.
I retired in 09 after 36 years with a 135 and we kept our 707 all through the years those things were built and flying, hence never got to fly one, but from all I've heard, I sure wished I had. Did fillin for various ones after I hung it up and my ex employer took me back to drive a CRJ part time and do some training. We went from that 707 to a 752 in the late 80's and all that time, I would hear the praises of that bird and saw firsthand what a racehorse it was.
Very cool; so Donald Trump isn't such a putz for having one as his personal bird after all, huh? I just wish I'd heard one of 'em take off before those hush kits got slapped on 'em. I've read they're real screamers!
The original JT8D engine was rated at 12,500 pounds thrust. It was noisy but not horribly so given the noise level of most other jet engines of the era. I flew a later version in heavy weight 727s, the -17a. It was rated at 17,500 pounds and made the earth shake. The only thing I ever heard that was noisier was the Concorde SST in full burner on TO roll. That was unreal. You could hear one of those horror shows going from miles away. It physically hurt your ears and shook your insides if you were standing near the runway. (Been there, done that.)
Mr. Trump had good advice in his 727 selection. He needed a Biz Jet not one just for major airports. It was a big plane yet could serve almost any small airport that could support the weight. It had great ground AC and heat via APU and two airstairs for boarding and deprating. OH and by the way, he had also just purchased the Eastern Airlines Air Shuttle and it's fleet of EAL 727s complete with crews. He got the pick of the litter for his personal use.
Mr. Trump had good advice in his 727 selection. He needed a Biz Jet not one just for major airports. It was a big plane yet could serve almost any small airport that could support the weight. It had great ground AC and heat via APU and two airstairs for boarding and deprating. OH and by the way, he had also just purchased the Eastern Airlines Air Shuttle and it's fleet of EAL 727s complete with crews. He got the pick of the litter for his personal use.
Until now I didn't know which version of the 727 was the earth shaker. You might enjoy seeing a Super 8mm film I made while standing on rwy 31 behind a AA 727 departing LaGuardia. This was in 1968 when I was a 15 year old very interested in aviation. The noise was incredible. I had no ear protection and needed both hands to keep the camera from flying back into Flushing bay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwF8rTV_JHM
My mom asked why I came home smelling like a garage mechanic.
My mom asked why I came home smelling like a garage mechanic.
Wow, that was up close and personal. Aaaah the fearlessness of youth.
Anymore the 727's are quiet by comparison... The government made them put on HUSH kits... You should have heard them before.. LOL