The 727 video is now up!

Joshua: I didn't talk about the Alaska 261 crash because I was specifically addressing 727 questions.

During the hush kit era I read in Av Week the American Airline kit reduced the slat extension. One original design criteria was to get off of LGAs then 5000’ runways and go transcon. So the extremes of the high lift devices were no longer needed. And referring to the above comment, my airport neighbors love my un-hush kitted two blade 185.

It is great. Thanks. Wondering why you didn’t mention Alaska Airlines 261 when discussing accidents. Was the responsibility for the stabilizer jack screw failure purely the airline maintenance department’s fault? Did the design contribute at all to that?

(oops, my first post here, didn't mean to start new comment) I have a friend who grew up near Kansas City and went to college on the East Coast in the late 1960s-early 70s. At that time, they were still using the old Downtown Airport which is 4/5 enclosed in a loop of the Missouri River. He was told by a pilot friend to always fly 727s into KC because they were the only contemporary jets with good enough brakes that they would not end up on the river bank (or worse) if they landed slightly hot or long.

In "Growing Up Boeing" (by daughter of the chief test pilot who succeeded Tex Johnston at Boeing), she mentions that the 727 was was designed to be able to use unpaved runways. Her dad made several landings and takeoffs from gravel runways in Alaska.

So, I have a question: Why are military jets so much louder than commercial jets? I’ve looked but can’t really see a straight answer.

Great video Greg! It was nice to learn about an airliner. I hope do more like this in the future. With your unique background I’m sure there are quite a lot of topics you could cover! Thank you!

loved the video and you reaching into your professional experience to give context. Those little snippets are always great to listen to. Thanks!

Terrific video! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I also was blessed to fly the ole 3 holer as SO and FO. I always felt like the 727 was the DC-3 of our generation. Thanks again!

I haven't watched the video yet, but I love the 727; Lufthansa operated it as the "Europa-Jet" for medium distances. I had the chance to fly on one in the US as late as 1999 I think, when they were long gone in Europe.

I miss the 727, although I've always preferred the DC-9 for both looks and the 2+3 seating arrangements (only 1 in 5 chance of getting assigned a middle seat). I've occasionally seen private 727s with winglets that looked really classy.

Cool vid sir. On a side note: I worked as a baggage handler at YVR for a couple years when I finished school. The 3 loudest airplanes at the airport were 3 Hawker 748, 2 was the 727, and by far the loudest was the 2 bladed C185 5 miles away in the river at south terminal (that little airplane likely contributed to the noise abatement rules at that airport).

Thanks! Different, but interesting. I have six flights in Caravelle (as a passenger offcause ) and have watched Tridents arrive at and depart from my local airport, but then I live in Europe.

Greg, as a third generation Washingtonian it breaks my heart to see the path Boeing has been on once Phil Condit let McDonnell Douglas in the door. Pre-merger Boeing was cut from the same cloth as the great Japanese engineering firms where "the product" is king. And now the worse aspects of corporate America (where the margin is king) have diminished a once great engineering firm. I agree with Juan Brown regarding the 757 ... a fine successor product to the 727 that should never have gone out of production.