Boeing 727
Encyclopedia
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body
, three-engine
, T-tail
ed commercial jet airliner
, manufactured by Boeing
. The Boeing 727 first flew
in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced. The 727's sales record for the most jet airliners ever sold was broken in the early 1990s by its younger stablemate, the Boeing 737
.
The 727 followed the success of the Boeing 707
quad-jet airliner. Designed for short-haul
routes, the 727 became a mainstay of airlines' domestic route networks. A stretched variant, the 727–200, debuted in 1967. In August 2008, 81 Boeing 727–100 aircraft and 419 727–200 aircraft were in airline service.
, American Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
requirements for a jet airliner to serve smaller cities with shorter runways and fewer passengers. United Airlines wanted a four-engined aircraft for its flights to high-altitude airports, especially its hub at Stapleton International Airport
at Denver, Colorado
. American, which was operating the four-engined Boeing 707
and Boeing 720
, wanted a twin-engined aircraft for efficiency. Eastern wanted a third engine for its overwater flights to the Caribbean
, since at that time twin-engined commercial flights were limited by regulations to routes with 60-minute maximum flying time to an airport (see ETOPS/LROPS
). Eventually, the airlines agreed on a trijet
.
In 1959 Lord Douglas, chairman of British European Airways
(BEA), suggested that Boeing and de Havilland Aircraft Company
(later Hawker Siddeley) work together on their trijet designs, the 727 and D.H.121 Trident
, respectively. The two designs had a similar layout, the 727 being slightly larger. At that time Boeing intended to use three Allison
AR963 turbofan engines, license-built versions of the Rolls-Royce RB163 Spey used by the Trident. Boeing and de Havilland each sent engineers to the other company’s locations to evaluate each other’s designs, but Boeing eventually decided against the joint venture. De Havilland had wanted Boeing to license-build the D.H.121, while Boeing felt the aircraft needed to be designed for the American market, with six-abreast seating and the ability to use runways as short as 4,500 ft.
In 1960 Pratt & Whitney
was trying to find a customer for their new JT8D turbofan design study, based on its J52 (JT8A)
turbojet, while United and Eastern were interested in having Pratt & Whitney offer an alternative engine to the RB163 Spey. Once Pratt & Whitney agreed to go ahead with development of the JT8D, Eddie Rickenbacker
, Chairman of the Board of Eastern, let Boeing know that the airline preferred the JT8D for their 727s. Boeing had previously declined to offer the JT8D, as it was about 1,000 lbs heavier than the RB163, though slightly more powerful. The RB163 was also further along in development than the JT8D. Boeing reluctantly agreed to offer the JT8D as an option on the 727; it later became the sole powerplant.
The middle engine (engine 2) at the very rear of the fuselage gets air from an inlet ahead of the vertical fin through an S-shaped duct
. This S-duct proved to be troublesome in that flow distortion in the duct induced a surge in the centerline engine on the take-off of the first flight of the 727-100. This was fixed by the addition of several large vortex generators in the inside of the first bend of the duct.
The 727 had high-lift device
s on its wing, thus being one of the first jets able to operate from relatively short runways. Later models of the 727 were stretched to accommodate more passengers and replaced earlier jet airliners such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8
on domestic routes.
out to the wingtip) and trailing-edge lift enhancement equipment (triple-slotted, aft-moving flap
s) could be used on the entire wing. Together these high-lift devices produced a maximum wing lift coefficient of 3.0 (based on the flap-retracted wing area). The 727 was stable at very low speeds compared to other early jets, but domestic carriers learned after review of various accidents that the 40-degree flaps setting could result in a higher-than-desired sink rate or a stall on final approach. These carriers' Pilots' Operation Handbooks disallowed using more than 30 degrees' flaps on the 727, even going so far as installing plates on the flap slot to prevent selection of more than 30 degrees' flaps.
Early 727s had nose gear brakes fitted to reduce braking distance
on landing, but these were soon removed from service as they provided little reduction in braking distances, while adding weight and increasing maintenance needs.
The 727 was designed for smaller airports, so independence from ground facilities was an important requirement. This led to one of the 727's most distinctive features: the built-in airstair
that opens from the rear underbelly of the fuselage. D. B. Cooper
, a hijacker, parachuted from the back of a 727 as it was flying over the Pacific Northwest
. Boeing subsequently modified the design with the Cooper vane
so that the airstair could not be lowered in flight. Another innovation was the auxiliary power unit
(APU), which allowed electrical and air-conditioning systems to run independent of a ground-based power supply, without having to start one of the main engines. An unusual design feature is that the APU is mounted in a hole in the keel beam web, in the main landing gear bay. The 727 is equipped with a retractable tail skid that is designed to protect the aircraft in the event of an over-rotation
on takeoff. The 727's fuselage has an outer diameter of 148 inches (3.8 m). This allows six-abreast seating (three per side) and a single aisle when 18 inches (45.7 cm) wide coach-class seats are installed. An unusual feature of the fuselage is the 10 inch difference between the lower lobe forward and aft of the wing as the higher fuselage height of the centre-section was simply retained towards the rear.
of 1972, which mandated the gradual introduction of quieter Stage 3 aircraft. The 727's JT8D jet engines use older low-bypass turbofan technology, whereas Stage 3 aircraft utilize the more efficient and quieter high-bypass turbofan design. When the Stage 3 requirement was being proposed, Boeing engineers analyzed the possibility of incorporating quieter engines on the 727. They determined that the JT8D-200 engine could be used on the two side-mounted pylons, but the structural changes to fit the larger-diameter engine (49.2 inches (125 cm) fan diameter in the JT8D-200 compared to 39.9 inches (101.3 cm) in the JT8D-7) into the fuselage at the number two
engine location were prohibitive.
Current regulations require that a 727 in commercial service must be retrofit
ted with a hush kit
to reduce engine noise to Stage 3 levels. One such hush kit is offered by FedEx
, and has been purchased by over 60 customers. After-market winglets kits, originally developed by Valsan Partners and later marketed by Quiet Wing Corp. have been installed on many 727s to reduce noise at lower speeds, as well as to reduce fuel consumption. Kelowna Flightcraft's
maintenance division in Canada
has installed winglets on Donald Trump
's private 727–100. In addition, Raisbeck Engineering
developed packages to enable 727s to meet the Stage 3 noise requirements. These packages managed to get light- and medium-weight 727s to meet Stage 3 with simple changes to the flap and slat schedules. For heavier-weight 727s, exhaust mixers must be added to meet Stage 3. American Airlines
ordered and took delivery of 52 Raisbeck 727 Stage 3 systems. Other customers have included TWA, Pan Am, Air Algerie, TAME and many smaller airlines.
From September 1, 2010, 727 jetliners (including those with a hush kit
) are banned from some Australian airports due to noise.
The 727 also proved popular with cargo airlines and charter airlines. FedEx Express introduced 727s in 1978. 727s were the backbone of its fleet until recently, but FedEx is now phasing them out in favor of the Boeing 757
. Many cargo airlines worldwide employ the 727 as a workhorse, since, as it is being phased out of U.S. domestic service due to noise regulations, it becomes available to overseas users in areas where such noise regulations have not yet been instituted. Charter airlines Sun Country, Champion Air
, and Ryan International Airlines
all started with 727 aircraft.
The 727 has proven to be popular where the airline serves airports with gravel, or otherwise lightly improved runways. The Canadian airline First Air
, for example, previously used a 727-200C to service the communities of Resolute Bay
and Arctic Bay
in Nunavut, whose Resolute Bay Airport
and Arctic Bay Airport
both have gravel runways. The high mounted engines greatly reduce the risk of foreign object damage
.
Other companies use the 727 to transport passengers to their resorts or cruise ship
s. Such was the example of Carnival Cruise Lines
, which used both the 727 and 737
to fly both regular flights and flights to transport their passengers to cities that harbored their ships. Carnival used the jets on its airline division, Carnival Air Lines
.
According to the Boeing Jetliner Databook, the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
, also known as 'Con Air', currently uses four 727 aircraft to transport persons in legal custody between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other places where they must be transported.
At the turn of the 21st century, the 727 was in service with a few airline fleets; however, due to changes by the U.S. FAA
and the ICAO
in over-water flight requirements, most major airlines had already begun to switch to twin-engine aircraft
, which are more fuel-efficient and quieter than the three-engine 727. Also, the 727 was one of the last airliners in service to have a three-person flight crew, including a flight engineer
, a crew member whose tasks have been largely automated on newer airliners.
Faced with higher fuel costs (although all major United States
airlines phased them out immediately prior to the oil price increases since 2003), lower passenger volumes due to the post-9/11
economic climate, increasing restrictions on airport noise, and the extra expenses of maintaining older planes and paying flight engineers' salaries, most major airlines have phased 727s out of their fleets. Delta Air Lines
, the last major U.S. carrier to do so, retired its last 727 from scheduled service in April 2003. Northwest Airlines
retired its last 727 from charter service in June 2003. The 727 is still flying for some smaller start-up airlines, cargo airlines, and charter airlines, and it is also sometimes used as a private means of transportation. The official replacement for the 727 in Boeing's lineup was the Boeing 757
; however, the smallest 757 variant, the 757–200, is significantly larger than the 727–200, so many airlines replaced their 727s with either the 737–800 or the Airbus A320
, both of which are closer in size to the 727–200.
There are two variants of the 727. The 727–100 was launched in 1960 and placed into service in February 1964. The 727–200 was launched in 1965 and placed into service in December 1967.
A total of 571 727-100s were delivered (407 -100s, 53 -100Cs, and 111 -100QCs). One 727–100 was completed and retained by Boeing, bringing total production to 572.
It should be noted that the -100 designation is a retrospective one to distinguish the original short body version. Aircraft were delivered as 727-22 (United), 727-23 (American) etc. not -122 or -123 and retained these designations even after the advent of the 727-200
727-100C
Convertible passenger cargo version. Additional freight door and strengthened floor and floor beams. Three alternate fits:
727-100QC
QC stands for Quick Change. This is similar to the Convertible version with a roller-bearing floor for palletised galley and seating and/or cargo to allow much faster changeover time (30 minutes).
727-100QF
QF stands for Quiet Freighter. A cargo conversion for United Parcel Service
, re-engined with Stage III-compliant Rolls-Royce Tay turbofans.
Stretched version of the 727–100. The −200 is 20 feet (6.1 m) longer (153 feet, 2 inches, 46.7 m) than the −100 (133 feet, 2 inches, 40.6 m). A ten-foot (3-meter) fuselage section ("plug") was added in front of the wings and another ten-foot fuselage section was added behind them. The wing span and height remain the same on both the −100 and −200 (108 feet (32.9 m) and 34 feet (10.4 m), respectively). The original 727–200 had the same max gross weight as the 727–100; however, as the aircraft evolved, a series of higher gross weights and more powerful engines were introduced along with other improvements, and, from line number 881, 727-200s are dubbed −200 Advanced. The aircraft gross weight eventually increased from 169000 to 209500 lb (76,657.1 to 95,027.6 kg) for the latest versions. The dorsal intake of the number two engine was also redesigned to be round in shape, rather than oval as it was on the 100 series.
The first 727–200 flew on July 27, 1967 and received FAA certification on November 30, 1967. The first delivery was made on 14 December 1967 to Northeast Airlines
. A total of 310 727-200s were delivered before giving way to the 727-200Adv in 1972.
727-200C
Convertible passenger cargo version. Only two were built.
727–200 Advanced
MTOW and range increased. Also, cabin improvements.
727-200F Advanced
A freighter version of the 727–200 Advanced became available in 1981 designated the Series 200F Advanced powered by the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A engines and featured a strengthened fuselage structure, an 11 ft 2 inch by 7 ft 2 inch forward main deck freight door and a windowless cabin. This was the last production variant of the 727 to be developed by Boeing, and 15 aircraft were built, all for Federal Express. The last 727 aircraft to be completed by Boeing was the Series 200F Advanced for Federal Express.
Super 27
Speed increased by 50 mi/h, due to replacement of the two side engines with the JT8D-217 or the JT8D-219, which are also found on many MD-80s, along with the addition of hush kit
s to the center engine. Winglets were added to some of these aircraft to increase fuel efficiency. This modification was originally developed by Valsan Partners, but was later marketed by Goodrich.
, Yugoslavia
n, Mexican
, New Zealand
, and Panama
air force
s, among the small group of government agencies that have used it. The United States military used the 727 as a military transport, designated as the C-22.
Former government and military operators
resulting in a total of 3,783 fatalities. The 727 has also been in 178 hijacking
s involving 345 fatalities.
Sources: Boeing 727 Specifications, Boeing 727 Airport report
Deliveries
Narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres , and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle...
, three-engine
Trijet
A Trijet is an aircraft powered by three jet engines. Early twin-jet designs were limited by the FAA's "60-minute rule", whereby the flight path of twin-engined jetliners was restricted to within 60 minutes' flying time from a suitable airport, in case of engine failure. In 1964 this rule was...
, T-tail
T-tail
thumb|right|Grob motor gliderA T-tail is an aircraft tail stabilizer configuration in which the horizontal surfaces are mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer. Traditionally, the horizontal control surfaces are mounted to the fuselage at the base of the vertical stabilizer...
ed commercial jet airliner
Jet airliner
A jet airliner is an airliner that is powered by jet engines. This term is sometimes contracted to jetliner or jet.In contrast to today's relatively fuel-efficient, turbofan-powered air travel, first generation jet airliner travel was noisy and fuel inefficient...
, manufactured by Boeing
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes designs, assembles, markets and sells large commercial jet aircraft and provides product-related maintenance and training to customers worldwide...
. The Boeing 727 first flew
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced. The 727's sales record for the most jet airliners ever sold was broken in the early 1990s by its younger stablemate, the Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
.
The 727 followed the success of the Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
quad-jet airliner. Designed for short-haul
Flight length
In aviation, the flight length is defined as the time airborne during a flight.- Domestic :A short-haul domestic flight is commonly categorized into being no longer than 1.5 hours in length, meaning that all domestic flights within a country such as the United Kingdom are short-haul...
routes, the 727 became a mainstay of airlines' domestic route networks. A stretched variant, the 727–200, debuted in 1967. In August 2008, 81 Boeing 727–100 aircraft and 419 727–200 aircraft were in airline service.
Development
The Boeing 727 design was a compromise between United AirlinesUnited Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
requirements for a jet airliner to serve smaller cities with shorter runways and fewer passengers. United Airlines wanted a four-engined aircraft for its flights to high-altitude airports, especially its hub at Stapleton International Airport
Stapleton International Airport
Stapleton International Airport was Denver, Colorado's primary airport from 1929 to 1995. At different times it served as a hub for TWA, People Express, Frontier Airlines and Western Airlines as well as a hub for Continental Airlines and United Airlines at the time of its closure.In 1995 Stapleton...
at Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. American, which was operating the four-engined Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
and Boeing 720
Boeing 720
The Boeing 720 is a four-engine narrow-body short- to medium-range passenger jet airliner. Developed by Boeing in the late 1950s from the Boeing 707, the 720 has a shorter fuselage and less range...
, wanted a twin-engined aircraft for efficiency. Eastern wanted a third engine for its overwater flights to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, since at that time twin-engined commercial flights were limited by regulations to routes with 60-minute maximum flying time to an airport (see ETOPS/LROPS
ETOPS/LROPS
ETOPS is an acronym for extended operations as re-defined by the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2007 . This rule allows twin-engined airliners to fly long-distance routes that were previously off-limits to twin-engined aircraft...
). Eventually, the airlines agreed on a trijet
Trijet
A Trijet is an aircraft powered by three jet engines. Early twin-jet designs were limited by the FAA's "60-minute rule", whereby the flight path of twin-engined jetliners was restricted to within 60 minutes' flying time from a suitable airport, in case of engine failure. In 1964 this rule was...
.
In 1959 Lord Douglas, chairman of British European Airways
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
(BEA), suggested that Boeing and de Havilland Aircraft Company
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
(later Hawker Siddeley) work together on their trijet designs, the 727 and D.H.121 Trident
Hawker Siddeley Trident
The Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident was a British short/medium-range three-engined jet airliner designed by de Havilland and built by Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s and 1970s...
, respectively. The two designs had a similar layout, the 727 being slightly larger. At that time Boeing intended to use three Allison
Allison Engine Company
The Allison Engine Company was a U.S. aircraft engine manufacturer. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers. Fisher sold the company to General Motors, who owned it for most of its history...
AR963 turbofan engines, license-built versions of the Rolls-Royce RB163 Spey used by the Trident. Boeing and de Havilland each sent engineers to the other company’s locations to evaluate each other’s designs, but Boeing eventually decided against the joint venture. De Havilland had wanted Boeing to license-build the D.H.121, while Boeing felt the aircraft needed to be designed for the American market, with six-abreast seating and the ability to use runways as short as 4,500 ft.
In 1960 Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
was trying to find a customer for their new JT8D turbofan design study, based on its J52 (JT8A)
Pratt & Whitney J52
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Information Group. Pratt & Whitney J52. Jane's Aero Engines. Modified 29 May 2009....
turbojet, while United and Eastern were interested in having Pratt & Whitney offer an alternative engine to the RB163 Spey. Once Pratt & Whitney agreed to go ahead with development of the JT8D, Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
, Chairman of the Board of Eastern, let Boeing know that the airline preferred the JT8D for their 727s. Boeing had previously declined to offer the JT8D, as it was about 1,000 lbs heavier than the RB163, though slightly more powerful. The RB163 was also further along in development than the JT8D. Boeing reluctantly agreed to offer the JT8D as an option on the 727; it later became the sole powerplant.
The middle engine (engine 2) at the very rear of the fuselage gets air from an inlet ahead of the vertical fin through an S-shaped duct
S-duct
An S-duct is a unique type of jet engine intake duct, used in several types of trijet aircraft. In this configuration, the intake is in the upper rear center of the aircraft, just below the stabilizer, while the exhaust is at the rear of the aircraft. The S-duct is located in the tail, or...
. This S-duct proved to be troublesome in that flow distortion in the duct induced a surge in the centerline engine on the take-off of the first flight of the 727-100. This was fixed by the addition of several large vortex generators in the inside of the first bend of the duct.
The 727 had high-lift device
High-lift device
In aircraft design, high-lift devices are moving surfaces or stationary components intended to increase lift during certain flight conditions. They include common devices such as flaps and slats, as well as less common features such as leading edge extensions and blown flaps.-Purpose:Aircraft...
s on its wing, thus being one of the first jets able to operate from relatively short runways. Later models of the 727 were stretched to accommodate more passengers and replaced earlier jet airliners such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
on domestic routes.
Design
The 727 proved to be such a reliable and versatile airliner that it came to form the core of many start-up airlines' fleets. The 727 was successful with airlines worldwide partly because it could use smaller runways while still flying medium-range routes. This allowed airlines to carry passengers from cities with large populations but smaller airports to worldwide tourist destinations. One of the features that gave the 727 its ability to land on shorter runways was its unique wing design. With no wing-mounted engines, leading-edge devices (Krueger, or hinged, flaps on the inner wing and extendable leading edge slatsLeading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...
out to the wingtip) and trailing-edge lift enhancement equipment (triple-slotted, aft-moving flap
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
s) could be used on the entire wing. Together these high-lift devices produced a maximum wing lift coefficient of 3.0 (based on the flap-retracted wing area). The 727 was stable at very low speeds compared to other early jets, but domestic carriers learned after review of various accidents that the 40-degree flaps setting could result in a higher-than-desired sink rate or a stall on final approach. These carriers' Pilots' Operation Handbooks disallowed using more than 30 degrees' flaps on the 727, even going so far as installing plates on the flap slot to prevent selection of more than 30 degrees' flaps.
Early 727s had nose gear brakes fitted to reduce braking distance
Braking distance
Braking distance refers to the distance a vehicle will travel from the point where its brakes are fully applied to when it comes to a complete stop...
on landing, but these were soon removed from service as they provided little reduction in braking distances, while adding weight and increasing maintenance needs.
Airstair
An airstair is a passenger staircase that is built in to an airliner — often, though not always, on the inside of a clamshell-style door. The stairs can be raised or lowered while the aircraft is on the ground, allowing passengers and ground personnel to board or depart the aircraft without the...
that opens from the rear underbelly of the fuselage. D. B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the airspace between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted to an uncertain fate...
, a hijacker, parachuted from the back of a 727 as it was flying over the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Boeing subsequently modified the design with the Cooper vane
Cooper vane
A Cooper vane is a mechanical aerodynamic wedge that prevents the ventral airstair of an aircraft from being lowered in flight. Following three hijackings in 1972, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered that Boeing 727 aircraft be fitted with Cooper vanes. The device was named for famed...
so that the airstair could not be lowered in flight. Another innovation was the auxiliary power unit
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...
(APU), which allowed electrical and air-conditioning systems to run independent of a ground-based power supply, without having to start one of the main engines. An unusual design feature is that the APU is mounted in a hole in the keel beam web, in the main landing gear bay. The 727 is equipped with a retractable tail skid that is designed to protect the aircraft in the event of an over-rotation
Rotation (aviation)
In aviation, rotation refers to the action of applying back pressure to a control device, such as a yoke, side-stick or centre stick, to lift the nose wheel off the ground during the takeoff roll...
on takeoff. The 727's fuselage has an outer diameter of 148 inches (3.8 m). This allows six-abreast seating (three per side) and a single aisle when 18 inches (45.7 cm) wide coach-class seats are installed. An unusual feature of the fuselage is the 10 inch difference between the lower lobe forward and aft of the wing as the higher fuselage height of the centre-section was simply retained towards the rear.
Noise
The 727 is one of the noisiest commercial jetliners, categorized as Stage 2 by the U.S. Noise Control ActNoise Control Act
The Noise Pollution and Abatement Act of 1972 is a statute of the United States initiating a federal program of regulating noise pollution with the intent of protecting human health and minimizing annoyance of noise to the general public....
of 1972, which mandated the gradual introduction of quieter Stage 3 aircraft. The 727's JT8D jet engines use older low-bypass turbofan technology, whereas Stage 3 aircraft utilize the more efficient and quieter high-bypass turbofan design. When the Stage 3 requirement was being proposed, Boeing engineers analyzed the possibility of incorporating quieter engines on the 727. They determined that the JT8D-200 engine could be used on the two side-mounted pylons, but the structural changes to fit the larger-diameter engine (49.2 inches (125 cm) fan diameter in the JT8D-200 compared to 39.9 inches (101.3 cm) in the JT8D-7) into the fuselage at the number two
Aircraft engine position number
Aircraft engine position number is a method to identify the location of engines on multi-engined aircraft. Aircraft engines are numbered from left to right from the view of the pilot looking forward.-Twin-engined aircraft:* #1 - port - on the left...
engine location were prohibitive.
Current regulations require that a 727 in commercial service must be retrofit
Retrofit
Retrofitting refers to the addition of new technology or features to older systems.* power plant retrofit, improving power plant efficiency / increasing output / reducing emissions...
ted with a hush kit
Hush kit
A hush kit is a device for reducing noise from an engine; most commonly the term refers to devices which reduce noise emissions from low-bypass turbofan engines, as fitted to older commercial aircraft ....
to reduce engine noise to Stage 3 levels. One such hush kit is offered by FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
, and has been purchased by over 60 customers. After-market winglets kits, originally developed by Valsan Partners and later marketed by Quiet Wing Corp. have been installed on many 727s to reduce noise at lower speeds, as well as to reduce fuel consumption. Kelowna Flightcraft's
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd.
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd. is an Approved Maintenance Organization which operates two Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities in Canada, one in Kelowna, British Columbia, and the other in Hamilton, Ontario....
maintenance division in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
has installed winglets on Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
's private 727–100. In addition, Raisbeck Engineering
James D. Raisbeck
James David Raisbeck is a notable American aeronautical engineer, known for his entrepreneurship in developing products which enhance the performance of production aircraft.-Biography:...
developed packages to enable 727s to meet the Stage 3 noise requirements. These packages managed to get light- and medium-weight 727s to meet Stage 3 with simple changes to the flap and slat schedules. For heavier-weight 727s, exhaust mixers must be added to meet Stage 3. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
ordered and took delivery of 52 Raisbeck 727 Stage 3 systems. Other customers have included TWA, Pan Am, Air Algerie, TAME and many smaller airlines.
From September 1, 2010, 727 jetliners (including those with a hush kit
Hush kit
A hush kit is a device for reducing noise from an engine; most commonly the term refers to devices which reduce noise emissions from low-bypass turbofan engines, as fitted to older commercial aircraft ....
) are banned from some Australian airports due to noise.
Operational history
In addition to domestic flights of medium range, the 727 was popular with international passenger airlines. The range of flights it could cover (and the additional safety added by the third engine) meant that the 727 proved efficient for short- to medium-range international flights in areas around the world. Prior to its introduction, four-engine jets or propeller-driven airliners were required for transoceanic service.Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
. Many cargo airlines worldwide employ the 727 as a workhorse, since, as it is being phased out of U.S. domestic service due to noise regulations, it becomes available to overseas users in areas where such noise regulations have not yet been instituted. Charter airlines Sun Country, Champion Air
Champion Air
Champion Air was an airline based in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA. It operated general charter services to sports teams, vacation wholesalers and government agencies. It also offered limited scheduled service...
, and Ryan International Airlines
Ryan International Airlines
Ryan International Airlines, Inc. is an American FAR 121 airline with domestic, flag, and supplemental authority.Based in Rockford, Illinois, the US Postal Service was once the airline's main customer, flying Boeing 727 aircraft on scheduled cargo flights...
all started with 727 aircraft.
The 727 has proven to be popular where the airline serves airports with gravel, or otherwise lightly improved runways. The Canadian airline First Air
First Air
Bradley Air Services Limited, operating as First Air, is an airline headquartered in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. It operates services to 30 communities in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. The majority of its fleet is available for charters worldwide...
, for example, previously used a 727-200C to service the communities of Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay
Resolute Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Parry Channel on the southern side of Cornwallis Island. The hamlet of Resolute is located on the northern shore of the bay and Resolute Bay Airport to the northwest...
and Arctic Bay
Arctic Bay, Nunavut
Arctic Bay is an Inuit hamlet located in the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. Arctic Bay is located in the Eastern Time Zone although it is quite close to the time zone boundary. The predominant languages are Inuktitut and English...
in Nunavut, whose Resolute Bay Airport
Resolute Bay Airport
-Accidents:On August 20, 2011, First Air Flight 6560, a Boeing 737-200, carrying 15 people crashed near the airport. Twelve people were killed and three people survived. Flight 6560 was a charter from Yellowknife to Resolute.-External links:...
and Arctic Bay Airport
Arctic Bay Airport
Arctic Bay Airport, , is a registered aerodrome located southeast of Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Canada. Until January 12, 2010 Nanisivik Airport, about from Arctic Bay, was used for scheduled flights. On January 13, 2010, First Air transferred all air services to Arctic Bay's newly expanded airport...
both have gravel runways. The high mounted engines greatly reduce the risk of foreign object damage
Foreign object damage
Foreign Object Debris is a substance, debris or article alien to a vehicle or system which would potentially cause damage.Foreign Object Damage is any damage attributed to a foreign object that can be expressed in physical or economic terms that may or may not degrade the product's required...
.
Other companies use the 727 to transport passengers to their resorts or cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s. Such was the example of Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Doral, Florida, a suburb of Miami in the United States. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, the company is now one of eleven cruise ship brands owned and operated by Carnival Corporation & plc...
, which used both the 727 and 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
to fly both regular flights and flights to transport their passengers to cities that harbored their ships. Carnival used the jets on its airline division, Carnival Air Lines
Carnival Air Lines
Carnival Air Lines was a charter and low-cost air division of Carnival Cruise Lines started in 1988 after Carnival Cruise Lines purchased Pacific Interstate Airlines. It was headquartered in Dania, Florida.-History:...
.
According to the Boeing Jetliner Databook, the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System
The Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System , nicknamed "Con Air", is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with the transportation of persons in legal custody between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other locations. It is the largest prison...
, also known as 'Con Air', currently uses four 727 aircraft to transport persons in legal custody between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other places where they must be transported.
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and the ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
in over-water flight requirements, most major airlines had already begun to switch to twin-engine aircraft
Twinjet
A twinjet or twin jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. Such configuration of an aircraft is the most popular today for commercial airliners, for fighters, and many other kinds, because while offering safety from a single engine failure, it is also acceptably fuel-efficient.-Aircraft...
, which are more fuel-efficient and quieter than the three-engine 727. Also, the 727 was one of the last airliners in service to have a three-person flight crew, including a flight engineer
Flight engineer
Flight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...
, a crew member whose tasks have been largely automated on newer airliners.
Faced with higher fuel costs (although all major United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
airlines phased them out immediately prior to the oil price increases since 2003), lower passenger volumes due to the post-9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
economic climate, increasing restrictions on airport noise, and the extra expenses of maintaining older planes and paying flight engineers' salaries, most major airlines have phased 727s out of their fleets. Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, the last major U.S. carrier to do so, retired its last 727 from scheduled service in April 2003. Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
retired its last 727 from charter service in June 2003. The 727 is still flying for some smaller start-up airlines, cargo airlines, and charter airlines, and it is also sometimes used as a private means of transportation. The official replacement for the 727 in Boeing's lineup was the Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
; however, the smallest 757 variant, the 757–200, is significantly larger than the 727–200, so many airlines replaced their 727s with either the 737–800 or the Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
, both of which are closer in size to the 727–200.
Variants
727–100
The first 727-100 flew on February 9, 1963 and FAA type approval was awarded on December 24 of that year. The first delivery to United Airlines was made prior to this on October 29, to allow pilot training to commence. The first 727 passenger service was flown by Eastern Air Lines on February 1, 1964, between Miami, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.A total of 571 727-100s were delivered (407 -100s, 53 -100Cs, and 111 -100QCs). One 727–100 was completed and retained by Boeing, bringing total production to 572.
It should be noted that the -100 designation is a retrospective one to distinguish the original short body version. Aircraft were delivered as 727-22 (United), 727-23 (American) etc. not -122 or -123 and retained these designations even after the advent of the 727-200
727-100C
Convertible passenger cargo version. Additional freight door and strengthened floor and floor beams. Three alternate fits:
- 94 mixed-class passengers
- 52 mixed-class passengers and four cargo pallets (22,700 lb, 10,297 kg)
- Eight cargo pallets (38,000 lb, 17,237 kg)
727-100QC
QC stands for Quick Change. This is similar to the Convertible version with a roller-bearing floor for palletised galley and seating and/or cargo to allow much faster changeover time (30 minutes).
727-100QF
QF stands for Quiet Freighter. A cargo conversion for United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, re-engined with Stage III-compliant Rolls-Royce Tay turbofans.
727–200
Stretched version of the 727–100. The −200 is 20 feet (6.1 m) longer (153 feet, 2 inches, 46.7 m) than the −100 (133 feet, 2 inches, 40.6 m). A ten-foot (3-meter) fuselage section ("plug") was added in front of the wings and another ten-foot fuselage section was added behind them. The wing span and height remain the same on both the −100 and −200 (108 feet (32.9 m) and 34 feet (10.4 m), respectively). The original 727–200 had the same max gross weight as the 727–100; however, as the aircraft evolved, a series of higher gross weights and more powerful engines were introduced along with other improvements, and, from line number 881, 727-200s are dubbed −200 Advanced. The aircraft gross weight eventually increased from 169000 to 209500 lb (76,657.1 to 95,027.6 kg) for the latest versions. The dorsal intake of the number two engine was also redesigned to be round in shape, rather than oval as it was on the 100 series.
The first 727–200 flew on July 27, 1967 and received FAA certification on November 30, 1967. The first delivery was made on 14 December 1967 to Northeast Airlines
Northeast Airlines
Northeast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland...
. A total of 310 727-200s were delivered before giving way to the 727-200Adv in 1972.
727-200C
Convertible passenger cargo version. Only two were built.
MTOW and range increased. Also, cabin improvements.
727-200F Advanced
A freighter version of the 727–200 Advanced became available in 1981 designated the Series 200F Advanced powered by the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A engines and featured a strengthened fuselage structure, an 11 ft 2 inch by 7 ft 2 inch forward main deck freight door and a windowless cabin. This was the last production variant of the 727 to be developed by Boeing, and 15 aircraft were built, all for Federal Express. The last 727 aircraft to be completed by Boeing was the Series 200F Advanced for Federal Express.
Super 27
Speed increased by 50 mi/h, due to replacement of the two side engines with the JT8D-217 or the JT8D-219, which are also found on many MD-80s, along with the addition of hush kit
Hush kit
A hush kit is a device for reducing noise from an engine; most commonly the term refers to devices which reduce noise emissions from low-bypass turbofan engines, as fitted to older commercial aircraft ....
s to the center engine. Winglets were added to some of these aircraft to increase fuel efficiency. This modification was originally developed by Valsan Partners, but was later marketed by Goodrich.
Operators
, 398 Boeing 727 aircraft (all variants) were in commercial airline service. Most airlines have small numbers but the following operated ten or more aircraft:- FedEx Express (75)
- Astar Air CargoAstar Air CargoASTAR Air Cargo is an American cargo airline based in Miami, Florida, USA. It operates regularly scheduled cargo charter services to over 34 US airports and nine international airports, as well as worldwide charter freight services. It provides air freight services to six domestic and foreign...
(26) - Capital Cargo International AirlinesCapital Cargo International AirlinesCapital Cargo International Airlines, Inc. is a cargo airline based in Orlando, Florida, USA. It provides on-demand and wet lease aircraft charter. Its main base is Orlando International Airport. It is owned by the Air Transport Services Group .- History :...
(14) - Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter (13)
- Cargojet AirwaysCargojet AirwaysCargojet Inc. is a scheduled cargo airline based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It operates cargo services in Canada and internationally, as well as full aircraft charters. Its main base is John C Munro Hamilton International Airport...
(12) - AeroSur (10)
Government, military and other operators
In addition, the 727 has seen sporadic government use, having flown for the BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n, Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
s, among the small group of government agencies that have used it. The United States military used the 727 as a military transport, designated as the C-22.
- Angolan Air Force
- Military of BeninMilitary of BeninThe Benin Armed Forces constitutes the army, navy, air force, and national gendarmerie of Benin. For a number of years, the Belgian Armed Forces have had an active programme of co-operation with Benin, offering training and coaching, donating redundant military equipment and using the county for...
- Military of CameroonMilitary of CameroonThe Cameroonian Armed Forces generally has been an apolitical force where civilian control of the military predominates. Traditional dependence on the French defense capability, although reduced, continues to be the case as French military advisers remain closely involved in preparing the...
- Colombian government
- Colombian Air ForceColombian Air ForceThe Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
- Djibouti Air ForceDjibouti Air ForceThe Djiboutian Air Force .Djibouti is situated on the eastern coast of Africa between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and covers 23.200 square kilometer. The Djibouti Air Force was formed after the independence of June 27 1977 as part of the Djibouti Army...
- Ecuadorian Air ForceEcuadorian Air ForceThe Ecuadorian Air Force is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace.-Mission:To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional objectives which guarantee sovereignty and contribute towards the nation's security and...
- Mexican Air ForceMexican Air ForceThe Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . Since 2008, its commander is Gen...
- Federal Preventive PoliceFederal Preventive PoliceThe Federal Police , formerly known as the Policía Federal Preventiva , are the uniformed federal police force of Mexico...
Former government and military operators
- Belgian Air ForceBelgian Air ForceThe Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...
(Two operated from 1975) (Replaced by two Airbus A310Airbus A310The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
)
- Hellenic Air ForceHellenic Air ForceThe Hellenic Air Force, abbreviated to HAF is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the...
– a 727 was purchased and converted into a government plane in 1992, and the next government converted it into a charter plane.
- Imperial Iranian Air Force
- Royal New Zealand Air ForceRoyal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
purchased three ex-United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
aircraft in 1981, with two operated by No. 40 Squadron RNZAFNo. 40 Squadron RNZAFNo. 40 Squadron RNZAF is a transport squadron in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It remains on active duty.- Origins :...
and the third placed into storage and later broken up. The 727 that carried New Zealand Prime Minister Jim BolgerJim BolgerJames Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
was known as Spud OneSpud OneSpud One was an informal name adopted by New Zealand civil servants for the Boeing 727 aircraft of No. 40 Squadron RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force carrying Prime Minister Jim Bolger....
. The 727s have since been replaced by two 757sBoeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
.
- Panamanian Air Force until 1989
- Qatar Amiri FlightQatar Amiri FlightQatar Amiri Flight is a VIP airline owned and operated by the government of Qatar. It operates worldwide charters on demand and caters exclusively to the royal family of Qatar and other VIP government staff. The vast majority of its fleet is painted in the standard livery of the commercial flag...
- Republic of China Air ForceRepublic of China Air ForceThe Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
purchased 4 ex-China AirlinesChina AirlinesChina Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
Aircraft(Replaced by Boeing 737Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
)
- Military of TajikistanMilitary of TajikistanTajikistan's armed forces consist of Land Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Presidential National Guard, and Security Forces...
- SFR Yugoslav Air ForceSFR Yugoslav Air ForceThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslav Air Force , was the air force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Formed in 1945, it was preceded by the Yugoslav Royal Air Force which was disbanded in 1941, following the German occupation of Yugoslavia...
Accidents and incidents
As of 2010, a total of 325 incidents involving 727s had occurred, including 112 hull-loss accidentsAviation accidents and incidents
An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a...
resulting in a total of 3,783 fatalities. The 727 has also been in 178 hijacking
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
s involving 345 fatalities.
Notable accidents and incidents
- On August 16, 1965, United Airlines Flight 389United Airlines Flight 389United Airlines Flight 389 was a scheduled flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York City, New York, to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. On August 16, 1965, at approximately 21:21 EST, the Boeing 727 crashed into Lake Michigan east of Fort Sheridan, near Lake Forest, while descending...
, a new Boeing 727–100, crashed into Lake Michigan 30 miles east northeast of Chicago's O'Hare Airport. The crew were told to descend and maintain 6,000 feet, which was the last radio communication with the flight. The NTSB was not able to determine why the airliner continued its descent into the water. - On November 8, 1965, American Airlines Flight 383American Airlines Flight 383American Airlines Flight 383 was a nonstop flight from New York to Cincinnati on November 8, 1965. The aircraft was a Boeing 727-123 aircraft with 62 people on board. The aircraft crashed on approach to the Greater Cincinnati Airport...
, a Boeing 727–100, crashed on approach to the Greater Cincinnati Airport with 62 people on board. Only three passengers and one flight attendant survived. The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the crew to properly monitor the altimeters during a visual approach into deteriorating visibility conditions. - On November 11, 1965, United Airlines Flight 227United Airlines Flight 227United Airlines Flight 227 , a scheduled passenger flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York City to San Francisco International Airport , San Francisco, California, crashed short of the runway while attempting a scheduled landing at Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah on...
, a Boeing 727–100, departed New York-LaGuardiaLaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
for a flight to San FranciscoSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
via ClevelandCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Denver, and Salt Lake City. Flight 227 crashed on landing at Salt Lake International Airport, causing the deaths of 43 of the 91 people on board. - On February 4, 1966, All Nippon Airways Flight 60All Nippon Airways Flight 60All Nippon Airways Flight 60 was a Boeing 727-81 aircraft that crashed on February 4, 1966. All 133 passengers and crew were killed when the aircraft crashed into Tokyo Bay about from Tokyo's Haneda International Airport in clear weather conditions while on a night approach...
, a 727–100, was on approach to Tokyo's Haneda Airport at night when it inexplicably crashed into the sea 6.5 miles from the airport. All seven crew and all 126 passengers perished. A cause for the accident could not be determined. - On July 19, 1967, Piedmont Airlines Flight 22Piedmont Airlines Flight 22Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 was a Piedmont Airlines Boeing 727-22 on a scheduled airline flight in the United States from Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina to Roanoke Regional Airport in Roanoke, Virginia. Shortly after departure, the flight collided with a twin-engine Cessna...
, a 727 collided with a twin-engine Cessna 310Cessna 310The Cessna 310 is an American six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined monoplane that was produced by Cessna between 1954 and 1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna put into production after World War II.-Development:...
shortly after departing from Asheville Regional AirportAsheville Regional AirportAsheville Regional Airport is a Class C airport near Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 near the town of Fletcher, south of the city of Asheville, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is owned by the city of Asheville...
in Asheville, North CarolinaAsheville, North CarolinaAsheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. All 79 passengers and crew on the 727 and all three persons on board the Cessna were killed. - On February 16, 1968, Civil Air Transport Flight 010 crashed on approach to TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
. The accident killed 21 of 63 passengers and crew and one person on the ground. - On 5 January 1969, Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 was an air accident that happened on 5 January 1969, when a Boeing 727 crashed into a house on approach to London Gatwick Airport in heavy fog. Due to pilot error the flaps were not extended to maintain flight at final approach speed...
crashed short of the runway near London Gatwick Airport killing 48 passengers and crew and 2 people on the ground. - On July 30, 1971 All Nippon Airways Flight 58All Nippon Airways Flight 58All Nippon Airways Flight 58 was a Boeing 727-281 airliner, JA8329, that collided with a Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-86F fighter jet, 92-7932, while en route from Chitose Airport in Sapporo to Tokyo International Airport in Tokyo on 30 July 1971 at 2:04 local time. All 162 of those on board...
collided with a Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense ForceThe , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
(JASDF) F-86F fighter jetF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, while en route from Chitose AirportChitose Air Base, is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in Chitose, Hokkaidō, adjacent to New Chitose Airport. It is the JASDF's primary base in northern Japan and tasked with monitoring Japan's maritime borders with Russia. It was also Hokkaidō's primary civilian airport until the opening of New Chitose...
to Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan. All 162 passengers and crew on board the 727 were killed, the fighter jet pilot survived. All Nippon Airways Flight 58 was the worst crash in aviation history at the time it happened. - On September 4, 1971, Alaska Airlines Flight 1866Alaska Airlines Flight 1866Alaska Airlines Flight 1866 was the first fatal jet airliner crash of Alaska Airlines, an airline registered in the United States. The aircraft crashed into a mountain near Juneau, Alaska on approach for landing on September 4, 1971. 111 people were killed. There were no survivors...
, a 727–100, crashed into a mountain while on approach to Juneau, AlaskaJuneau, AlaskaThe City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
. Part of the cause involved the aircrew receiving erroneous navigational information for approach. All seven crew members and 104 passengers were killed. - In 1971, Northwest Airlines Flight 305, a 727, was hijacked by passenger D. B. CooperD. B. CooperD. B. Cooper is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the airspace between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted to an uncertain fate...
while en route from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. After receiving a payment of $200,000 and four parachutes when he was in Seattle, he told the pilots to fly to Mexico, and jumped out of the aircraft from the aft airstairs over Washington or Oregon. Cooper's fate is unknown. - In 1972, during an attempted coup d'état1972 Moroccan coup attemptIn August 1972 a coup was attempted against Hassan II of Morocco.The attempt was orchestrated by General Mohamed Oufkir, a close advisor to King Hassan. On August 16, three Northrop F-5 jets, acting on Oufkir's orders, intercepted Hassan's Boeing 727 as returned from France. They then opened fire...
, jets from the Royal Moroccan Air ForceRoyal Moroccan Air ForceThe Royal Moroccan Air Force is the air force branch of the Moroccan Armed Forces.-History:...
fired upon the Boeing 727 of King Hassan IIHassan II of MoroccoKing Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
of Morocco while he was traveling to Rabat. After the aircraft survived the attack, the king awarded the plane a medal of honor. - On February 21, 1973, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 was a regularly scheduled flight from Tripoli to Cairo via Benghazi shot down by Israeli fighter jets in 1973....
, a Boeing 727–200 flying over the Sinai Desert was fired upon by IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i air forces that suspected it of being an enemy military plane. Of 113 people on board, 108 died. - On December 1, 1974, TWA Flight 514TWA Flight 514TWA Flight 514, registration N54328, was a Boeing 727-231 en route from Indianapolis, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio, to Washington Dulles International that crashed into Mount Weather, Virginia, on December 1, 1974. All 85 passengers and 7 crew members were killed.The flight was originally destined...
, a 727–200 (registration N54328), crashed on Mount WeatherMount WeatherThe Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center is a civilian command facility in Virginia, U.S. used as the center of operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency...
while flying from Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, and Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, to Washington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
in turbulent weather. All 85 passengers and 7 crew members aboard were killed. - On December 1, 1974, Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, a 727, crashedHarriman State Park plane crashThe Harriman State Park plane crash was a fatal crash of a Boeing 727 which took place on December 1, 1974 near Stony Point, New York. The flight, designated Northwest Airlines flight 6231, had been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo, New York...
on the same day as TWA Flight 514. - On June 24, 1975, Eastern Air Lines Flight 66Eastern Air Lines Flight 66Eastern Air Lines Flight 66, a Boeing 727-225 with registration number N8845E, departed from New Orleans Moisant Field, bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport on the afternoon of June 24, 1975. The aircraft carried 124 persons, including 116 passengers and 8 crew.As the aircraft was on its...
crashed on approach for John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
, killing 113 people. The cause was determined to be a microburstMicroburstA microburst is a very localized column of sinking air, producing damaging divergent and straight-line winds at the surface that are similar to, but distinguishable from, tornadoes, which generally have convergent damage. There are two types of microbursts: wet microbursts and dry microbursts...
. - On November 19, 1977, TAP Portugal Flight 425TAP Portugal Flight 425TAP Air Portugal Flight 425, tail number CS-TBR, was a Boeing 727 aircraft named Sacadura Cabral en route from Brussels, Belgium, to Madeira airport , Portugal, with an intermediate scheduled stop in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 19, 1977.Shortly before 9:48pm on that Saturday evening, after 13...
overran the runway at Madeira AirportMadeira Airport-Incidents and accidents:*On 5 March 1973, an Aviaco Sud Caravelle 10R crashed into the sea during approach, losing the aircraft and three crew....
and plunged over a steep bank, bursting into flames and killing 131 of the 164 people on board. - On May 5, 1978, National Airlines Flight 32 landed 2750 feet short of the runway at Pensacola Regional AirportPensacola Regional AirportPensacola International Airport is a public airport located within the city of Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida.- Facilities :Pensacola International Airport covers and has two runways:...
into Escambia Bay, killing 8 people. - On September 25, 1978, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182PSA Flight 182Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182, registration N533PS, was a Boeing 727-214 commercial airliner that collided with a private Cessna 172 over San Diego, California on September 25, 1978. Pacific Southwest Airlines' first accident involving fatalities, the death toll of 144 makes it the...
, a Boeing 727, crashed after colliding with a Cessna 172 aircraft in San Diego, killing 144 people. - On March 14, 1979, Royal Jordanian Airlines Flight 600, a Boeing 727, crashed at Doha Airport in Qatar after an approach during a thunderstorm. The disaster killed 45 of the 64 passengers on board.
- On January 21, 1980, an Iran AirIran AirIran Air , formally Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the flag carrier airline of Iran, operating services to 60 destinations, 35 international and 25 domestic. The cargo fleet operates services to 20 scheduled and 5 charter destinations...
727 crashed1980 Iran Air Boeing 727 airplane crashOn January 21, 1980, an Iran Air Boeing 727-86 was making a domestic flight from Mashad Airport to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport in Iran. At 1911h local time, the aircraft, registered as EP-IRD, collided with the Alborz Mountains, north of Tehran, during its approach to Tehran-Mehrabad runway 29 in...
near Tehran, Iran, killing all 128 on board. - On April 12, 1980, Transbrasil Flight 303Transbrasil Flight 303Transbrasil Flight 303 was a flight from São Paulo-Congonhas to Florianópolis on April 12, 1980. The aircraft was a Boeing 727-27C aircraft, registration PT-TYS with 58 people on board. The aircraft crashed on approach to the Hercilio Luz Airport. Only three individuals survived.-Aircraft:The...
, a 727-27C crashed in Florianópolis, BrazilHercílio Luz International AirportFlorianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport , is the airport serving Florianópolis, Brazil. It is named after Hercílio Pedro da Luz , 3 times Governor of Santa Catarina and senator.It is operated by Infraero....
. 55 of the 58 people aboard died. - On April 25, 1980, Dan-Air Flight 1008Dan-Air Flight 1008Dan-Air Flight 1008 was a Boeing 727-46 that crashed on the 25 April 1980 while on approach to Tenerife North Airport, Canary Islands, Spain, at the end of a charter flight from Manchester. The aircraft flew into high terrain when it turned the wrong way in a holding pattern. The aircraft was...
, a Boeing 727–100 crashed in TenerifeTenerifeTenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
. All on board were killed when the aircraft hit terrain while circling. - On June 8, 1982, a VASPVASPViação Aérea São Paulo S/A, or VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in São Paulo, Brazil...
Boeing 727-212 registration PP-SRK operating flight 168VASP Flight 168VASP Flight 168, a Boeing 727-212A, serial number 21347, registered PP-SRK, was a scheduled passenger flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Fortaleza on June 8, 1982, which crashed into terrain while descending into Fortaleza, killing all 137 people on board....
from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to FortalezaPinto Martins International AirportPinto Martins International Airport is the airport serving Fortaleza, Brazil. It is named after Euclides Pinto Martins a Ceará-born aviator, who in 1922 was one of the pioneers of the air-link between New York and Rio de Janeiro....
collided with a mountain while on approach to Fortaleza. The captain descended below a minimum descent altitude. All 137 passengers and crew died. - On July 9, 1982, Pan Am Flight 759Pan Am Flight 759Pan Am Flight 759, operated by a Boeing 727-235, N4737 Clipper Defiance, was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Miami to Las Vegas, with an en route stop at New Orleans...
crashed due to a microburstMicroburstA microburst is a very localized column of sinking air, producing damaging divergent and straight-line winds at the surface that are similar to, but distinguishable from, tornadoes, which generally have convergent damage. There are two types of microbursts: wet microbursts and dry microbursts...
shortly after take-off from New Orleans International Airport. All 145 on board of as well as 8 people on the ground were killed. - On January 1, 1985, Eastern Air Lines Flight 980Eastern Air Lines Flight 980On January 1, 1985, Eastern Air Lines Flight 980 struck Mount Illimani at an altitude of . The flight took off from Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Asunción, Paraguay and was destined for El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Bolivia...
, a Boeing 727, crashed into Mount Illimani at an altitude of 19,600 feet. All 29 crew and passengers on board were killed. The flight, flight number 980, was flying from Silvio Pettirossi International AirportSilvio Pettirossi International Airport-Incidents and accidents:*3 December 1945: an USAAF Douglas C-47B-5-DK registration 43-48602 flying from Asunción to Montevideo crashed 16km SE of Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina...
and destined for El Alto International AirportEl Alto International AirportEl Alto International Airport is an international airport located south west of La Paz, La Paz Department, Bolivia.The airport is located in the city of El Alto and has served since the first half of the 20th century, but was modernized in the late 1960s, when its runway was lengthened and a new...
. - On February 19, 1985, Iberia Airlines Flight 610Iberia Airlines Flight 610On 19 February 1985, Iberia Flight 610 crashed into a television antenna at 3356 feet which was on the summit of Mount Oiz in Vizcaya near Bilbao. The flight took off from Madrid-Barajas Airport destined for Bilbao Airport. All 141 passengers and 7 crew died in the crash...
, a Boeing 727, crashed after striking a television antenna while landing in Bilbao, killing 148 people. Flight 610 originated from Madrid-Barajas Airport. - On March 31, 1986, Mexicana Flight 940Mexicana Flight 940Flight 940 was operating its scheduled flight route Mexico City-Puerto Vallarta-Mazatlán-Los Angeles operated by Mexicana Airlines ....
with 167 people on board (eight crew and 159 passengers) crashed near Maravatío, Michoacán, Mexico. Shortly after takeoff and climbing to 29,000 feet, an overheated tire exploded in the right main wheel well, tearing through fuel lines and damaging the hydraulic and electrical systems. The resulting fire eventually rendered the aircraft uncontrollable. There were no survivors. To date Mexicana Flight 940 remains both the deadliest crash involving a 727 and the deadliest crash in Mexico aviation history. - On January 8, 1987, Middle East AirlinesMiddle East AirlinesMiddle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
727-323C OD-AHB was destroyed by shelling after landing at Beirut International Airport. - On March 17, 1988, Avianca Flight 410Avianca Flight 410Avianca Flight 410 was a flight that crashed at 13:17 on March 17, 1988, near Cúcuta, Colombia. The aircraft was a Boeing 727-21 operated by Avianca, the national airline of Colombia. Flight 410 was a regular scheduled domestic passenger flight from Cúcuta-Camilo Daza International Airport to...
, a Boeing 727, domestic flight, crashed into low mountains near Cúcuta – Norte de Santander, Colombia, after take-off, killing all 143 on board. It was determined that pilot error was also the cause of this crash, in a situation similar to that of Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011, registration HK-2910 , was a Boeing 747-283B on an international scheduled passenger flight from Frankfurt via Paris, Madrid, and Caracas to Bogotá....
, five years earlier. - On October 21, 1989, Tan-Sahsa Flight 414Tan-Sahsa Flight 414Tan-Sahsa Flight 414 was a scheduled flight from Managua , Nicaragua to Tegucigalpa , Honduras.In this hull loss accident, a Boeing 727-200 crashed into a hill near Toncontin International Airport because of a bad landing procedure....
a Boeing 727-200 (N88705) operated as TAN, crashed at the "Cerro de Hula" mountains after an unsuccessful approach method, killing 127 people. - On November 27, 1989, an AviancaAviancaAvianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
Boeing 727 crashed after a bomb exploded on board. All 6 crew and 101 passengers were killed.
- On December 22, 1992, a Libyan Airlines Boeing 727 collided with a MiG-23 training aircraft, killing all 157 people on board the 727 and both MiG pilots.
- On May 19, 1993, SAM Colombia Flight 505SAM Colombia Flight 505SAM Colombia Flight 501 was a SAM Colombia Boeing 727-46 that crashed on the 19th of May 1993 killing all 132 onboard, including several Panamanian dentists on their way to a convention. The crew reported over the Abejorral NDB beacon at FL160, approaching Medellín. The flight was then cleared to...
, en route from Panama City, PanamaPanama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, to Medellín, ColombiaMedellínMedellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, hit Mt. Paramo de Frontino at 12,300 ft. while on approach to José María Córdova International Airport (SKRG). The aircraft descended into mountainous terrain before actually reaching the AbejorralAbejorralAbejorral is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia. Part of the subregion of Eastern Antioquia.-Sites of interest:Most of the town is a historical site; the architecture that has survived through the years gives Abejorral the aspect of a city "suspended" in the colonial era,...
non-directional beaconNon-directional beaconA non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...
. The VHF Omni-directional radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) had been sabotaged by terrorists and was not in service. All 132 passengers (including a group of Panamanian dentists on their way to a convention) were killed. - On November 7, 1996, an ADC AirlinesADC AirlinesADC Airlines was a Nigerian airline owned by Aviation Development Company plc and headquartered in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. It operated domestic scheduled services and regional charter flights. It had applied to be designated on international routes...
727 went down near Ejirin, Nigeria when the pilots lost control after taking evasive action to avoid a midair collision. 144 people were killed in crash. - On October 10, 1998, a Lignes Aériennes CongolaisesLignes Aeriennes CongolaisesLignes Aériennes Congolaises was the flag carrier of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1997, when it was established to succeed the folded Air Zaire, and 2008, when it was disestablished....
727 was hit by a shoulder-fired Strela 2Strela 2The 9K32 “Strela-2” is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared homing guidance...
surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
and crashed1998 Lignes Aériennes Congolaises crashThe 1998 Lignes Aériennes Congolaises crash refers to a non-scheduled domestic Kindu–Kinshasa passenger service that was shot down by rebel forces, just after take-off from Kindu Airport, during climbout, on . All 41 occupants of the aircraft perished in the accident.-Aircraft:The aircraft involved...
.
- On May 25, 2003, a 727 registration number N844AAN844AAOn May 25, 2003, a Boeing 727-223 registered as N844AA was stolen from Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola. Its disappearance prompted a world-wide search by the FBI and the CIA.- The 727-aircraft :...
, formerly used by American Airlines, was stolen from Luanda's international airport in AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. The fate of that aircraft was never discovered. - On December 25, 2003, UTA Flight 141UTA Flight 141UTA Flight 141 was a charter flight operated by Union des Transports Aériens de Guinée.On 25 December 2003 the airplane crashed in the Bight of Benin, killing 151 of the 163 occupants, most of them Lebanese....
, a 727–223 chartered flight operated by Union des Transports Aériens de GuinéeUnion des Transports Aériens de GuinéeUnion des Transports Aériens de Guinée was a Guinean and Lebanese regional airline.-Code data:...
overran the runway at Cotonou Cadjehoun AirportCadjehoun AirportCotonou Cadjehoun Airport is an airport located in Cotonou, the biggest city in Benin in West Africa.In 2004, the airport served 301,493 passengers.-Airlines and destinations:-Incidents and accidents:...
into the sea. 151 of the 163 passengers on the manifest died, however the manifest is believed to have understated the number of passengers on board. A French BEABureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'Aviation CivileThe Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile is an agency of the French government, responsible for investigating aviation accidents and making safety recommendations based on what is learned from those investigations. It is headquartered in Building 153 on the grounds...
investigation attributed the cause of the crash to overloading of passengers and cargo leading to out of limits center of gravity. - On January 2, 2010, Boeing 727-231F 9Q-CAA of CongoleseDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
airline Compagnie Africaine d'AviationCompagnie Africaine d'AviationCompagnie Africaine d'Aviation is a Congolese airline based in the Building CAA in Kinshasa. It was established in 1992 and operates passenger and cargo services to eight domestic destinations. Its main base is N'djili Airport...
was substantially damaged when it departed the side of the runway at N'djili Airport, Kinshasha and was written off. - On January 9, 2011, Iran Air Flight 277Iran Air Flight 277Iran Air Flight 277 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight that crashed on , 2011 after a go-around was initiated during final approach in poor weather conditions to Urmia Airport, West Azarbaijan province, Iran...
, a Boeing 727–286 Advanced, registration EP-IRP, crashed shortly before landing northwest of Orumiyeh, Iran. Of the 104 passengers and crew on board, 77 were killed. - On July 8, 2011, Hewa Bora Airways Flight 952Hewa Bora Airways Flight 952Hewa Bora Airways Flight 952 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight from N'djili Airport, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo to Bangoka International Airport, Kisangani. On 8 July 2011, the Boeing 727 operating the flight crashed on landing at Kisangani.-Aircraft:The aircraft involved...
, a Boeing 727, crashed while trying to land at Bangoka International AirportBangoka International AirportBangoka International Airport is an airport in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.From November 2009 until June 2011 Kenya Airways connected Bangoka International Airport to Nairobi three times a week...
in the Democratic Republic of Congo during poor weather. 127 people were killed.
Specifications
| Measurement | 727–100 | 727–200 | 727-200F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cockpit crew | Three | |||
| Max. seating capacity | 149 | 189 | N/A | |
| Length | 133 ft 2 in (40.6 m) | 153 ft 2 in (46.7 m) | ||
| Wingspan | 108 ft (32.9 m) | |||
| Tail height | 34 ft (10.3 m) | |||
| Zero fuel weight | 100,000 lb Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement... (45,360 kg) |
155,000 lb Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement... (70,307 kg) |
||
| Maximum take-off weight | 169,000 lb (76,818 kg) | 209,500 lb (95,028 kg) | 194,800 lb (88,360 kg) | |
| Maximum landing weight | 137,500 lb (62,400 kg) | 161,000 lb (73,100 kg) | 164,000 lb (74,389 kg) | |
| Take-off runway length (at 148,000 lb) |
5,800 ft (1,768 m) | |||
| Landing runway length (at max landing wt) |
4,800 ft (1,463 m) | 5,080 ft (1,585 m) | ||
| Cruising speed | Mach Mach number Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure... 0.81 |
|||
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.90 | |||
| Cruise altitude | 30000–40000 ft (9,144–12,192 m) Max altitude 42000 feet (12,801.6 m) |
|||
| Range fully loaded | 2700 nautical miles (5,000.4 km) | 2400 nautical miles (4,444.8 km) | 2400 nautical miles (4,444.8 km) | |
| Max. fuel capacity | 8,186 US gal Gallon The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry... (31,000 L) |
9,806 US gal (37,020 L) | 7,988 US gal (30,238 L) | |
| Engines (3x) | P&W JT8D-7, −9, −15, −17R&S | |||
Sources: Boeing 727 Specifications, Boeing 727 Airport report
Orders and deliveries
Orders| 1982 | 1980 | 1978 | 1976 | 1974 | 1972 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 38 | 68 | 98 | 125 | 133 | 113 | 50 | 88 | 92 | 119 |
| 1970 | 1968 | 1966 | 1964 | 1962 | 1960 | ||||||
| 26 | 48 | 64 | 66 | 125 | 149 | 187 | 83 | 20 | 10 | 37 | 80 |
Deliveries
| 1983 | 1981 | 1979 | 1977 | 1975 | 1973 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 11 | 26 | 94 | 131 | 136 | 118 | 67 | 61 | 91 | 91 | 92 |
| 1971 | 1969 | 1967 | 1965 | 1963 | 1961 | ||||||
| 41 | 33 | 55 | 114 | 160 | 155 | 135 | 111 | 95 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Aircraft on display
The following museums have Boeing 727s on display or in storage:- Carolinas Aviation MuseumCarolinas Aviation MuseumThe Carolinas Aviation Museum is an aviation museum on the grounds of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. The mission of the Museum is to educate the public about the importance of aviation to our society and inspire the next generation to excel academically in the...
727 cockpit on display, ex-Roush 727 in storage at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport - Museum of FlightMuseum of FlightThe Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum at King County International Airport , south of downtown Seattle, Washington. It was established in 1965 and is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums...
First 727 completed, still in restoration stage. To be flown to museum when finished. Another 727 is currently on display. - National Museum of Commercial AviationNational Museum of Commercial AviationNational Museum of Commercial Aviation is the nation's first comprehensive airline industry museum in the United States. It is located just south of Atlanta near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. It was founded in 2006 by Executive Director & Chief Curator Grant Wainscott...
, Atlanta, GA – ex-FedEx 727 in storage at Atlanta airport. - Museum of Science and IndustryMuseum of Science and Industry (Chicago)The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood adjacent to Lake Michigan. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
, Chicago, ex-United Airlines 727