AR385 From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 4840 posts, RR: 28 Reply 4, posted (4 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1245 times:
I recall seeing 727-100 listed in the timetables up until 1981, but I´m not sure.
The last flight for the 200s was on 2003, on a rotation MEX-MTY-MEX. Here´s a nice little video of the event. Don´t waste your time trying to understand the two idiots. Nothing they say is worth it. The images are great, though.
Tomassjc From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 656 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (4 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1240 times:
Quoting Mortyman (Reply 2): Thanx for that info. Do you have any info when they stopped using the B727 100's and 200's ?
The -100s lasted until the end of 1982. The last revenue -200 flight was made on May 30, 2003 by XA-MEE.
The -264A was truly the workhorse of the MX fleet. I spent 20 years doing weight and balance on those birds! You could fill it up, max it out and it would fly any route MX had at the time with very few limits.
Tomas SJC
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward -Leonardo DaVinci
AR385 From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 4840 posts, RR: 28 Reply 8, posted (4 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 1211 times:
Quoting ghost77 (Reply 7): The first Boeing 727-264 was accepted by Mexicana in October, 1970, followed by two more the same year. Those birds were XA-TAA, XA-TAB, and XA-TAC.
You are right. It was the first 264As with enhanced engine performance that arrived in 1974.
yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15989 posts, RR: 59 Reply 10, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1160 times:
Mexicana was one of the largest 722 carriers outside the US. Might have been the largest at one point (I think AC was at one point with 39 in service).
Check out the following post on the "hump backed" Mexicana 722 which was repaired after an accident with a noticeable bump on top of its fuselage.
AR385 From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 4840 posts, RR: 28 Reply 12, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1137 times:
Quoting yyz717 (Reply 10): Mexicana was one of the largest 722 carriers outside the US. Might have been the largest at one point (I think AC was at one point with 39 in service).
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21464 posts, RR: 24 Reply 14, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1096 times:
Quoting AR385 (Reply 12): Quoting yyz717 (Reply 10):
Mexicana was one of the largest 722 carriers outside the US. Might have been the largest at one point (I think AC was at one point with 39 in service).
It was, with 45 in service at one point.
AC had more factory-delivered 722s than MX (39 vs. 35) but MX operated more in total including those acquired from other sources.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21464 posts, RR: 24 Reply 16, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1026 times:
Quoting Citationjet (Reply 16): See the video below of a Mexicana 727-100 rocket assisted takeoff from MEX. Did Mexicana use the RATO rockets in scheduled service, or was this just a test flight?
I recall reading somewhere that it was never used in actual service.
SXDFC From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 2001 posts, RR: 20 Reply 18, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 962 times:
Quoting Tomassjc (Reply 5): The -264A was truly the workhorse of the MX fleet. I spent 20 years doing weight and balance on those birds! You could fill it up, max it out and it would fly any route MX had at the time with very few limits.
What was the bin layout on the Boeing 727 ( both -100 and -200 ), Also did you have to make the 727 rear heavy or front heavy? I know at WN they like to have the -300s rear heavy and the -700 ( and I am pretty sure the -800s) front heavy.
I am also somewhat curious as to why Mexicana decided not to buy more Boeing narrowbodies? It would have been neat to see a "737-864 or 737-964ER"..
ALL views, opinions expressed are mine ONLY and are NOT representative of those shared by Southwest Airlines Co.
AR385 From Mexico, joined Nov 2003, 4840 posts, RR: 28 Reply 19, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 945 times:
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 18): I am also somewhat curious as to why Mexicana decided not to buy more Boeing narrowbodies? It would have been neat to see a "737-864 or 737-964ER"..
I took a private tour of the MX facilities in 1996, and I asked that question to our guide, who was the Chief Pilot for the DC-10-15 fleet. He told me that at the point when a decision needed to be made for a 727 replacement, which was sometime around 1991, the only viable Boeing that came close to offering the capacity of the 727, was the 737-400. However, it was very lacking in performance out of MEX, and Mexicana found the 757 too big so at that point in time, they decided to go for the A320.
At least that was the version he gave to me.
But performance is a big issue for airlines whose hub is based at MEX. Mexicana chose to go with the 757 instead of the A321, having by then a sizable fleet of A320s.
Tomassjc From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 656 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (4 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 833 times:
Quoting SXDFC (Reply 18): What was the bin layout on the Boeing 727 ( both -100 and -200 ), Also did you have to make the 727 rear heavy or front heavy?
I never had the chance to work the -100 (we rarely saw them in the US after I started MX in Oct '79)
The -264s had pits 1/2/3 in the forward compartment and 4/5/6 in the rear. On the -264As, pit 4 was replaced by an auxiliary fuel tank, which could hamper baggage capacity, especially on the "Tecolotes" (Red eyes) out of California and Chicago.
The company preferred an optimum CG towards the tail for better fuel burn. This was easy as the aircraft was inherently tail heavy. On occasion, with a very light passenger load, (I recall it was when we had less than 20 pax) any bags went forward and we sat pax in the first 8 to 10 rows.
2 numbers that still stick in my head more than a decade later: Maximum take off weight: 86,409 kgs and Max landing weight: 70,080 kgs. With MTOW being met more times than I can count, especially on those night flights!
Tomas SJC
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward -Leonardo DaVinci
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