Does anyone else miss the Boeing 727?

convair880mfan · Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:44 pm

My first flight as a boy of 15 was on a Boeing 727-100. Continental Airlines had a promotional fare from Albuquerque to El Paso and my grandmother took me. We sat in the back behind the wing.

The 727 was unlike any other airliner I ever flew on. On the 727 I was very aware that I was on a flying machine. The sounds of the JT8D engines and their pitch changes never let me forget that. The sounds of the flap motors. On some airliners it often seemed to me like I was in something where every effort was being made to make me forget I was in a machine.

The often firm landings of the 727 were another reminder I was in a machine. I remember being on a DC-10 and I wasn't even exactly sure when the plane had landed until I saw the spoilers go up.

I remember during takeoffs in the 727 that lacking the four wheel bogies of the 707, I could feel every bump in the runway. And prior to liftoff it seemed that the interior plastic walls would start shaking and vibrating wildly. There was always a thump at liftoff when the landing gear fully extended and before it was stowed. Landings were noisy with frequent pitch changes in the engine.

Flying between Tucson and Phoenix in an American Airlines 727-200 it seemed like majority of the trip was in climb. A 727 pilot once remarked that he spent 20 years of his flying career climbing the 727. On a trip between Tucson and Phoenix on a Boeing 737-500 I remember that shortly after takeoff and while barely out of the Tucson area the pilot announced that we were beginning our descent into Phoenix. I thought he was joking until I heard the engine decelerating.

I have such fond memories of the Boeing 727. Seemed like everything was going on in that plane.

Anyone else miss this aircraft?

PixelRancher · Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:59 pm

Oh, heck yes. My Dad worked for United Airlines, and not that long after UAL got its first 727-100 we were flying on them. I remember that they used to fly them DEN - PDX - SEA and back, which we flew quite often to visit relatives in the Seattle area. The front of the plane was so quiet, it seemed spacious, and I was enthralled by the rear door.

One time in the late 1960s we were trying to get up to SEA on airline pass, and the flight was cancelled due to some problem or another. The gate clerk told us to hang around, because he thought it was a minor issue that they would fix. We waited about two hours, and then he told us that our family of four was going to be the full passenger load on a 727-100 since they needed the plane in Seattle! It was like having our own private jet.

We flew to EWR a couple of times on 727s, and for a while there they were using the rear stairs only for boarding and deplaning. That was fun!

I flew on 727s dozens of times. My last flight on one was from DEN to SAN in the late 90s. We took off to the south from Denver International and had a nice leisurely climb, heading over Pikes Peak at probably 20,000 feet. We never did get above 29,000 feet on that entire flight, making it quite the flight seeing trip!

If I had unlimited funds and could buy my own jet, I think I’d want a hush kitted 727-200…

Thanks for bringing me that memory!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Boeing757100 · Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:34 pm

Even just 10-15 years ago, it would have been heck easier to find a 727 where you live. All the big freight carriers had them (Fedex, DHL, Amerijet, and others) as well as being in charter service. Now, the only one's you'll see frequently are the OSR ones and some freighters in Latin/South America. Sure, in the US, we have Kalitta Charters and USA Jet but in total that's like a measly 8 frames! Even in 2008-2012 you could still see DC-10s, MD-11s, DC-8s, DC-9 series, old gen 737s, 727s, A310s, A300s, heck 747s even MUCH more often than now. Even these birds are disappearing from 3rd world areas! Take a look at the flag airline in the DRC from 2008. The flag carrier was HBA back then and they flew DC-9-50, 727, L1011s even! Now, the flag carrier just has some A320s and Embraers. Sure, we need to grow and evolve but even 10-15 years ago times really were different.... :crying:

Thanks for this thread. It really got me thinking "Everyone keeps talking about the 90s a lot and how it was so good to be a planespotter but even if you go back in time to just 10 years ago, it is still so much different..."

DocLightning · Fri Jul 16, 2021 7:36 pm

The 727 was the plane that looked like it was going fast when it wasn't even moving. Luke's landspeeder in "Star Wars" was very obviously inspired by the 727. When you sat in the rear, she was an ungodly noisy ride (and the lavs would leave your ears ringing), but if you were seated forward in the cabin (front of Y, or F) then you could barely hear the engines, which made takeoff and climb feel like you were being pushed by an invisible hand. But if you were at the curb outside the airport, you totally knew when a 727 or DC-9 was departing.

The wings appeared to be an exercise in complexity, with a mixture of Kruegers and slats that all extended in a complex order.

My last 727 flight was a TW flight from STL to DTW in 1998 (I think). I was lucky enough to be in the second row of Y.

I do miss the 727.

n729pa · Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:46 pm

Funny I remember seeing so many of them at LHR ...Iberia TAP Lufthansa Air France Turkish Airlines Libyan Arab Iraqi Airways Syrian Air Icelandair Pan Am TWA Tunis Air Air Algerie Royal Air Maroc JAT and even ones in Air Afrique and Air Malta colours (both leased) when i was a kid, considering the relatively small number made by comparison to today's standards, they were always a nice plane to see around.

Fortunate enough to fly on an early American Airlines -23 N1972 and United Airlines -22 N7020U.

Can't remember off hand the last one I saw unfortunately

GalaxyFlyer · Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:12 pm

I don’t miss take-off rolls that went on forever or the slow climb rates-320 knows and about 1500 fpm slowing to about 300-400 the last 2,000’. The joke was 1,000 hours of 727 time was 800 climbing. A friend flew a Valsan conversion with -217s, rocketed right up to the top box on buffet chart.

DocLightning · Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:50 pm

n729pa wrote:
Funny I remember seeing so many of them at LHR ...Iberia TAP Lufthansa Air France Turkish Airlines Libyan Arab Iraqi Airways Syrian Air Icelandair Pan Am TWA Tunis Air Air Algerie Royal Air Maroc JAT and even ones in Air Afrique and Air Malta colours (both leased) when i was a kid, considering the relatively small number made by comparison to today's standards, they were always a nice plane to see around.

1800+ of them.

n729pa wrote:
Can't remember off hand the last one I saw unfortunately

3 or 4 years ago, I was driving home from work when I suddenly had to pull over to the side of the highway because something unexpectedly familiar was climbing out of OAK. I could hardly believe my eyes, but it was unmistakably a 727. I don't think I ever did figure out whose it was.

GalaxyFlyer · Sat Jul 17, 2021 3:21 am

1835 total production

In KOAK, might have been a private one, the Getty’s plane was SFO-based and it was in service until recently.

Max Q · Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:10 am

Yes

The 727 was a wonderful aircraft, it was the first jet I ever flew and I was fortunate enough to do so for six years

DL_Mech · Sat Jul 17, 2021 12:59 pm

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

In KOAK, might have been a private one, the Getty’s plane was SFO-based and it was in service until recently.

Up close, that plane was spotless. Looking inside the leading edge flaps looked like a new airplane.

GalaxyFlyer · Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:03 pm

Yup, Ann and Gordon Getty’s plane. She died a couple of years ago. A friend of mine flew it for a number of years, they went everywhere.

bfitzflyer · Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:20 pm

The 747 was a game changer for intercontinental travel. I would argue that the 727 was the same for domestic travel. It was pretty dominant airplane in it's day.

n729pa · Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:31 pm

Yes only 1835 compared to the thousands of 737 or A320 variants.

It's got me curious now, I'll have to look through my trip photos to see if I can find one.

But reading about the guy in Hillsboro OR with the ex-Olympic 727 he's turned into a living quarter. Interesting idea.

DaCubbyBearBar · Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:44 am

Oh I do miss watching them climb out of LAS to ORD or DFW on those 105-108 degree days…… even with their struggle for altitude, they were majestic

Kent350787 · Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:05 pm

My airport changed its regs to stop this aircraft flying there due to noise.

Apart from this, I have general memories of the 727, but never took the chance to fly on one. They moved out of fleets pretty quickly at the end of last century.

seat1a · Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:02 am

Yes! Especially in the two-tone Braniff livery and BI on the tail. Way to go!

727tiger · Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:15 pm

My user name tells the story ---- first flight ever was on a BI 727 out of MKC to DAL. As a kid, just about all I knew about flying was on BI 727s, and for a time everywhere you looked at MCI, there were 727 T-tails. Over the years, I was able to fly on BI, DL, TW, and Piedmont 727s, mostly on the 727-200 ADV.

afcjets · Tue Jul 20, 2021 12:02 am

I loved how Eastern had Whisperjet painted or stamped on each side of the #2 engine (I think that's what they called the center one) when they were painted white but that started to disappear when they stripped the paint to bare metal beginning in 1978 to save on fuel costs. They were so noisy so I thought the name was perfect. It was branded that way because the engines were in the back so as mentioned It was relatively quiet up front. It wasn't until a few years ago I discovered why the 1R door and galley were right before the wing. In the 1960s airlines had larger F cabins and that door and galley divided the F and Y cabins. Sometime before the mid 70s, most domestic US airlines had F down to only three rows and why the door seemed to be randomly placed in the middle of coach.

ElroyJetson · Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:01 am

My first flight was a UA 727-100 from DCA-PIT. Might have been 1970?

Chemist · Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:16 am

Love how quiet the ride was in the front, as DocLightning mentioned. An increase in airflow hiss from the vents, a quiet push you back into your seat, and you knew takeoff roll had started!

727tiger · Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:06 pm

727tiger wrote:
My user name tells the story ---- first flight ever was on a BI 727 out of MKC to DAL. As a kid, just about all I knew about flying was on BI 727s, and for a time everywhere you looked at MCI, there were 727 T-tails. Over the years, I was able to fly on BI, DL, TW, and Piedmont 727s, mostly on the 727-200 ADV.

Completely forgot, also flew EA 727s.

vegasplanes · Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:14 am

Prettiest commercial jet ever made - looks like its flying fast when it's sitting still! Absolutely adore the 722 in the classic AA bare-metal scheme. What a fine looking machine!

I flew on them often in the 80s/90s, on UA 721s and plenty of AA 722s over the years.

twaconnie · Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:58 am

Always enjoyed the 727 from the noise to it's looks. But I wondered how the 727 kept from sitting on it's tail all the weight in the back 3 engines and a very large "T"tail even the wings seemed towards the aft section.

GalaxyFlyer · Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:10 pm

You look at where the MLG is positioned.

TUGMASTER · Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:18 pm

Last flight in a 727 was in Feb 07, on Iran Air, THR-IFZ-BND… wonderful flight and crew.
Managed to blag the Jump Seat for landing into Bandar. Truly Superb. What a Ride.!!!!!

And YES, I miss the 727.

CPHS · Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:19 am

The 727 were very nice aircraft indeed. Flew on Lufthansa, Air France, Sterling, JAT, Ladeco and American. More than 20 years ago...

pwm2txlhopper · Wed Jul 28, 2021 1:45 pm

727-200 was my favorite aircraft of all time, out of everything with wings that’s ever flown. I like it’s design, it’s sound, it’s smoke, it’s high cruise speed for a commercial jet, everything about it.

My love for aviation was likely triggered in the early 1980s while taking Delta 727s on family trips. Some of my earliest memories involve trips on those birds. Flew on them many times from the 1980s-2000 with DL, UA, and NW. When I took my last flight on one, a DL 727 flying SAT-ATL in 2000, I didn’t release at the time that it would be my final 727 flight!

At least I had NW DC-9’s and DL MD-88s for quite a few years after all the 727s were retired and I still craved the JT8D sound.

KlimaBXsst · Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:25 pm

The 727-100 and the 727-200 provided Priceless Memories for so many vacationers.

SkyVoice · Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:44 am

I do miss them! I never got to ride aboard a 727-100, but rode on plenty of -200s. They gave me my smoothest rides*, and they got me through plenty of inclement weather; rain, snow, ice, even strong winds. Those three-holers were dependable!

*I must admit that the Airbus A320neo's ride is equally as smooth as the 727s, but not smoother!

fightforlove · Thu Sep 09, 2021 7:23 pm

My dad kept a log book of all the planes I flew on as a child. The 727 was by far the most common type we travelled on for family trips. My first airplane ride was a Delta 727 in 1981, and my last flight on a 727 was also with Delta around 1998 or 2000. Flew on lots of United, Delta, American, Northwest, ATA, and Sun Country 722s and even several 721s with American, United, and Eastern as many were still soldiering along in the 80s.

The 727 was definitely my favorite sounding airplane,

inside and outside!

Mortyman · Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:02 pm

Miss the Boeing 727. It's kind of boring to be a aviation entusiast today with rarely anyting else but two engine aircraft ... There are some 4 engine passenger aircraft still flying, but they seem to dissapair too. I flew on the Boeing 727-200/200Adv. with Pan Am, American Airlines, Mexicana, Lufthansa and Sterling Airways. Last time must have been in 1990.

WesternDC6B · Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:46 pm

I miss the times in which they flew. A fare was a fare. No nickel and diming about luggage, windows seats, etc. Decent leg room even in coach. Comfortable seats. The airlines acted like they wanted your business.

CMA727 · Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:08 pm

With a username as CMA727 it is evident I miss the 727. In fact, as my flight/age ratio is evolving the 727 will be type of a/c that I have flown the most as a passenger in my whole life.. My records show I have 233 flights on the 727, 228 of them on the 200 from 17 airlines and 5 on the100 from 3 airlines. I flew 144 times on board a Mexicana Airlines 727 including their last scheduled passenger service with the type.

luckyone · Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:19 pm

My only 727 flight also happened to be my first flight.

IAD-ATL in the summer of 1997. My grandmother took us to DC — up on the overnight Amtrak, back via plane. It was a very stormy day in DC and we were delayed several hours at Dulles (or at least it felt like several hours to my young self). I remember I was allowed to buy a plastic Delta 727 model at the airport. I’m pretty sure it’s still in a box somewhere. In the mobile lounge, there was a lady near us who was complaining that she wanted “the one with the new paint job.” The interior was brown piping on the first class seats and fabulous orange in economy. I remember seeing the three men in the cockpit. And I remember looking at the passengers in first class and one man who looked back at me in bewilderment. The flight attendant gave me plastic wings. The flight was unremarkable itself and it was dark so you couldn’t see anything.

Alti2ood · Sat Sep 11, 2021 1:04 am

Air Jamaica early 1980's from Jamaica to/from MIA, PHL and BWI. The departure from PHL Overseas Terminal was always memorable.

DeltaMD95 · Sat Sep 11, 2021 9:58 pm

As a spotter, the 727-200 was unmistakably the loudest aircraft on climbout at ORD & ATL in the mid 1990s. Not exactly a rocket either, compared to the MD80 or 752, but offered good nostalgic variety.

As a passenger, the aircraft always felt rock solid and reliable. (No 737 rudder or MCAS like faults here). You could really feel the pilot’s control inputs. Undoubtedly sturdy workhorse.

As an enthusiast, I’d wished Boeing developed a 727NG high-bypass twin for the A318/319/220/320 segment, and in turn further developed upon 757 concepts with its own NEO covering A321/XLR.

American 767 · Sun Sep 12, 2021 6:41 pm

I do too. Like I explain in another topic, if you ever had a chance to read it, I wish I had flown on more of those. I haven't flown in one in now almost 20 years, but that's all right because I knew that past the mid 2000s there was nothing I could do. My biggest frustration was being deprived of flying on 727s back in the 90s as I knew they were on their way out, and it was time to do so before it would be too late, as the 757s and MD-80s would be around a lot longer.

ua900 · Sun Sep 12, 2021 7:43 pm

convair880mfan wrote:
Anyone else miss this aircraft?

Sure, but I can say that for many other types as well, MD-80 for starters. Luckily they still have some 752s around for a "real" airplane feel in the current age

Wednesdayite · Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:15 pm

My first ever flight was on a 727. School trip from Manchester to Athens in 1986.

I had nothing to compare it to, but loved every moment.

danman132x · Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:09 pm

I remember flying on a 727 once, only on a short flight though. Was coming back from Frankfurt with a connection in Atlanta, and this was the last plane on my trip. Don't remember many details because I passed out shortly after takeoff and I was only maybe 10 years old, but I remember the plane being extremely noisy and I believe fake wood paneling inside. Looked extremely old compared to other planes I flew on when I was younger. Does anyone else know if Delta did indeed have wood paneling on the bulkheads?

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