I happened to be on the ramp when a dogged-out 727 was being flown to desert storage. The crew decided they would do a VMC climb-out to send the old girl off in style (the number of ways this is a stupid idea in a 727 could not be listed in a lifetime).
Sure enough, it goes up like a rocket and the center engine starts barking (when doesn’t it?). The flight engineer knows whats going on and ignores it, but the co-pilot freaks out and goes for the throttles. As luck would have it, the captain had decided enough stupidity and was already starting to push the wheel forward.
After what looked like a half-a$$ed attempted wing over, the aircraft rotated and dove nose first. It disappeared behind a series of hills, but I guess the elevator input had already started to take effect and somehow it made it. I am sure the crew spent the rest of the flight looking for suitable cleaning materials.
Unless there is some overwhelming reason otherwise, an airplane’s path should always involve a lot more forward than up.
Please name a few as I thought the 727 was thought of as kind of a hotrod and got a few pilots in trouble. Also, what does VMC mean?
Sure enough, it goes up like a rocket and the center engine starts barking (when doesn’t it?). The flight engineer knows whats going on and ignores it, but the co-pilot freaks out and goes for the throttles. As luck would have it, the captain had decided enough stupidity and was already starting to push the wheel forward.
Does the 'barking' sound mean compressor stall? Or?
After what looked like a half-a$$ed attempted wing over, the aircraft rotated and dove nose first. It disappeared behind a series of hills, but I guess the elevator input had already started to take effect and somehow it made it. I am sure the crew spent the rest of the flight looking for suitable cleaning materials.
Sometimes God protects drunks and crazy pilots.