Originally Posted by
midnight cruiser
What was it about the 727 which made it so hard to land consistently? - I once got whiplash from a landing while I was snoozing on the jumpseat - really painful - I thought I had awoken to the end of the world!
The transformer-like "self-disassembling" wing (with flaps 40 and full-span kreuger flaps instead of slats) that made the 727 effectively the first "regional jet" that could handle shorter small-city runways played a role. I think that with a normal flare, the drag would kill speed and lift much faster than many pilots were expecting.
http://www.airlinereporter.com/wp-co...8/DSC_1179.jpg
Some airlines actually eventually had plates bolted across the flap-handle quadrant to prevent selecting flaps 40.
But the pros as above will know more about the exact - situations, aerodynamics, and "special sauce" needed.