Originally Posted by
tdracer
One little known variant of the 727 - the JATO option.
...the JT8D wasn't quite up to the task. So they added JATO bottles - if they lost an engine after V1, they hit a switch that fired a couple of JATO bottles (I think they were located in the wheel wells?).
...you couldn't really tell the difference when they fired the JATOs...
tdracer,
Interesting. Hadn't heard of the JATO on the B727. Any US operator have them installed ?
They were installed on a number of airplane types...as you certainly know (military in particular).
I flew for a small non-sked that had JATO on its DC3s. Yep DC3s. We figured they'd just relocate the impact site if needed.
Overseas National Airways had DC-9-33Fs with JATO mounted in the fuselage fairings where the aft edge of the wing abutted the fuselage. I think they got the MGTW from 109K to about 114K.
Here's a pic but you can't really see the JATO openings but they were there. Saw 'em myself up close while sharing ramps with other non-skeds.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...6_edited-2.jpg