Originally Posted by PLovett
Zed
From what I have read I believe all the DC-9 type were a challenge to land. Is the 717 worse than previous models or a continuation of the same?
At the risk of oversimplification, the 717 is a 1960's DC-9 airframe fitted with late-1990's avionics/flight managment (almost identical to 777 and MD-11) and bigger engines. Flight control is direct from the prong to servo tabs via good old cables. Only concessions to fly-by-wire are the throttles (thats what Boeing calls them) and the spoilers.
Kinda funny to sit in a beautifully clean and impressive flight deck with 6 flat screens and no round dials. Look up and see all the overhead panel switches are either "ON" or "AUTO." Thats the 21st century bit.
Then you go to open the B window and there is this massive handle and little mechanical lugs and cams to slide it open and secure it again. There is also a thumping great green O2 bottle with exposed plumbing. As 1960's as an Chrysler AP-5 Valiant.
So all the stuff that the air is flowing over and under and around is pretty much DC-9/MD80. Any handling characteristics those airplanes had, this airplane has.
Constant rolling in straight and level? Not sure what you mean, when they are trimmed they fly like they are on rails. Can you give an example?
As for landing, its no 146. Bye-bye trailing link undercarriage, we miss ya!
As for thumping them on, former Dash8 and Metro pilots don't seem to be having too many problems
