PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - B727 drivers please
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Old 21st Apr 2008, 01:00
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john_tullamarine
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Sim -

Make sure that you get a good brief pre-sim and quiz the instructor on thrust/attitudes he is looking for. If the exercise is an assessment, I wouldn't expect them to be looking for too much in the way of finesse but certainly some improvement during the session.

I won't hazard any numbers as it is too long ago .. but body angles are critical and N1 is your friend. If your background is prop, be prepared for greater required throttle (power levers .. whichever you prefer) movements than you have been used to previously. If the background is jet .. it's just another early FAR25 toy to enjoy.

Most sims are old and the ancient computing power will lead to fidelity problems here and there. Those I have flown all had visual/control mismatch problems on visual final approaches, in particular .. suggest you emphasise (heavily) the I/F until you get the hang of an individual box. The typical problem is that the tendency is to overcontrol like you wouldn't believe and you end up going down the approach like you are on a luge.

Fly it on the clocks (think control pressure .. try thumb and finger on the controls rather than a fistful of brawny hand) ... set target attitude/N1 (or EPR) ... check response .... set small attitude change .. check response ... set small etc... and it will behave reasonably well for you ... try to wing it and you will be in for some fun you don't really want.

So long as you have a good I/F scan rate, just fly it like any aeroplane with the emphasis on thinking control pressures rather than pushing and pulling .. the latter will get you into strife quicker than you can blink twice ...

From my own experience, I went back onto the 722 after a break from the 727 of about 15 years and no flying for several years ... the first session was sweaty then it was reasonably straightforward.

Aircraft -

Be conscious of the two stage takeoff pitch sequence to minimise tail clearance problems ..

The only problem of note is landing. There are near as many techniques as pilots ... after battling with my operator's conventional wisdom and achieving nothing but disaster (the 722 was my first jet) .. I went back to a basic 172 technique .. fly it to the aiming point .. coming over the fence look long ... close the throttles as you settle. One caveat .. until you have a comfortable ability to estimate where the mains are (and they are a long way back there ..) ... close the throttles steadily rather than rapidly and then, don't flare any further as you will drive the mains into the ground .. if you get caught, pressure the pole forward .. probably get a firm touchdown but nothing to write home about. You can get some superb touchdowns when it all comes together .. it is an eerie sensation when the touchdown is an absolute greaser .. no sound, no shudder .. and the foreboding that, if it is NOT on the ground, then you are in for BIG trouble. I didn't score many of those but the few I did were great fun ... some of the other sort don't warrant much comment at all ...

Certification from memory followed min speed rather than a stall per se .. so be wary of letting the speed get below bug plus a bit ...
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