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Old 21st Apr 2008, 03:29
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JammedStab
 
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I went on the 727 about a year and a half ago. My first jet. I had prevoiusly done 1 sim evaluation in a 737 many years previous that was not a fun experience due to overcontrol. If your background is similar, you may experience the same. By the time I got onto the 727, I had spent several years flying a very touchy sim on the plane I was transitioning from. This made the 727 sim training much, much easier as it was a definite improvement.
If you are coming from a turboprop background with no sim, it will be a handfull. On takeoff it is easy to overcontrol on the rudders as it seems like you are on ice. Try to anticipate and not overcontrol. If you are used to a quick V1-rotate, remember that there will likely be a certain period of time betwwen these calls. Do a slow steady rotation to 15° noseup instead of the sometimes abrupt rotation of a prop. Remember to keep the rotation continuing to 15° noseup unless airspeed dictates otherwise.
The 727 has very large trim changes as the flaps are retracted. Someone earlier said not to use the thumb operated high speed trim on on the control wheel but the slow speed trim on the center pedestel. I was given this advice as well but there is a reason why each has it's name. I found the high speed to be better. But use it cautiously. Relatively short bursts or else you will overtrim. If you use the low speed trim, it will work but you will be behind the trim. Personal preference, I think.
You now have to get used to nose-up attitudes in level flight. If the nose goes on the horizon, the plane will go down. Amount of nose up depends on the configuration and speed. Scan, Scan, Scan. Get your PNF to do as much for you as possible so you can Scan, Scan , Scan.
If they are the types that give you an engine failure at V1, you do need rudder(for a pod engine failure) even though the engines are not on the wings. When airborne trim out the rudder. 4 quick turns of rudder trim work well for me. When levelling off to clean up, you really notice the nose up attitude to maintain level flight.
If you get a level off with all engines operating, speed picks up very quickly so be ready to bring the thrust levers back significantly if 250 knots is your target.
Someone earlier talked about the big attitude changes when slowing down and configuring. This is correct if you fly at the speeds posted. It does feel odd being in level flight at high nose-up attitudes at flap 15 and 150 knots. But these slower speeds and attitudes are not always flown on the line so on a typical approach you may not see this.
Getting slowed to 210 knots within 20 miles will work well for the sim eval. Then on the line you will keep it in tighter. Remember the trim changes are significant here as well. Only short burst if you use high speed trim. Slow speed trim works well here if you choose. The plane is a different animal at max landing weights compared to empty landing weights. Takeoff on a cold winter day winter when empty it seems like a rocket at 300 knots and near 6000 feet per minute climb. The a hot summer day at near max weight as it seems to just hang there and you wonder how high you would really have been over the end of that long runway if you had lost an engine at V1. Much smaller thrust lever movement required for speed corections on approach when empty it seems to me.
I found the sim quite stable on an ILS. Hopefully yours is as well. Power on approaches are mandatory with a minimum of 1.2 EPR. If you are heavy you will be well above that. When you are empty, it seems to be almost too much at times.
For the flare, remember, you are approaching at a level or even nose up attitude even though it may not appear that way out the window. Don't do the big flare like on some props. And don't chop the power at 50 feet. Power to the flare and a small flare and simultaneous closing of the thrust levers. Just hold the attitude and land. If you bounce, don't pull or push. I just hold the attitude. It is a tough gear. On the line you may do some relaxing of back pressure after the flare or even pushing. It can smooth out landings and reduce floating.
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