No, we'd normally be at long range cruise around .80. It make a big difference fuel wise between .80 and .85.
Braniff lost a 707 on a delivery flight with Check Airman, Feds and Boeing pilots on it. We had a 727 Check Airman who was old Braniff and you knew every time he was giving the check you'd see Dutch Roll as the flight control malfunction. I have seen so many pilots get out of sync playing whack-a-mole on the rising wing. You don't want to add any rudder inputs.
MEL for both the -100 and -200 just says to comply with the AFM restrictions. Can't remember the -100 but the -200 is a max 270 kts at 30,000 and a sliding scale to 310 at 26,000 and then it jumps to 350 at 25,000 and below.
Last edited by MarkerInbound; 30th Dec 2010 at 21:12.