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Old 10th Dec 2013, 06:01
  #27 (permalink)  
Tiger35
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Brisbane
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Electra

I still maintain that an Electra could be about a minute faster than a 727 on the SYD - MEL, or vice versa, legs - in the old days when pilots ruled the airlines and still had some fun flying.


Modern jets and operational policy probably means the Electra may still hold the "record".


When the race was on the Electra could maintain >250 kts until pretty close to the runway, whereas the 727 had to start slowing down way out, no matter how hard they tried to delay config until the last possible minute.


SIDs and STARs weren't around and the Electra needed Approach Control to help out with shortest track and either a short base or straight in. Any holding or speed control and the jet won.


When the Ansett/QANTAS race was on with jets on the SYD - MEL route in the early 90's QF started cheating when departing SYD behind AN by running their 767s at FL290 to get to 120 ML first, and hog the descent. WHY? Beers in the bar and bugger the rest.
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