Thanks ....someone once murmured structural integrity to me - rather unconvincingly - which I thought was BS.... I could buy the 707 story although I recently asked an ex tech flight mgr from the fleet...he appeared deaf.
I have witnessed some combinations outside SOP on various aircraft which didn't exhibit any strange behaviour.
Personally it could have been that some of the early jet jockeys found the transition that difficult that the combination frightened them f@rtless and the myth was continued.
My first jet we had to be fully configured for landing by 3,000 feet. My last four 400ft.
Took some guests over to Howth head saturday and whilst I was pointing out the islands watched 1/2 dozen jets on finals....all had the gear stowed bar my old employer....obviously a red, white and blue bus has to be flown differently to a green one or a 73 with a harp on it's tail
