727 stolen from Angola

[seacue]

Floppy quotes me (out of context)
==========
plane hidden away on an inner page of the Washington Post.
------------------
Then Floppy says:
I knew it was a big newspaper, but......
==========

I just KNEW I'd get some response to that sentence. Parse it more carefully and you'll see what was hidden was
"a story about the plane".

Thanks for the lighter moment...

SC.

[patrickal]

Something smells in this latest stroy. Why would al Queda use a 727 loaded with fuel to bring down another airliner? You could do that with a small prop plane. They would be wasting a weapon....and they are not that stupid. The story smells like mis-information made to get a reaction.

[zerozero]

Bush Country = East Africa?

AdamCG--I'd like my retirement points directly credited towards my checking account please, thank you.

C'mon.

Who's taking this story seriously? From a website called Bush Country? Noting that the Sahara is in East Africa?

Yeah, this is misinformation all right. Exploiting a story to perpetuate the "War on Evildoers, Killers, and other Really Bad Men."

Gag me.

[HOVIS]

That must be one of the scariest websites I have ever seen. Now don't get me wrong, I like americans but if this is a public image machine America as a nation has to seriously take a good look at itself.

[Nerik]

Using the 727 for a 11/9 type attack sounds possible to me, but the one of it trying to have a mid-air collision with a BA flight seems a bit exaggerated...............needs quite a good pilot to judge a collision spot on at such a fast closing rate.

[cwatters]

This story seems to contain a more likely reason why BA felt able to resume flights...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/s...111229,00.html

Small extract:

"On Thursday it was reported that Saudi authorities had seized missiles near Jeddah airport capable of bringing down a passenger aircraft and which had been smuggled from Yemen".

[ATC Watcher]

RE the bushcountry web site : suddendly I understand better Michael Moore ....
The article gives the assumption that the author is informed but it is a lot of bull
quote :
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intelligence officers have been authorised to pay substantial sums to nomadic Arabs who roam the Sahara for any clues as to where the Boeing is hidden.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyone knowing the sub Sahara and the Touaregs would laugh out loud at such thing !
Sahara in East Africa ! ( already mentionned )
The B727 own navigation system able to track a BAW jet making an APP ? with 2 VOR and 2 ADF ?
The "tanker" 727 carrying more fuel than a 767 ?
...

I hope Bush is better advised than those guys in that web site...

[747FOCAL]

Nerik,

I don't think they mean head on. Logically the 727 would be closing from behind. There is no commercial airliner out there that can outrun a 727 that has the throttles wide open from behind.

ATC Watcher,

This particular airplane uses the entire fuselage to carry fuel. Now I don't know if that is more than a 767, but certainly the fuselage of a 727 is much larger than a 767s wing box and wings???

Maybe the Saudi should keep those missles they found near the airport handy and manned. They may need to shoot this thing down.

[ATC Watcher]

747Focal : from an earlier post :
quote :
American Airlines B-727 reg.#N844AA , and it was converted to a fuel tanker last year. It has ten 500 gallon aluminum tanks bolted to the floor with 4 inch valves on each tank joined together by 4 inch high pressure hoses leading to the aft where refueling is accomplished. There is also a very unique vent system which allows almost zero fumes into the aircraft. The tanks are held to the seat tracks in four corners buy half inch bolts.(I would hate to see where the tanks would end up if a few G's were pulled)

I do not think 5000 gal + full 727-100 does makes up for a full 767-300 , but I stand to be corrected.

[747FOCAL]

ATC Watcher,

I decided to get off my duff and look at the official tech specs and you are correct.

727 Fuel capacity:

9806 gallons + 5000 gallons = 14,806 gallons

767 Fuel Capacity = 23,980 gallons

I think that distorter(reporter) got it backwards.

[international hog driver]

Anyone want a pic of the inside of a 727 tanker?

If some one can host it here, i'll send it, mail me.
Cheers
IHD

[Nerik]

Closing the other aircraft from behind sounds more realistic though still a bit far fetched, then again one can never say.........

[flames]

fully laden = slower

Surely it makes no difference that this 727 has been refitted as a tanker.

I would have thought passenger 727 going maximum chicken up the jacksy would ruin your day just as much as a fully laden 727 tanker.

Filling the 727 with fuel would just make it heavier and put a dent in the Amex gold card.

[747FOCAL]

Flames,

Maybe they want a huge flaming fireball to rain down on the city. I wonder just how fast a 727 can get going at 1000 ft above sea level.

[con-pilot]

390kts. IAS is VNE at a 1000 ft. And it will do it easy, done it.

[747FOCAL]

Thats around what I was thinking. I bet if you had the nads to fly through the shaker you would prolly get more until the wings came off.

[gear down props forward]

727 Tanker Cabin Picture

Folks,

Courtesy of International Hog Driver, here is a picture of a 727 tanker's cabin, location: Africa.






A 727-100 Tanker (click on this picture to see a larger, more detailed picture of the cabin). As mentioned previously, "quantity ten, 500-gallon tanks."

Enjoy,

Gear Down Props Forward

[littlepuddlejumper]

International Hog Driver!

Is that the inside of the missing 727? Or just a picture of one setup as a tanker?

[BigHitDH]

I believe that's the 727 in question.

[international hog driver]

No its not 844AA, its someone else's however the set up is generally the same in all of them.

IHD