727 at LHR yesterday

[AeroSpark]

I was picking up at Heathrow yesterday about 12:30, and was pleasantly surprised to see an unmarked 727 arrive. Does anyone know anything about it? I didn't realise there were any still flying, although this particular one has had winglets fitted.

[treadigraph]

Looking at FR24, A9C-BA arrived sometime before 1pm.

[Hotel Tango]

There are still quite a few B727s lurking about.

[dixi188]

Last time I was at Lasham, in August, there were 4 VIP 727s and an ex FEDEX one converted to oil pollution control spraying.
No idea of the registrations as I gave up writing them down over 40 years ago soon after I started working in the aviation industry.

[Flightmech]

Bahrain Government A9C-BA arrived LHR yesterday

[Hotel Tango]

Flightmech, did you read post #2 ?

[Dash8driver1312]

Flightmech did at least say who it belongs to!

[DaveReidUK]

Like most of the VIP 727s still flying, it's a re-engined "Super 27" (with -200 series JT8Ds in the No 1 and 3 positions).

[Flightmech]

Jesus some people are so touchy. Sorry HT, I got hit by the "post police"

[Hotel Tango]

Not touchy at all. Just couldn't understand why the need to repeat what had already been confirmed 2hrs previously, that's all. "Post police" moi?

[KelvinD]

Thanks for raising that and thanks to those who responded. I too saw this aircraft from a distance yesterday and couldn't make out the details. Now we know the ID, can anybody tell me do 727s regularly leak from the wings? I saw this aircraft departing from Heathrow back in November and was a bit surprised when I saw the photos: Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc Take a look at the left wing, dribbling something!

[carbheatout]

Flightmech

Many thanks for your post. I'm no spotter and A9C-BA means nothing to me. Bahrain government is what me and presumably everybody else wanted to know without having to research/Google A9C-BA.

[SloppyJoe]

I expect it was full of fuel, most aircraft do not fill up the tanks so this does not happen but on occasion they need to be full. If the fuel already in the wing is -30C and then it is filled up thermal expansion can cause this. It is coming from a fuel vent.

[DaveReidUK]

I expect it was full of fuel

It would have been bound for Bahrain (2750nm) so that's a reasonable assumption.

[KelvinD]

Thanks for the replies. A supplementary question: why do I not see the same effect on, for example, B777 or A340 flying to somewhere like Tokyo?

[Flightmech]

Originally Posted by carbheatout

Flightmech

Many thanks for your post. I'm no spotter and A9C-BA means nothing to me. Bahrain government is what me and presumably everybody else wanted to know without having to research/Google A9C-BA.

Thanks but don't tell Hotel Tango or I'll be in the doghouse again

[Flightmech]

Originally Posted by KelvinD

Thanks for raising that and thanks to those who responded. I too saw this aircraft from a distance yesterday and couldn't make out the details. Now we know the ID, can anybody tell me do 727s regularly leak from the wings? I saw this aircraft departing from Heathrow back in November and was a bit surprised when I saw the photos: Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc Take a look at the left wing, dribbling something!

Used to be quite common on the 727. You could override the volumetric top- off system and get as much fuel in the wings as possible. However, the downside was it would then fill up the vent box on taxi-out and take off during roll attitude changes and then had nowhere to go but exit at the NACA duct which the picture shows.

[Hotel Tango]

Bahrain government is what me and presumably everybody else wanted to know without having to research/Google A9C-BA.

You have to be kidding me It takes precisely 2 seconds to google and you immediately get reference to its ownership and some nice photos to boot. Come on guys, if you want a fight you have to do better than that

[Flightmech]

And he says he ain't touchy :-)

[Hotel Tango]

Nope not at all. Just commenting on the absurdity of a poster who apparently prefers to wait 2 hours for a tiny piece of detail which he/she could have deduced almost immediately simply by typing A9C-BA in google. You would do better to focus on that person than on me Flightmech. But you just don't want to admit that I'm right

Anyway, I promise that's the last word from me on this. Have a nice weekend boys.