Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Medium-range commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Three 14,500 lbst Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 turbofans

Specifications:

History:

In August 1965 Boeing announced the Model 727-200 to fill the requirements of operators which required a larger aircraft to meet demand. The fuselage was lengthened by 6.1 m (20 ft) in two 3.5 m (10 ft) sections fore and aft of the wing, fuel capacity being increased to 37,017 litres (8,143 Imp gals). These modifications increased the maximum passenger capacity of the aircraft to 189.

The first example was flown for the first time on 27 July 1967, receiving certification on 30 November and entering service in December that year. The first customer was Northeast Airlines of Boston, Massachusetts.

During 1970 the airline industry faced one of its occasional depressions, and Boeing, in an effort to win further customers, decided to revamp the 727 series by offering a wider-range of gross weights, fuel capacities, and engine powers. In this model, known as the ‘Advanced 727-200’ series, the engines noise levels were reduced.

The Australian domestic airlines, Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) and Ansett, became the first customers for the new model, but All-Nippon was in fact the first airline to put the new model into service in July 1972. The aircraft was certificated with JT8D-15 engines of 15,500 lbst, and a gross-weight of 86,636 kg (191,000 lb), which was later increased to 94,120 kg (207,500 lb). Later models of the engine were certificated, including the JT8D-17 of 16,000 lbst, and the JT8D-17R with automatic thrust reserve, which operated normally at 16,400 lbst with 1,000 lbst available should one engine fail.

The first TAA Model 727-276 VH-TBG (c/n 20552) arrived in Melbourne, VIC at Tullamarine on 11 December 1972, the first aircraft for Ansett VH-RMU (c/n 20548) arriving on 26 February 1973. Each airline eventually received 12 examples of the later Model 727 and they went on to become the mainstay of the airline system within Australia for many years. The Model 727 series was popular with passengers, crews and airlines. At one stage in the 1980s Australian Airlines chartered an aircraft to the Department of Territories to operate a service from Perth, WA to the Cocos and Christmas Islands.

Australian Airlines aircraft (Model 727-276) were registered in the VH-TB block. These were: VH-TBG (c/n 20552 – ‘Charles Sturt’), VH-TBH (c/n 20553 – ‘Freeman Cobb’), VH-TBI (c/n 20554 – ‘MacDouall Stuart’), VH-TBJ (c/n 20555 – ‘Joseph Banks’), VH-TBK (c/n 20950 – ‘John Fawkner’, later ‘William Gosse’), VH-TBL (c/n 20951 – ‘John Eyre’), VH-TBM (c/n 21171 – ‘Albert Namatjira’), VH-TBN (c/n 21479 – ‘Caroline Chisholm’), VH-TBQ (c/n 22017 – ‘Lawrence Hargrave’) and VH-TBR (c/n 22069 – ‘Bert Hinkler’).

There was one incident involving a Model 727, which occurred on 29 January 1971, when TAA aircraft VH-TJA on take-off at Sydney airport struck the tail of a Canadian Pacific Airlines’ DC-8-63 (CF-CPQ) which was taxiing, the Model 727 dumping fuel and landing safely but both aircraft being substantially damaged.

Ansett Airlines operated the 727 series, the Ansett aircraft (Model 727-277) being registered in the VH-RM and VH-AN blocks. These included: VH-RMU (c/n 20548), VH-RMV (c/n 20549),VH-RMW (c/n 20550), VH-RMX (c/n 20551), VH-RMY (c/n 20978), VH-RMZ (c/n 20979), VH-RMK (c/n 21178), VH-RML (c/n 21480 – ‘Southern Connection’), VH-RMM (c/n 21647), VH-RMN (c/n 21695), VH-RMO (c/n 22016 – ‘Spirit of North Queensland’), VH-RMP (c/n 22068), VH-ANA (c/n 22641), VH-ANB (c/n 22642), VH-ANE (c/n 22643) and VH-ANF (c/n 22644).

One Model 727-276LR VH-ANE (c/n 22643) was for a short period loaned to and painted in Ansett subsidiary, East West Airlines, colours. Another of the Model 727-277LRs VH-ANA in June 1981 initiated non-stop flights from Sydney to Perth.

On 1 July 1980 Ansett Air Freight was formed and the airline commenced to use its Model 727s in the freight role between Melbourne and Perth. In September 1983 an Ansett 727 VH-RMX was flown to the United States where it was converted to freight configuration, giving it an 18 tonne freight capacity.

In 1984 TAA Cargo commenced to operate an Air Nauru Model 727-77QC (C2-RN7) on lease on freight work, the aircraft flying regularly on this work, at one stage being repainted in Christchurch, NZ in Australian Cargo markings and becoming VH-TBS.

Qantas in September 1992 leased a Model 727 to operate from Sydney to Auckland. Eventually VH-TBS was painted in Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn International GmbH (DHL) markings, a worldwide courier, parcel and express mail service, the aircraft later being fitted with hushkit equipment in order to meet noise restrictions.

During the lengthy pilots’ dispute in 1990 two Model 727s were leased and operated by Australian Airlines, these being Models 727-2J4 G-BHNF (c/n 21438) and 727-277 G-BPNS (c/n 20550), the latter being the former Ansett VH-RMW.

Other operators have included Premier Airlines, which operated a Model 727-2J4F freighter VH-DHE (c/n 22080) from 1995;  Air Vanuatu, which leased a Model 727 from Ansett in March 1987, and leased VH-TBN from Australian Airlines at one stage painted in Air Vanuatu markings.

The Model 727 series operated in Australia for 28 years and in this time flew 743,535 hours, made 557,344 flights and carried over 52 million passengers. After withdrawal from Australian service the seven Australian Airlines Model 727-276s were exported to Aeroejecutivos SA de CV/Aeroexo in Mexico.

Only a few continued in service in this region, mostly used as freighters, including VH-DHE (c/n 22080), a Model 727-2J4F registered to European Air Transport of Belgium and operated from mid 1995 by Asian Express Airlines.

By 2005 the main operator of the type in this region was Trans Australian Air Express, the aircraft being registered to National Jet Express, with a fleet including: 727-200Fs VH-RMX (c/n 20551) which later became VH-VLG named ‘Julia’ and later ‘Sandra’; VH-TXH (c/n 20549 – ex N275WC, VH-RMV); VH-AUP which later became VH-VLF (c/n 21695 – ex VH-AUP, VH-RMN); VH-VLG (c/n 20551 – ex VH-RMX); VH-VLH (c/n 22642 – ex OO-DLB – ‘Joanne’) and VH-VLI (c/n 22641 – ex EC-HIG ‘Tania‘) which was exported as 9M-NEP.

One Model 727-77C VH-TBS (c/n 20278) was registered to Aviation Australia of Eagle Farm, QLD. A Model 727-281F VH-PAE (c/n 21455 – ‘Laulasi’) was operated by Pacific Air Express and was later registered VH-TXE to Transasian Air Express, which was later re-named Trans Australia Air Express, the aircraft becoming ‘Susie-Blue’. A Model 727-51F RP-C8016 of HeavyLift Cargo Lines was retired at Cairns, QLD in September 2010 and broken up for parts.