Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | the 727

DVA7130
Senior Captain, B727-200
OLP

Joined on March 23 2009
50 State Club
Everett 250 Club
Events Century Club
DVA Five-Year Anniversary
Eight Century Club
Online Eight Century

"Hudson, we have a problem"
Tyrone, GA USA

846 legs, 1,482.4 hours
814 legs, 1,429.8 hours online
818 legs, 1,443.2 hours ACARS
178 legs, 322.6 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 10:43 ET by Ryan Morse

Is there a 727 program at DVA? I downloaded it for fsx, and it seams to be a very comacated a/c to fly. I still cant find the autopilot (does it have one i wonder?) If anyone has some tips on the ship, i would love it, because i dont know where to start on my own. http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv169/MET1023/the727.jpg

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

DVA4241
Assistant Chief Pilot, MD-88

Joined on March 20 2007
Millennium Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Long Beach 500 Club
Online Millennium Club

"Kepping my head in the clouds"
Kansas City, MO

1,305 legs, 2,514.5 hours
1,145 legs, 2,217.0 hours online
1,268 legs, 2,418.8 hours ACARS
28 legs, 67.4 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 11:25 ET by Chad Rhinehart

YES delta does have a 727 program and it's a GREAT program. As far as the autopilot its not like other A/C it has a complete different way of doing things. The 727 is truely a plane you fly.....not fly the fmc. I would suggest contacting the 727 Chief pilot and talking with him.

Chad Rhinehart (DVA4241)

DVA1038
Captain, B737-800
E-MAIL

Joined on January 12 2003
Century Club

"Celer, Silens, Mortalis"
Summerville, SC USA

169 legs, 1,008.2 hours
56 legs, 288.5 hours online
25 legs, 221.2 hours ACARS
1 legs, 5.0 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 11:26 ET by Kevin Cornish

Ryan, yes DVA has a 727 program. However, it is a stage 3 program, so that could be why you're having some trouble finding it. If you want to transfer into it, you'll have to take and pass the 727 FO exam then fly a check flight. Hope that helps.

Kevin Cornish

Captain, B737-800

DVA1933
Senior Captain, B727-200

Joined on September 19 2004
Triple Century Club

Monterrey, NL Mexico

357 legs, 860.4 hours
72 legs, 132.3 hours online
255 legs, 668.3 hours ACARS
1 legs, 1.9 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 12:29 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

Hi Ryan!

The 727 can seem like an intimidating aircraft at first, it's got a lot of buttons and switches and knobs you know... wink

But it's very easy to fly it.

I recommend you to start by learning VOR navigation. The Sperry SP-50 Autopilot is very different from those used today, and it is more of a "engage-to-hold" type of autopilot. You don't dial a desired altitude and let the plane acquire it.

A document that will help you get started in the 727 is in the works. Send me or Gideon Sober (727 CP) an email whenever you need advice, we're here to help!

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

DVA3768
Senior Captain, B727-200
OLP, COMM

Joined on December 02 2006
50 State Club
Everett 250 Club
Quatercentenary Club
Online Triple Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

"Never trade luck for skill."
Pelham, NY USA

422 legs, 602.6 hours
310 legs, 445.5 hours online
379 legs, 541.7 hours ACARS
29 legs, 59.0 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 13:45 ET by Gideon Sober

You have mail!

Gideon Sober

Senior Captain, B727-200

DVA7373
Captain, B757-200
OLP

Joined on May 31 2009

"Howdy"
Southeastern United States

72 legs, 187.6 hours
32 legs, 85.4 hours online
67 legs, 153.2 hours ACARS
2 legs, 3.1 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 14:17 ET by Nicholas Taylor

Gideon, I don't know what you sent him, but I too am interested in the 727 and would like some information if you could forward the e-mail or the likes. I don't know if it's in my profile, so here it is - nick_owns643@hotmail.com

Nicholas Taylor

Captain, B757-200

DVA5270
Senior Captain, B737-800

Joined on September 27 2007
50 State Club
Everett 500 Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
Nine Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

"p=np"
Charleston, SC USA

977 legs, 1,725.8 hours
578 legs, 894.1 hours online
931 legs, 1,647.1 hours ACARS
43 legs, 67.0 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 17:07 ET by Don Thomas

All this talk about the 727.......it done got me wanting to log some flights in it.

Don Thomas

Senior Captain, B737-800

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 19:14 ET by Gideon Sober

Nick,

I have sent you an email which helps to understand the functionality of the Sperry SP-50 Autopilot in the fleet 727.

Gideon Sober

Senior Captain, B727-200

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 20:31 ET by Ryan Morse

wow thanks for the positive reaction!

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 20:37 ET by Ryan Morse

does the weather radar work?

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

Posted onPost created on September 07 2009 21:11 ET by Nicholas Taylor

Thanks for the e-mail, Gideon! You have mail back!

Nicholas Taylor

Captain, B757-200

Posted onPost created on September 08 2009 02:22 ET by Gideon Sober

The weather radar is not simulated on the fleet 727. However on the payware Dreamfleet 727 for FS2004 it is functional. On a personal note I highly recommend the Dreamfleet 727 for any pilots serious about the 727! smile

Gideon Sober

Senior Captain, B727-200

DVA4965
Senior Captain, B737-800

Joined on September 07 2007
Online Quintuple Century Club
Million Mile Club
Millennium Club
Everett Millennium Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary

Saratoga Springs, UT USA

1,195 legs, 3,500.8 hours
566 legs, 825.5 hours online
1,174 legs, 3,437.6 hours ACARS
26 legs, 51.6 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 08 2009 11:59 ET by Alan Cluff

For those interested, I found the 727 check ride to be a very rewarding experience. All pilots should learn VOR navigation and passing that check ride (and others within the DVA program structure) is a fantastic opportunity to show you know your stuff. The 727 staff is great and uber helpful.

Alan Cluff

Senior Captain, B737-800

Posted onPost created on September 08 2009 16:24 ET by Ryan Morse

Now i notice the autothrotle how does this work? Is it a hold your curant airspeed or dial up a speed and it will catch and hold it? Things are looking great vasFMC can do navigating with just the heading, i can climb and desend so the hold where you are alt autopilot will work sufice, the last piece of the puzzle is the autothrotle, some practice and i will be ready to take the exame and enter the program!

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

Posted onPost created on September 09 2009 18:15 ET by Ryan Morse

ok, i passed the exsam and ready for the check ride

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

Posted onPost created on September 09 2009 18:38 ET by Gideon Sober

Ryan,

Check ride assigned. Btw no autothrottle on the fleet 727 (Pitch for Speed, Throttle for Altitude). The autopilot will hold whatever altitude you are flying at once you toggle the switch. ** You will need to plan your altitude and when to climb and descend based upon your flying conditions. I strongly recommend NOT using vasFMC to navigate and sticking with the traditional NAV1 and NAV2 radio. Understanding how navigate using your instruments will improve your overall pilot skills and give you a better understanding of what flying the 727 is all about. cool

Gideon Sober

Senior Captain, B727-200

DVA7636
Senior Captain, L-1011-100
OLP

Joined on August 11 2009
50 State Club
Events Double Century Club
Burbank 250 Club
Quincentenary Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
Globetrotter
Black Pearl Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

"Uses "Sparkly Eyes" Technique on ATC"
Channelview, TX USA

588 legs, 1,196.5 hours
572 legs, 1,164.8 hours online
586 legs, 1,192.9 hours ACARS
287 legs, 572.1 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 11 2009 16:56 ET by Tracy Norris

Ryan,

Good luck on your check ride. It's not easy but is well worth the effort! smile

For those of you thinking of getting into the program, I can honestly say it's a challenging path indeed. If you've been flying glass cockpits for awhile then you'll need to get back into your true radio navigation mindset. With this aircraft you need to be several steps ahead of it at all times or things start going badly in a hurry eek

Just a few examples for the curious:

1) No GPS (at least on the fleet models). So get used to pulling out those charts and plotting your VOR-to-VOR points and frequencies, they'll get used a lot. RNAV? Ha!

2) When was the last time you used Heading Hold while enroute? Get used to it when flying over VORs as the primative NAV HOLD mode of the Sperry a/p will "scallop" (wander left and right) as you approach the VOR. (Much like in real life, anyone ever flew over the HOT Springs, AR VOR?) wink

3) Speaking of NAV1 & NAV2, think it'll be easy to switch freq's with a push of the Standby button? Nope, there isn't one. You'll have to re-dial in the next station in real time.

4) Hand flying isn't too hard as long as your smooth. You'll get to know your EPR settings for various phases of flight soon enough since there is no true autothrottle on this aircraft.

5) The "autopilot" is truly a work of the 1960's hippie culture. While capable, it is clumsy until you figure out how to use it. An example is climb-to-enroute altitude: Set your climb EPR, raise your nose to the desired vertical speed and hit ELEV Engage, this will maintain your attitude (VS) regardless of your airspeed (or in spite of it). Once you reach your chosen altitude then flip the ALT HOLD right at that moment and, after a slight over-the-top excursion, it'll come back down to the chosen alt. Remember that this was state-of-the-art back in the 1960's. As far as lateral navigation with the AP, I'll just just say it was truly an "experience" getting to learn it wink

6) Trim: If you didn't know how to trim your bird before, you certainly will in the 72! You'll learn to trim or have very some very sore arms after the flight. You will Earn Your Pay in the 727 wink

7) Finally, get used to the flaps on this little beast. Operation is different than on "normal" aircraft. When you put in more flaps and expect more lift, you instead get a "little" more lift and a LOT more drag. Flaring this plane a little to high and slow will humble the most experienced of pilots (my back STILL hurts).

I fly RW IFR in Grumman Cheetahs and Tigers. In many ways these late 1970s aircraft are much easier to fly than the 727 since you have Nav1/Nav2 standby buttons and in-cockpit GPS units (if equipped). With that being said, I've gotten a bit lazy in glass cockpits since most of the time is pushing buttons as opposed to worrying about silly things like "where am I going? What altitude am I at? What's my EPR?".

With all of this being said, please don't be afraid to give it a try. This is an aircraft that you truly fly. It is a lot of fun once you've mastered the systems and gotten used to the worn paint, loose wiring hanging from the overhead panel wink

After I get my Captain's rating in the 727, I'll be moving on to the DC-6 which is an even tougher challenge to fly from what I understand.

Good luck to those wanting the challenge of flying the baby three-holer!

Tracy Norris

Senior Captain, L-1011-100

DVA2370
Senior Captain, B737-800
OLP, COMM, VFRADV

Joined on May 26 2005
Online Triple Century Club
Commuter Conquest
Six Century Club
Stage 1 Prop Triple Century Club
50 State Club
US Coastal Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary

Flagler Beach, FL USA

675 legs, 726.8 hours
319 legs, 311.4 hours online
179 legs, 146.1 hours ACARS
1 legs, 1.6 hours event
0 legs dispatched, 4.0 hours

Posted onPost created on September 11 2009 18:40 ET by Scott Clarke

No buttons to push, just lots of power, noise, smoke and hand flying the aircraft. Even has a drink cup holder for a Mountain Dew, the official drink of the 727 program. biggrin

Posted onPost created on September 11 2009 19:15 ET by Ryan Morse

well i finished the checkride i hope i make it smile

Posted onPost created on September 12 2009 07:53 ET by Ryan Morse

wow i failed because i was a few 100 ft over the alt crassing, and because i turned the wrong way on final because the ils was fealing evilgrin

DVA7709
Captain, B757-200

Joined on August 29 2009
50 State Club
Quatercentenary Club
Online Quadruple Century Club

Southeastern United States

452 legs, 908.6 hours
415 legs, 843.4 hours online
451 legs, 907.6 hours ACARS
25 legs, 53.3 hours event

Posted onPost created on September 14 2009 14:24 ET by Jose Hernandez

Better luck next time keep at it.

Jose Hernandez

Captain, B757-200

Posted onPost created on March 06 2011 13:18 ET by Ryan Morse

I guess I never updated this again. I am now, infact a captain in the 727. I love the feel and character I get out of if it every time I fly it. The autopilot is like a small child that you always have to keep on top of. ATC hates me from my nonRNAV departures out airports like Salt Lake. I did end up learning all of the EPR's of flight stages, and trim has become natural to me. I am truely glad and proud to fly the old bird, and I would like to thank everyone that helped me into it.

Ryan Morse (DVA7130)

Posted onPost created on March 06 2011 14:56 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

Ryan Morse wrote:

The autopilot is like a small child that you always have to keep on top of.

Awesome... that pretty much explains how the good old Sperry works biggrin

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