Some say that there was no point in landing the '27 on 24 if you weren't going to make Charlie. It can be done on a dry runway if you're light, with manual speedbrakes and without melting the fuse plugs. So in good conditions at gross landing weight 6000' is fine.

"A while ago I asked one of the best 727 AMEs in the business exactly how many 727-200s are still using the nosewheel brakes. His answer: "One. It's in Africa." Seems most operators opted for the weight savings and reduced maintenance costs by either not equipping or removing the nosewheel braking system.

The heaviest landing weight I've seen in a 727-200 is 161000 lbs. Getting that much airplane stopped in 6000' is no problem at all; just stand on the brakes until the anti-skid stops cycling at 20 (or so) knots then taxi to a stop and stay far away from the main gear tires. The fuse plugs will most likely release due to the heating you generated in stopping. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. "

This is misinformation. There are 727's in Canada with nosegear brakes. Landing at max landing weight on a 6,000 foot runway is done on a regular basis in Canada and the fuse plugs don't come close to releasing.

Dilbert Pickles,

Its about time someone mentioned that!!
All these experts going on about an event that can't even scratch another company who flew their B727 into trees at CYHM not too long ago.
Brushing Trees then being able to land, thats a "close call at CYHM".

Yeah, I was having fun with the 6000' landing scenario. The Boeing 727 performance charts will tell you what you can, and cannot, do with their airplane.

Okay pelmet, I'll bite: which 727s in Canada are equipped with functioning nosewheel brakes?

Okay pelmet, I'll bite: which 727s in Canada are equipped with functioning nosewheel brakes?

The ones that land in 6000 feet at 164000 everyday

"The ones that land in 6000 feet at 164000 everyday "

Too funny!

Allow me to clarify: Which company is operating 727s in Canada that are equipped with functioning nosewheel brakes and how many of these planes are in operation?

First Air -- 2 and both are 200 advanced -- and over the years when the 727 fleet was up as many as 7 with a mix of 100 and 200 series airplanes a good percentage of the fleet had nose wheel breaks - all dictated by the type of work done. 200 series is not gravel certified but 100's were and operated out of gravel strips as short as 5000 feet and the magic number for operating the 100 series at max landing weight was somewhere between 5200 and 5400 feet - Maersk operated 737's out of less than 3500 feet - that's the shortest scheduled (larger jet) passenger service I know off -- I guess it was "quite a show" as quote by a friend who watched the arrival and departure from the jump seat. -- damn

I'm glad no one got hurt.

We were waiting for that airplane to arrive to grab some of its cargo for a quick CYYZ run and back. We were one of the first to have a look @ the "damage"...didn't see what would cause all the hype. Who ever was in charge of that boat, did an excellent job because it was challenging working in those conditions with CB's all night long.