Boeing 727 Variants

[peteham]

Hi Guys,

I'm curious as to the difference between the 727-100 & 727-200 variants.

With the 727-100 series ( and the same with the 727-200 series ), there's further variants like 727-17; 727-35; 727-76 ; 727-235; 727-295 etc etc ......

Is there an easy explanation as to the difference between these variants ?

Just to satisfy a Classic Boeing Nut ;D

Thanks,

Pete.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

There are "BASICALLY" just 2 main models of B727 aircraft .... the original short fuselage series -100 aircraft .... and then the stretched fuselage series -200 aircraft.

It's difficult to mistake the two .... because one's longer than the other.

There are however a number of sub variants among these 2 basic models .... which are identified by their designated suffix names and as follows

B727-100 .... mostly standard PAX configured aircraft !

B727-100F.... "F" meaning it's a pure freighter aircraft .... mostly windowless aircraft equipped with a port side forward fuselage maindeck cargo door !

B727-100C.... "C" meaning it's a convertible or combi (PAX/freight) aircraft .... also equipped with a port side forward fuselage maindeck cargo door !

B727-100QC.... "QC" meaning it's a QUICK CHANGE" aircraft which may be configured to either full freight or PAX configuration within 30 minutes .... also equipped with a port side forward fuselage maindeck cargo door.

B727-100QC (IGW) .... same as the above "QC" version, but, the "IGW" (Increased Gross Weight) desingation implies that these particular aircraft have much higher MGTOW capabilities than other B727-100's .... having been built with B727-200 type wings.

B727-100 SUPER 27 .... more recent upgrades of -100 and -aircraft .... featuring standard powerplants in the center # 2 engine position and with more powerful, quieter, cleaner, and more fuel efficient engines in the #1 and #3 engine positions .... and some, but not all, of these aircraft also feature winglets and more advanced avionics systems. PLEASE NOTE .... AT HJG WE DON'T HAVE A "SUPER 27 B727-100" DUE TO LACK OF A 3D MODEL.

B727-200 .... mostly standard PAX configured aircraft !

B727-200 ADVC .... "ADVC" meaning it is and ADVANCED model .... featuring greater power, wing modifications, and more advance d avionics than earlier models .... and accounting for post 1972 production aircraft.

B727-200F (including -200F ADVC) .... produced as either pure freight aircraft, or, ex PAX configured early production -200 and later production -200 aircraft converted to freight configuration.

B727-200 SUPER 27 .... more recent upgrades of -200 and -200 ADVC aircraft .... featuring standard powerplants in the center # 2 engine position and with more powerful, quieter, cleaner, and more fuel efficient engines in the #1 and #3 engine positions .... and some, but not all, of these aircraft also feature winglets and more advanced avionics systems. PLEASE NOTE .... AT HJG WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THE "SUPER 27 B727-200" .... THANKS TO ERICK CANTU PROVIDING THIS MODEL FOR US.

These (above) are "BASICALLY" the main variations among B727 aircraft.

For the most part the numerical suffix designations to which you refer relate to both a combination of aircraft type model and the Boeing customer number applied each individual customer airline/operator .... for example ....

A B727-100 delivered to UNITED AIRLINES will be designated "122" .... the "1" digit referring to the model of aircraft (in this case a -100) .... with "22" being the Boeing customer number for UNITED AIRLINES .... hence the full designation "B727-122".

Every Boeing operator has its own unique customer ID number .... which is applied among all Boeing aircraft ordered new/operated by any customer .... and which also remains with these aircraft throughout their service lives. Therefore it is not uncommon to find a mixture of Boeing aircraft model/customer suffixes among the fleets of other airlines/operators whom have not ordered aircraft new/from the production line, but rather, acquired used aircraft from other operators or brokers around the world.

I hope that helps you understand things better !

Aditionally .... here at HJG, and with the B727-100's in particular, I have had to employ "NON-OFFICIAL" aircraft nomenclature in the form of either "EARLY" (early production .... up until about 1966), "LATE" (late production .... from 1966 onward), and "IGW" (increased gross weight) designations. This is because there are significant powerplant, MGTOW, and performance capability variations between these aircraft sub types .... and which have been successfully incorporated into the FDE for each of these aircraft (THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EACH) .... bearing in mind the certain limitations imposed upon us by the FS host program itself.

If I may further add too .... I have compiled "BASIC" flying guides for each of the B727 type aircraft offered by HJG. These appear on my "B727 PANEL INSTALLATION & HANDLING NOTES" posting on the ABOUT HJG AIRCRAFT forum page. PLEASE NOTE .... the figures quoted are FS observations only and not realworld data .... but .... are extremely close to reality anyway.

Mark C
BOG/CO

[WillyVic]

Great post Mark! Thanks for taking the time to lay it all out.


Best regards,
WillyVic

[peteham]

Thanks Mark.

I knew the -100 was shorter than the -200 series, but it was the difference in the later numbers that I was curious in.

Your explanation has certainly helped ......

A B727-100 delivered to UNITED AIRLINES will be designated "122" .... the "1" digit referring to the model of aircraft (in this case a -100) .... with "22" being the Boeing customer number for UNITED AIRLINES .... hence the full designation "B727-122".

Thanks again for your knowledge

Pete.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

No problem Pete .... and "WIILYVIC" !

It's all part of the service I like to try to provide for folk here.

If folk understand things better it usually helps them to enjoy things better too .... at least that's my own basic philosophy !

Mark C
BOG/CO

[dutchman2]

Another thing on the -100 vs -200, check out the #2 engine inlet shapes.

[botamern]

Sept 9, 2009 13:32:53 GMT aerofoto - HJG Admin said:

A B727-100 delivered to UNITED AIRLINES will be designated "122" .... the "1" digit referring to the model of aircraft (in this case a -100) .... with "22" being the Boeing customer number for UNITED AIRLINES .... hence the full designation "B727-122".

Actually, that's not quite accurate.

With the 727, as with the 720, there was no 100 series. The initial short body 727s that we all think of as 100s, are acutally 727-20s (20 was Boeing's internal code, which is why there are 707-120s, -220s, etc but this practice was dropped starting with the 737 which are -100, -200, etc).

A "727-100" built for Trans World Airlines, would have been designated a 727-31. A passenger/cargo convertible or combi was a 727-31C. Towards the end of short body production, Boeing built a number of generic configuration aircraft. Instead of being built to a specific airline's configuration, they were built to one of a limited set of Boeing derived configurations. These aircraft were built with 727-1xx customer numbers.

[rwyatt]

What about the 727's built with the steps under the main passenger door? Was this an option, or did these steps come on all aircraft. Eastern was the only airline that I have ever seen using these steps at an airport. Is there any possibility of having an option of these steps on the models here. Most 737 models do have these steps and the ones on the 737 worked diferntly than the ones on the 727. The 727 steps sort of telescoped the lower section into the upper section where the 737 folder into the upper sections. It would be nice to have this option for airports where they were used.

[garryrussell]

Tnaks Nick..you have answered a long standing query as to why 727 memained for example -82 where as the 747 for example -36 became 136 when the 200 came about and why there were a small number of 1xx'2

Rwat as far as I know the ventral airstairs were standard but largely fell out of use with the DB Cooper incident and the increasing use of jetways.

The DC 9 seems to have been an option, or perhjaps discontinued early on???

Incidentally a few BAC One-Eleven biz jets and the Braniff fleet were built without the rear airstairs as an option to the standard inclusion of them.


Garry

[christrott]

With the 727, the ventral air stairs are always used unless a tail stand is available. Failure to use it results in this -

www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos/image/43269461

(Yeah, a DC-8, but the same thing happens with a 727).

Some dispute that this will happen (such as here - www.freewebs.com/world_wide_dakota_club/boeing727.htm), but having seen it happen TWICE in person, I know it's true. The aircraft is extremely tail heavy. As such, the tail stairs must be properly deployed and locked when loading or unloading the aircraft to prevent this from happening.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

A B727-100 delivered to UNITED AIRLINES will be designated "122" .... the "1" digit referring to the model of aircraft (in this case a -100) .... with "22" being the Boeing customer number for UNITED AIRLINES .... hence the full designation "B727-122".

Actually, that's not quite accurate.

With the 727, as with the 720, there was no 100 series

Actually .... I keep forgetting that very small but none-the-less important detail (except during file building processes) each time these sorts of queries arise .... and despite being aware of it too.

Another thing on the -100 vs -200, check out the #2 engine inlet shapes.

If one want to get "SPECIFIC" .... there's a whole book/article that could be written regarding B727 variations .... which would/could include things like slats, flaps, and nose gear doors too, HOWEVER, to avoid confusion .... and to provide basic answers only .... I've, for the most part, tried to restrict commentary to just those principal aircraft versions .... and mostly in respect of those we offer "HERE" in particular

Mark C
BOG/CO

[Harerton Dourado - HJG]

Oct 12, 2009 3:37:46 GMT christrott said:

(Yeah, a DC-8, but the same thing happens with a 727).

Some dispute that this will happen (such as here - www.freewebs.com/world_wide_dakota_club/boeing727.htm), but having seen it happen TWICE in person, I know it's true.

It sure happens!!!



Again...



Closer look...



And again...







(All images hosted in airliners.net)

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

OUCH !!!! ;D

Mark C
BOG/CO

[christrott]

Harerton, thanks for finding pics. Google failed me when I posted originally, and being that I was working both times it happened (including being the one saving the plane from ending up on its tail the second time), I didn't get pics of either incident.

There are some great stories out there of how they put the plane back "on the ground" afterwards. Everything from running from the back to the front, jumping up and down in the cockpit that has a dozen people stuffed into it, transferring all the fuel from the wings into the center tank and then fill the center tank to capacity (works only if not fully back on the tail and is one of the only planes which this works on), and even one report of emptying the aft lav to get it to come back onto its nose wheels.

[Harerton Dourado - HJG]

I've heard something about having someone slowly walk towards the front until finding the "sweet spot" where the nose starts coming back to the ground!