Boeing 727 is the only trijet built by Boeing. It is a narrow-body airliner, built mainly for domestic flights. It had its first flight on February 9, 1963 and was introduced on February 1, 1964 with Eastern Airlines. The Boeing 727 was in production for 22 years between 1962 and 1984 with a total of 1,832 units built, of which 1,831 have been delivered (one was retained by Boeing for tests). The aircraft was developed in two variants, the 727-100 and 727-200, but a third variant, the 727-300, was proposed, but due to lack of interest from the airlines, the idea of a third variant was abandoned.
The 727-100 variant utilised the same fuselage cross-section as the 707, but with a smaller lower fuselage that was specifically designed for shorter range flights with less baggage. Notably, the 721-100 was the first Boeing aircraft to include an auxiliary power unit (APU). In addition to the basic passenger-carrying 727, the initial development of the 727-100 led to a small family of sub-variants, such as higher gross weight options, the 727-100C Convertible, and the 727-200QC Quick Change, which had a large freight door on the forward left-hand side of the fuselage. As a result, many of these aircraft were subsequently converted into pure freighters. The production for the Boeing 727-100 was ceased in 1973.
727-100
First Flight
February 9, 1963
Introduction
February 1, 1964 with Eastern Airlines
Number Built
572 units (includes subvariants), 571 delivered and one retained by Boeing
Length
133 ft 2 in (40.59 m)
Fuselage width
140 in (3.56 m)
Wingspan
108 ft (32.92 m)
Wing area
1,650 sq ft (153 m2)
Tail height
34 ft 3 in (10.44 m)
MTOW
169,000 lb (76,700 kg)
Role
narrow-body airliner
Engines
Pratt & Whitney JT8D
Cruising speed
495–518 kn (917–960 km/h)
Range
2,250 nmi (4,170 km)
Capacity
Two-class seats: 106; One-class seats: 125
Boeing 727-100 specs
Sub-variants of the Boeing 727-100 Specifications
727-100C
727-100QC
727-100QF
Boeing C-22A
Boeing C-22B
Role
Convertible passenger cargo version
Quick Convertible passenger cargo version
Cargo version with quieter engines
Military version
Military version
Number built
164 (100C+100QC+100QF variants)
164 (100C+100QC+100QF variants)
164 (100C+100QC+100QF variants)
1
4
Engines
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1,-7,-9
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1,-7,-9
Rolls-Royce Tay
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1,-7,-9
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1,-7,-9
Boeing 727-100 sub-variants specs
Boeing 727-200 specifications
Boeing 727-200, By Iberia Airlines – Flickr: B-727, CC BY 2.0
Boeing 727-200 is a stretched version of the 727-100, and was introduced 4 years later than the -100, in 1968. An improved version of this variant, the 727-200 Advanced was introduced in 1970. This variant had more powerful engines and an improved range from 1,930 to 2,550 nmi (3,570 to 4,720 km). The Advanced variant eventually became the most produced 727-200, with a total of 950 units delivered.
727-200
First Flight
July 27, 1967
First Delivery
December 14, 1967, to Northeast Airlines
Number Built
1260 units (includes subvariants)
Length
153 ft 2 in (46.68 m)-20 feet (6.1 m) longer than 727-100
Fuselage width
140 in (3.56 m)
Wingspan
108 ft (32.92 m)
Wing area
1,650 sq ft (153 m2)
Tail height
34 ft 3 in (10.44 m)
MTOW
172,000 lb (78,100 kg)
Role
narrow-body airliner
Engines
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7,-9,-11
Cruising speed
467–515 kn (865–953 km/h)
Range
1,900 nmi (3,500 km)
Capacity
Two-class seats: 134; One-class seats: 155
Boeing 727-200 specs
Sub-variants of the Boeing 727-200 Specifications
727-200C
727-200 Advanced
727-200F Advanced
Boeing C-22C
Role
Convertible passenger cargo version
Airliner with more powerful engines, improved range, fuel capacity and MTOW
Ionut Tanase, an Eastern European aviation enthusiast, is a dedicated aerospace engineering student and aspiring glider pilot. His journey into the world of aviation began in 2015 as a hobby but has since evolved into a professional pursuit. With his extensive knowledge and experience, Ionut's expertise makes him a suitable writer for our website.
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