by FlexibleFlier » Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:26 am
Great story...thanks.
I was a Co-Pilot and Flight Engineer on the 727 for Eastern Air Lines in the late 60's/early 70's. I loved that airplane. I flew the DC-9 and DC-8 for a time but came back to the 727 just because it was such a terrific plane.
At that time, EAL had what was known as "seat swapping." Being trained in both F/O and F/E positions, I would fly a trip half the time in each seat; i.e., outbound as F/E and inbound back to station as F/O, or vice versa. Because of this program, I don't think I ever knew an aircraft as well as the 727. As a new-hire, it gave me the chance to not only be a very active participant in flight operations but also watch and learn pilot crew performance. Although I had enough seniority when the program was cancelled to hold an F/O seat, I was sorry to see it go; somehow, the sense of crew cohesiveness was just not the same.
Lots of "war stories" of course, but that's for another time.
Last Flight of the 1st 727
