Boeing 727-200 Tutorial X-Plane

[Moertoe Pilut]

FlyJsim Boeing 727 Tutorial:

For detailed Boeing 727 systems/checklists etc, please view our system technical link page here. I don't have a copy of the FlyJSim 727, but having a few thousand hours on the real thing, I'll try to give a tutorial from the top of my head. The tutorial is based upon a Boeing 727-200ADV with JT8D-15A's, no Nose Gear Brakes:

Aircraft Limitations:

MTOW: 86,409 Kgs
MZFW: 63,503 Kgs
MLAW: 73,029 Kgs

Max T/O EGT: 620ºC (max 5 minutes)
Max Start EGT: 575ºC
Maximum Continuous EGT: 580ºC


We'll plan the flight from Cape Town (FACT) to Johannesburg (FAJS) in a 727-200, it doesn't matter whether it is a freighter or pax model. The fuel required for the flight is 18,000 Kilograms with a burn of 9100 Kilograms, we will take Durban King Shaka (FALE) as an alternate. The Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) for our flight is 82,129 Kilograms (Landing Weight Limited). For flight planning purposes we will assume either runway 01 or 19 with a direct to JSV after Take Off (be careful for the mountains around Cape Town after departure). The flight time will be around 01:50 minutes, based upon zero wind and a cruise of Mach .80.

Pre-Flight:

If the APU isn't running yet, place the battery switch (located on the top left side of the Flight Engineers panel) to on and check that you have 24V DC (minimum is 22V) with the DC meter.



On the Auxiliary Panel (on the right on the Flight Engineers panel) hold the APU start switch momentarily to start (we won't do a fire warning test). Check the volt meters on the auxiliary panel and check for 115V AC and 400Hz. Select volt meters on the Flight Engineers panel to Bus Tie.





Once the APU is running and has stabilised, place the APU Generator Breaker to "Close" (make sure that the Field Relay light is out, if not close the Field Relay first). Now on the Flight Engineers panel, place the Essential Power selector to APU.



Set the pressurisation panel (dial in Flight Altitude/Cabin Altitude according to flight level (for our flight we will fly at FL330) and Landing Altitude according to landing field elevation minus 200 feet (5360' for FAJS), leave the Flight/Ground Switch in Ground, (assuming it's an electro/pneumatic system) for the "CAB ALT" use the placard to the left of the controller (4800' for FL330). The selector is to be placed and left in the "AUTO" position.



Switch both System B Pumps to "On" and leave the System A Pumps on (we will assume for the pushback that there is a bypass steering pin) and make sure the "Ground Interconnect" is closed.



Let's load the fuel with tank 1 & 3 containing 5500 Kilograms each and the number 2 tank with 7000 Kilograms (there's an extra 1000 kilograms in the number 2 tank for the APU fuel burn). Load your aircraft as you desire, but do not overload the airplane.




Cape Town weather is assumed to be 15ºC with a QNH of 1013. We will do a Flap 15 Take Off today. Our V-Speeds and EPR's should be set to:
EPR1: 2.10 EPR2: 2.12 EPR3: 2.10

V1: 142 (white plastic bug 1)
Vr: 143 (white plastic bug 2)
V2: 154 (orange command bug)
V2+10: 164 (white plastic bug 3)
F5: 180 (white plastic bug 4)
F2: 210 (white plastic bug 5)
F0: 220 (white plastic bug 6)

For this tutorial purpose, I will only explain how to "align" the INS, I won't go into detail on how to load the waypoints into the INS. Place the INS Mode Selector to "STBY"



On the INS, place the selector knob to "POS" and insert you're current latitude (press the number 8 which will give you South), once the latitude is correctly displayed, press "INSERT". Do the same for the longitude (press 6 for East).

When done with inserting the coordinates, place the INS Mode Selector switch to "ALIGN"



You can see the progress of the INS by placing the INS selector knob to DSRTK/STS. Let the INS countdown all the way to 05.


Before Start:

Now that we're done fuelling, let's switch on the fasten seatbelt sign, check that the emergency exit lights are armed and set the parking brake.







Set your radios for the departure (Cape Town VOR, CTV:115.70) and set your transponder to 2000.

On the right side of the overhead panel switch all "Window Heat" switches to "on".



Once the INS has counted down to 05, place the INS Mode Selector to NAV. Do not taxi out without the INS Mode Selector in the NAV position, this will render the INS useless for navigation and it can be used for Attitude Reference only.



Read the "Before Start Checklist".



Cleared to start:

On the Flight Engineers Panel, set all Engine Bleed Switches to open and switch off both Pack Valves (observe the duct pressure increasing to around 40 PSI, minimum is 30PSI).



The Hydraulic Panel was already set in the Pre-Flight, but normally we would switch on both hydraulic B pumps and switch off the A pumps if we were to push back.

Switch on 1 Fuel Pump in fuel tank 1 & 3 and 2 Pumps in Tank 2 (Left Forward & Right Aft).



On the overhead panel, switch the Anti Collision light on and complete the "Before Start Checklist" below the line (if applicable).



On the overhead panel, select the "start valve arm" to arm and place the Number 1 Start Switch to "Ground"



Observe the drop in duct pressure on the Flight Engineers panel:



After the starter has engaged and the duct pressure has dropped we should see an increase in N2 RPM and on the Flight Engineers panel we should observe a rise in oil pressure:





At 15-18% N2, move the Start Lever to the Start Position, monitor the Fuel Flow (max 500Kg/h) and check that the start temperature (EGT) does not exceed 575ºC. At 35% N2 release the start switch and observe the rise in duct pressure again.



Repeat the same for engines 2 and 3.

[Raffles]

Thanks for ther refresher!

[Moertoe Pilut]

After Start:

After all three engines have successfully started, position the AC Meter on the Flight Engineers panel to "GEN1". Observe 115VAC and 400HZ with the amber flashing lights going on and off (not alternating left and right, both go on and off)



We will now parallel the number 2 and 3 generator against the number 1 generator. Close the Number 1 Generator Breaker and position the AC Meter to Gen 2, again observe 115VAC/400HZ. When the sync lights are out, close the number 2 Generator Breaker. Position the AC Meter to Gen 3 and again close its Generator Breaker when the sync lights are out.



When all 3 generators are paralleled, place the Essential power selector to "Gen 3" and leave it there.



Switch the galley power to on and move over the top right side of the panel.




Switch both pack valves to on, leave the number 1 & 3 bleed switches on but close the number 2 bleed switches:





Move down to the pressurisation panel and move the flight ground switch to ground (you should see the cabin slightly descending now)



Verify that both system A and B hydraulic pumps are running (we won't test the A pumps depressurising). Move over the fuel panel and switch all Fuel Boost Pumps to on. Close the number 1 and 3 Fuel Crossfeed Valve, leave the number 2 open.



The Flight Engineer would now normally call out "ready". This would prompt the First Officer to switch on the Pitot Heat on the over head panel. Go ahead and switch the Pitot Heat on.



Read the "After Start Checklist".

Before Taxi:
The items below would normally done during taxi, however it is advisable to this before taxi.

On the pedestal select 15º Flaps



While the Flaps are running down, take the Speed Brake lever out of the forward detent and move it aft. With the flaps running down and the Speed Brake Lever out of the forward detent position, move the Flap Bypass Switch



(located on the overhead panel below the yawdamper switches) to the far left side. A Warning horn will sound. When the horn goes off, release the switch and stow the Speed Brake Lever in the full forward detent.

With the Flaps both (inboard and outboard) in the 15º position, check the flight controls for free movement (normally done by the First Officer except for the rudder and the Flight Engineer would call out "fluctuating" as the hydraulic pressures changes with flight control movement.)

The airplane is now ready to be taxied. Once cleared, switch on Nose Taxi and Runway Turn Off lights and taxi to the runway.

[Moertoe Pilut]

Taxi

The "Before Take Off Checklist" normally gets completed during taxi, it is read by the Flight Engineer aloud. Normal taxi speed for the 727 is around 15 knots. Taxi the airplane onto the runway (if cleared to do so). Switch the transponder to TA/RA and place the weather radar to "WX" with a tilt of about 5º nose up. We will perform a standard noise abatement departure.

Take Off

Once cleared for Take Off, switch on all Landing Lights, place the autopack trip switch to "normal" and spool the engines up to 1.4 EPR





Release the parking brake and set Take Off EPR 2.10/2.12/2.10 (this is normally set by the Flight Engineer). Cross check the Airspeed Indicators at 80 Knots (this is normally called out by the Pilot Not Flying).

Remove your hands of the thrust levers at V1 (142 Knots). At VR of 143 Knots IAS, rotate the airplane smoothly until a stabilised climb speed of V2 + 10 knots is achieved. Rotation rate should be approximately 2 to 3º/second. Target pitch should be around 15º, this will roughly let the airplane climb out at the desired V2+10 Knots (164IAS in our case). With a positive rate of climb retract the landing gear and switch the nose landing light off.



At 1500 feet Above Ground Level (AGL), pull back on the thrust levers and set "climb thrust" of about 91% N1(this is normally done by the Flight Engineer), place the autopack trip switch to "cutout" and place the gear lever in the "off" position (middle detent) Continue to climb out at V2+10 (164 IAS) up to 3000 feet AGL.

     
The N1 gauge sits below the EPR gauge


Climb

At 3000' AGL, place the orange rotatable knob (command bug) on the airspeed indicator to 220 Knots (clean manoeuvring speed).




Accelerate to 180 KIAS and select flap 5, continue to accelerate to 210 KIAS , with flap 5 green lights and at speed 210 retract flaps to flap 2. With flap 2 and the green lights continue to accelerate to 220 KIAS and at 220 KIAS retract the flaps to the full up position. With flaps up and no lights set the Command Bug to 250 knots (do not retract flaps without getting the green lights) and switch off the outboard landing lights.



Continue the climb at 250 KIAS and at Transition Altitude (7500' for Cape Town) set your altimeter to 1013Mb's or 29.92". Once the altimeter is reset the After Take Off Checklist is read.

At 10,000 feet AGL, switch off all landing lights, switch off the fasten seatbelt sign and accelerate too 300 KIAS. Climb to altitude at 300 KIAS / M0.78.
Now would be a good time to engage the autopilot. Engage both pedals AIL/ELEV and turn the selector to AUX NAV in order for the INS to steer the airplane. The pitch is controlled by tilting the turn knob up or down.



Cruise

Once your cruising altitude is reached, engage the ALT HOLD on the autopilot. Cruise the airplane at Mach .80.



Normally at top of climb a fuel reading would be taken by the crew. The airplane should have burned around 3600Kgs of fuel from Take Off to Climb.

Descend

Plan for the NIBEX2A STAR. At 40 Miles/ 15000' AGL carry out the Descend Checklist.


Plan your descend as following:

Altitude X 3 +10 Miles depending upon wind correction.

Altitude= FL330, Johannesburg Field Elevation is 5558'. We will round off the field elevation to 5000'. The altitude we need to loose for our descend is 33000'-5000'=28000'.

28X3=84Nm's + 10 Nm's (to decelerate)=TOD 94Nm's from FAJS. If we had a very strong headwind, we could leave the additional 10Nm's out. In our case we will assume a no wind condition and our Top Of Descend (TOD) will be 94Nm's from Johannesburg.

Start the descend at Mach .80 and transition then to 300IAS. At FL155 (10,000' AGL) reduce speed to 250IAS. At 20 Nm's from JSV, reduce speed to 210IAS.

Approach

Within 20 Nm's from the airport, start reducing to speed 210IAS. We will assume ILS Z runway 03R in use in FAJS.

When turning right at 30DME JSV, select Flaps 02 and fly at speed 190IAS, with Flaps 2 and the green lights, select Flap 05 and fly speed 180IAS.

(to be continued)

[Propnut]

Now to look for my B727-200 Advanced

[Moertoe Pilut]

Now to look for my B727-200 Advanced

Inbox me your email address, might have a 727 laying around for you.

[four engine jock]

I have one

[Propnut]

PM already sent to MP thanks.

[Raffles]

Is the 727 for X-Plane or FSX?