727-200 Question

[AviationGenius]

For all of the 727-200 experts out there, I have the following question:

Can a 727-200 be modified with an auxiliary fuel tank (or two), to give it a range of 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 hours of flying time over the Atlantic? Is this feasible? Has it ever been done? It would be for a maximum configuration of apporximately 120 to 130 passengers.

Please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[AviationGenius]

Any help with this would be appreciated.

 

[rocaduro]

Sure it is possible to install very long range fuel tanks in a 727, but to get a range like you are wanting , where would you place the passengers or cargo? That much fuel would take a LOT of space and remember jet A is heavy. Long range tanks in the cargo bins and or cabin have been done, often in fact, for ferrying.

Remember back early in the year when a 727 " went missing "? one of the fears ( for some lesser informed new people ) was that it would be turned into a flying bomb full of fuel and flown from the darkest reaches to a target in Europe or even the U. S.

In fact I even found this advert running in the classified ads at a well known trading site..

FUEL TANK • WANTED IMMEDIATELY!! We are looking urgently for 10 tanks with STC to transport fuel in 727- 100F the operation is inside Angola. we are ready to make a cash payment, please contact us if you have the required tank,we need the quote, specification, and the pictures if available. Contact Castelo Branco, President - EFAOS-AVIATION located Luanda LUANDA ANGOLA. Telephone: 00244-92305695. Fax: 002442 398132

Related ? I doubt it. A threat I suspect not, a repo or something like that . But that is just my opinion. Hope I am right.

 

[JFK777]

Nelson Peltz, a billionaire from Bedford, New York and Palm Beach, has a 727-200 with extra fuek in the cargo hold and MD-80 engines( these are more powerful then the standard 727 engines) that can go from Palm Beach to London. That's about 9 hours there and 10 back. 4400 miles give or take a few. This is about the Maximum modification anyone would ever do to a 727.

The late Dr. Armand Hammer, when CEO of Occidental Petroleoum, had 727-20 will cargo tanks that flew from Los Angeles to Moscow with one stop in Rejavik Iceland. Occy is based on the west coast. Dr. Hammer had more pull at the Kremlin in Soviet times then the White House and the State dept, he conducted his own foreign policy on behalf of Occy and used the firm as his piggy bank, Enron before its time. This 727 was not known for it long legs, I mean it had to stop from Moscow to New York also, but had great travels.