Derelict ex-Pan Am Boeing 727-21 Flies Out of VNY Again! 

Very cool to see this classic 727 take to the skies again, really glad you were able to capture that moment!

I was the Flight Engineer on that flight and I also was glad that people at VNY enjoyed seeing it fly again. Went to Chino for a makeover to a VIP. Fun to be part of the crew on that flight.

My first airplane flight was on a Piedmont 727 down to Florida in the early seventies. I was around seven or eight years old. We boarded the plane from the ramp up the rear airstairs. Made quite an impression on me as a child. I’ve been a 727 fan ever since ! Thanks for posting this video ! 😃

A retired UAL 747-400 Captain/friend used to fly the 727 from SJC to either ORD or DEN as his regular route. One day he let me meet him at SJC and I came out onto the tarmac (no jetways at SJC back then!) and climbed the stairs into the cabin with the crew. Boarding had not commenced yet. I got to sit in the Captain’s seat, and he allowed me to touch a few of the controls and for a guy in his late teens wanting to become a pilot, it was a highlight of my life. He told me to push one button (or knob, I honestly don’t recall), and when I did, the fire alarm went off LOUD. I thought I broke the damn plane!! The crew was laughing--I guess they do that to unsuspecting fools like me. :) Man that was fun. Then I went to the old outdoor observation platform (right next to Airport PD) and watched him takeoff. The Captain told me that the 727 was the last “real” airplane for the airlines (in America). Everything is pretty much manual control--no glass cockpit on that one that I was in, that’s for sure! To me, with my untrained eyes, all I saw were one hell of a lot of switches, dials, knobs, gauges, readouts, books, checklists.....I thought to myself, “How do they get this thing off the ground???”. I have to admit, I do miss the 727. I really enjoyed that plane. And you know what the funny thing is? I couldn’t tell you when my last flight was on one. It’s one of those things that just “happens”, and when you look back, you realize, “Hey, there aren’t any 727s to fly anymore!”. Just like as kids with a bicycle, this question should make you think as well: When did you last ride your bike to your best friend’s house? (As kids, not as adults with fancy biking gear) That is a significant event in many of our lives, but it just “happened” and we don’t know when or how. But there was a specific day where it was our last time doing that, and we never knew it.....That’s an interesting one to think about. Great video of the 727, thank you for posting!

Thanks for catching this. It could be said you filmed a unicorn. Not many of these flying passengers anymore. My favorite aircraft, period. Smooth ride and very quiet. My first flight was in Feb of 1967, ATL-LAX. My last flight was in fall of 1993 MSP-ONT and back. NWA flew them into ONT where the old school stairs on a truck were still in use. Return flight was interesting. I watched several screws back out of a hatch cover on starboard wing right over main gear. Told the flight attendant what I saw happening. She gave me a “yeah right” look but did come back to look. When she saw a screw back out and disappear into our high altitude cruise she trotted right up to the flight deck. One of the pilots came back and counted the missing screws. He asked me if all the screws were installed when we departed ONT, to which I replied, unsure. The movement of a screw backing out is what caught my eye. Air crew slowed the aircraft down a little and we landed uneventfully in MSP about an hour later. After deplaning I stood looking out the large windows in the boarding lounge as the pilot of the aircraft and several mechanics stood on the wing and VERY closely inspected the hatch and installed screws. I didn’t get to see the complete procedure but nothing must have happened because I didn’t hear of a 727 angering in after the event. I would still walk out and fly anywhere in the world in a Boeing 727.

Goosebumps

This 727 sat unused for at least a decade, all alone on a ramp next to Clay Lacy. It was up for sale for a while with the price continually dropping. I used to look over at it from Signature west and wonder if it would ever fly again. Had cats living in the landing gear. About 2 months ago, I noticed a U-haul parked next to it. Mechanics were there preparing it for a ferry flight.

The Corvette of the sky. If I had the funds I would purchase one of those and C Check it and go to town on a refurbishment. I've always just loved the look of the 727.

thank you for documenting this

That jet noise ripping through the air brought back memories of my childhood growing up under a JFK departure lane.

Awesome that somebody got this on video!

Great video and congratulations for 20k subscribers 👏👏👏👏👏👏

Excellent! Brings back good memories! Worked for 3 airlines that flew 727's and rode them alot! -100's seem very rare these days and good to see, thanks!

Still and forever will always be one of my favorite aircraft... thanks for the post...

My favourite jetliner! The 1st one I flew in with Iberia. So loud! Getting in or coming out using the back ramp, inbetween the engines...was deafening. Great airplane.

This video is not a piece of aviation history. So glad you were able to capture this historic moment.

An old airline buddy of mine 20 years ago flew 727's for Continental Airlines and he had a flight from KPWM to KEWR and the gear would not raise after takeoff. They returned to KPWM safely and the plane sat for the weekend because they were not able to fix the issue at KPWM. Since it was the last day of his trip before vacation, he and 2 others offered to ferry the plane to KEWR for it to be fixed at a Continental hub with a MX base. He flew the trip with the gear down at 8000' at whatever the max gear down speed was. He said it was quite noisy, took double the time to get there and it drank A LOT of gas. Love the 727 !!

About 12 years ago I was living in Tampa. Once day as I was driving by the TPA I saw an old Eastern 727 sitting at the end of the runway near a maintenance hanger. It sat there for a few weeks and then disappeared. I did not see it depart, really sad about that, and I have no idea where it ended up. But it was great to see that classes airliner one last time. Some of my best trips were on that venerable bird. She is sorely missed.

Pan Am was an iconic airline for USA. I was sad when it folded up.

Brings back a lot of memories. The last bonified Pan Am B727-21 flight I took was in June 1979 from FRA-BEG. Great times.

My first cockpit jumpseat ride as an air traffic controller, was on an American 727-100 from IAD-RDU. Freakin' loved it !

Is there anyone around that’s old enough to remember how loud the 707-727-737 and DC-8, DC-9 jetliners of the 60-70-80’s were. Even by todays standard’s the 747-100,200, DC-10-30-40, and the L-1011 were loud. Last week there was a community meeting in the eastern section of the San Fernando valley to address the issue of aircraft noise because recently the FAA has started a new route that takes departing aircraft from BUR further south than the old route. Apparently these people weren’t around when PSA, Continental were flying 727-200 out of BUR dozen of times a day. Maybe the FAA should do a test with this old 727 over the same route to enlighten the people living below the flight path as to what NOISE really is.

I saw this plane at CNO a few days ago. The radar cone on the nose is removed. I wonder what they're plan is for this old bird.

thats a beautiful sight! an airframe that flew in the 60s back in the skies again. nice vid!! who in the heck would thumbs down this video!!??

Fantastic to see & hear the 727 100 series again, I remember the first time I flew in one way back in 1965 from Essendon airport here in Melbourne, Australia, the first jet aircraft I flew in that belonged to Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) that they dubbed T-jet due to the T tail on a flight to western Australia, this is before Melbourne Airport opened and I remember due to Essendons short runway lengths they had to take off with a reduced fuel load & top up or change planes in Adelaide (South Australia) to resume the journey to Perth (W.A.) they were really good times when Air travel was a real adventure & the pace was not so hectic as it seems to be these days! as a little bit of interest one of my good friends old man was the flight engineer on the first Boeing 727 of TAA's on its delivery run along side Ansett airlines 727 to Essendon in 1964 & I believe they flipped a coin to see which companys Aircraft had the honour of being the first to land.

When AA started flying into SHV from DFW, they flew three 727's in and out per day until the Eagle began to push them out. I used to ride my bicycle to the airport just to watch those silver beauties, along with DL 727's, DC-8's, and and DC-9's from both DL and TI. The old Frontier even flew two SHV-DFW flights/day on 737-200's that were accessed via the planes' own jet stairs. Talk about cool! TWA and Braniff had their go at SHV also. Times have certainly changed with nothing but regional jets now. DL did start running one 717/day from ATL, but that didn't last long. Guess they didn't fill every single seat on every single flight and pulled it. I have such great memories of these big birds roaring through the skies. Sadly, we will likely never see them again at regional airports. Thanks for this great reminder of the mighty 727!

You are so lucky to see something classic still take it to the skies

My first job out of high school was on the 727 assembly line. 48 section, engine mounts and vertical fin. Spent a lot of time running control cables, installed the jack screw, hydraulic rams, quadrants, trim mechanisms, etc. A great airplane and the workhorse of many airlines. Dad was head of Boeing's photo unit. Boeing had a 727-100 as a photo platform. Dad had many interesting stories about that airplane and it's amazing performance.

Ryan do you know if the efforts to make it airworthy where documented on video or a blog or something?

Amazing. Wonder where they found pilots with the type rating.

I couldn't believe my eyes when my friend texted me this had flown out. I was shamed it wasn't a weekend. Also, today I saw the Vegas Sands 747SP takeoff. And that is saying a lot.

I went up to Paine Field with my dad a few years ago and saw the very first one in its 2nd Livary which was FedEx, it has since been restored and repainted in its original colors and flown to the airplane museum at Boeing field in Seattle . nice to see one in the air again!

Wow! I love it! Keep up the great videos!

My first jet. I ended up with 5,000 flying the left seat in a 727. Very reliable, STOUT airplane.

another home run ! Great vid from a beautiful day and a rare spotting.

Very nice something you’re used to see all the time and take for granted I didn’t notice that he never retracted his landing gear as a retired aircraft mechanic from McDonnell Douglas Boeing I worked an M.D. 80s and I love the sound of those old Pratt Whitney engines thank you

Gear down after takeoff, which means it's on a restricted flight plan. They did the same thing last year to get a 727 from PAE to the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field.

Smashing sight! I seem to remember, from the last video, that the flaps can't be raised so its a slow speed flight profile all the way. Was this the same for the gear?

He was light. The thing leapt off the runway. I flew them for a few years and when heavy, you got to see the wrong end of the runway all the time. You'd fly the nose up at Vr, and just hold it in that attitude while counting potatoes. Then just a bit more nose up and eventually the mains would lift off and you'd hang there a bit in ground effect until she decided to go uphill. Fix the pitch for V2+ 5-10 for the initial climb, then lower the nose at 800 feet and shoot for 100fpm so you could accelerate and suck up the flaps. Then pitch for 250. To me, it was the best flying Boeing of the last 50 years (I never flew the whale). It had a wonderful feel and took a bit of effort to fly the profile accurately and correctly, unlike todays powerful turbofans. It was thrilling and I miss it to this day.

Beautiful aircraft!

It feels so good seeing a plane that was probably destined for the scrapyard take off again.

So awesome! Thank you very much for this! Love the smoke!

Looks like it's last livery was one of "Champion Air". I flew on a Champion Air charter around 2005 or so, last 727 I ever flew on. I wonder if this was the one that performed a tail stand on the apron of Van Nuys several years ago?

The B-727 was the first airliner I flew on back in 1975 from California to Tennessee. It was solid as a rock! Don't remember what airline it was, though...Good to see one flying again!

Wow that is so beautiful to see this old bird fly again. My first Cargo airline job was as a first officer on a 727, from 2003 to 2005.

Wow! Were you just in the right place at the right time, or did you have a heads up?

Saw a 727-100 in the UK last week for the first time in 20yrs. Forgotten how loud they were.

How much certainty did the have it was flight worthy before taking off?

Anyone know who the buyer is? what job its going to do?

This is amazing, great video! What will the future of this marvelous aircraft be?

Very cool. Great to see this beautiful bird in action once again.

Loved flying on 727's

Thanks for sharing this. I always saw her from the side street and wondered what was going to be her fate. Glad to see that she flew again and to Chino at that. That gives me hope that she won't be scrapped. Hopefully back to full flying condition but a museum piece is OK too.

Iconic 727. Love this aircraft. I remember flying to Lackland AFB after I enlisted. I think it was Braniff Airlines and I had the best inflight meal of my life. Flight from Salt Lake to Dallas Fort Worth, Steak and lobster with all the trimmings. No, I'm not kidding. You don't get that kind of service any more. I sure miss old school check in, pre TSA, leg room and the real pleasure that flying was meant to be. Great memories.

Flew them a lot, on PSA, back in the 60's great plane...

I've never seen a 727 leap off the ground like that...sure must have been light. Where was it heading? EDIT: Found in another comment I missed before-Chino.

That F-16 sounded great, but I didn’t know that they made it in a T-tail!

Where was it flying to? Can't imagine it was going for scrap as they could have done that at the airfield dump without the risk of flying it.

She looks so good...I miss the 727-200s...We had them at United and I flew on many of them....Nice...

Wait wait wait! That thing was airworthy? I spent my grade and middle school years thinking that thing was a derilic. Its cool to find out it moves! And flies!

The good ol' days. There are two 727-200 Adv models at KPTK operated by IFL; just 2 miles from my home. I have the luxury of seeing &/or hearing them from my balcony on a regular basis. Most flights occur at night but not all of them.

looks like it was ferried with the gear down which is probably why they left it there after positive rate of climb

I spent many hours in the 727 as a passenger. The 727 was used on the route from my college to my hometown.

Definitely a pre-hushkit model. Note the mechanical thrust-reversers surrounding the jet exhausts. On landing the outer-casing deploys to provide reverse thrust by dropping over the jet exhaust which slows the plane down. When I was a kid, I was on an early Boeing 737, at a window seat with a clear view of the device in operation. Loud but very cool.

The 727 will always be remembered along with D. B. Cooper. The built-in rear stair well was unique.

Always loved the 3 engines in the bagck

I went to med school at USC in LA in the early 1980s. Occasionally, there would be a beach party. The only place on the beach where you could have a fire was directly under the Western departures from LAX. There was so much soot on the beach that you could not go barefoot when the sun was out. It was completely black. Very hot. I loved watching the departures. They sure did smoke a lot in those days. That was the cool part. I flew 727s from LA to MFR many times. In college I worked at the airport in Medford OR. On hot afternoons we would watch as the old 737s and 727s used up most of the runway. They always made it. Watching the fire bomber DC-6s and DC-7s was heart stopping. They would go over the end of the runway at a few feet, suck the gear ASAP and barely climb at all for several miles. I spoke to one of the pilots back then. He said they always kept their thumb over the load dump button on the yoke in case one of the engines even coughed. I miss those days. Hanging out at the airport. No fences. No TSA or DHS.

did this plane go to Chino.. I thought i seen it on the ramp there a few weeks ago

What airline has it now

Airplanes are so boring now. Quiet, Clean and smooth. While I love the efficiency and new technology, I really miss the old engine's that sounded like a rocket and black smoke belching out rattling every window within a 2 mile radius !!

Stunning!

Love the sound - thanks

After college, while in the USAF ANG, and shortly before commencing a nearly 20-year run as an Industrial Engineer for "Ma Boeing", I contracted to Eastern Airlines, via their Miami HQ, to fly 727 repositions, and deadheads back to KMIA (when an entire crew was repositioned after a destination flight). I 'd co-piloted one, and only one, and only once, which was not retrofitted with those damn 'hush kits". It handled like "an extension of my arms", with the added benefit of 'being a rocketship"!

Seen that 727 for years at VNY. Really glad I got to fly one. BTW: There was a 727-200 at LAX today with a very strange nose. Must be some kind of test aircraft.

They didn't raise the landing gear after takeoff?

Who's rhe owner and where is she headed?

what a beautiful sight!

727 was a good bird!! I worked on hundreds of them.

Where did it fly too?

Worked for Emery Worldwide in mid 80’s when they operated a large fleet of the 727 and DC 8. Was so much fun working as air cargo handler as an 18 year old with Emery. Thought that Emery had the best looking 727 cargo fleet at the time with their red and white colors. Was sad to see the demise of Emery Worldwide as well as the 727 being pulled from UPS, FEDEX As they were reliable and well liked. Nice to see a few examples are sill flying!

When I became I flight attendant, my inaugural flight was on a United flight from LAX to DEN. In my opinion, the 727 was of the best aircraft Boring ever produced.

Unfiltered, no hush kit on this one. This video reminds me how sorely I miss seeing the ever present 727 in the SoCal skies...Thanks!

I love the sound of old skool iron. Was stationed at KBLV as a young enlisted man back in the early 1990s wrenchin' and crew chiefin' on the 12 C-9A Nightingales that were assigned there back then. ...had those same JT8D engines..will never ever forget that sound. Good times.

Thank you so much for filming this and posting this on RU-vid. I love the 727. And I love Pan Am. I live close to the Van Nuys Airport and I wish I had known it was taking off. I would’ve liked to have seen it myself. Since I couldn’t I’m so glad you did Ryan. This is one of the most wonderful videos I ever saw. Thank you so much. Pan Am makes the going great! On behalf of Juan Trippe, thank you for flying Pan Am.

Where was it going? Did they ever put the gear up? Why is the sky blue?

Curious about the cockpit crew leaving the gear down...?

Beautiful! Any clue what it's going to do now?

I grew up in San Diego in the 1960s where Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) ran a lot of 727s. My first ride in an jet was a short hop in a 727 to LAX on my way to Disneyland. Tragically, I was going to SDSU in 1978 when a PSA 727-214 collided with a Cessna 172 over North Park, San Diego. In my mind's eye, I can still see the plume of smoke rising above the crash site in the distance from the SDSU library. That was the end of PSA and a great era of aviation in San Diego.

I wonder how far in the cycle it is? No matter what I’m happy somebody bought this plane and refurbished it!

where did it fly to?

When you say refurbished does it mean it’s gonna be at a museum or is it gonna actually fly again for a private company

Hey Captain what's the lever with the wheels on it do ?

Is the center engine covered/inop?

Who would have thought back in the day that Pan Am and "derelict" would be mentioned in the same sentence?

Loved the727 with its odd rear staircase. Flew them many times with Danair from West Berlin (Tegel) to London Gatwick before the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification.

Looking at the flight tracker she flew from Van Nuys to Chino, wonder what her future may hold

always thought this was such a beautiful plane

So, that would be a first generation 727-100? Because in 1965 me and my father flew to Miami (to buy a 1964 Olds 98), in an Eastern Air Lines 727 from SJU. It could have a been a 100, but I am not sure.

Is vny a airport. Or a air park for maintaining planes

Where is the plane going?