JATO Boeing 727

[Paul K]

You learn something new every day.



Details here:

http://www.boeing-727.com/Data/type%20c ... 00ser.html

Yet another reason to love the 727 !

[Garry Russell]

Yeah...I've seen vid of this 9Mexicana) but can't find it now....Isn't this RATO?

Anyhow have found a military RATO take off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7LErwBNobU

[Paul K]

Yep, looks like RATO now you come to mention it, though I can only see references to JATO in the Boeing blurb. I bet any passengers who were nervous about flying were delighted when those things kicked in. The comments to the video are interesting, particularly from the guy who flew it later on.

[FlyTexas]

Arriba!!

Brian

[Dev One]

Better than abajo!
Keith

[Chris Trott]

Actually, it's not. In the US, the terms are fairly specific - JATO is used to describe a solid-fueled rocket assist system whilst RATO describes a liquid-fueled one. It confused me for many years as well, but I was once shown the US Navy manual that defines them as such, but it's not available online as far as I can find.

Not only did the 727 have JATO capability, so did the DC-3 and the Convair propliners.

[airboatr]

Yeah...I've seen vid of this 9Mexicana) but can't find it now....Isn't this RATO?

Actually, it's not. In the US, the terms are fairly specific - JATO is used to describe a solid-fueled rocket assist system whilst RATO describes a liquid-fueled one. It confused me for many years as well, but I was once shown the US Navy manual that defines them as such, but it's not available online as far as I can find.

Not only did the 727 have JATO capability, so did the DC-3 and the Convair propliners.

The first American aircraft to take off using the rocket assisted system (known as RATO) was the Ercoupe in 1941 piloted by Captain Homer.
RATO was a solid propellant booster system designed by Theodore von Kármán. By WWll the term JATO was becoming the popular term.

Anyway, RATO was Rocket and JATO , Jet.

cheers

[Paul K]

Arriba!!

Brian

Maybe they needed JATO because of all the stowaways trying to get to America.

Actually, it's not. In the US, the terms are fairly specific - JATO is used to describe a solid-fueled rocket assist system whilst RATO describes a liquid-fueled one. It confused me for many years as well, but I was once shown the US Navy manual that defines them as such, but it's not available online as far as I can find.

Chris, thanks for that. I've looked up JATO, and despite the word 'jet', it still means using rockets, so your solid vs liquid fuel explanation makes sense. Strictly speaking, I suppose real jet assisted take-off would be something like the late-model Shackleton MR3, with Viper turbojets in the outer engine nacelles.

Back to J/RATOs, here's another unlikely one:

[Garry Russell]

DH did some RATO tests with a Victor B1 at Hatfield. With Sapphires and Sceptres at full blast, it was said to be about the noisiest take offs by aeroplanes ever witnessed in the UK.

http://s37.photobucket.com/user/GTwiner ... 1237584638

[airboatr]

Oh thats cute.