Hey guys, I’m new to the forum but i’ve been an aviation nut for a while. My favorite plane is the Boeing 727-200, so every once and a while i use flightaware to see if there are any of these beauties flying around in the air.
Tonight, i noticed there was a 727-200 flying around the US with the code “METIS”, which i’d never seen before. When i clicked on it for info, where it usually lists the plane’s airline, it listed “Unknown Owner”, with no picture or any other identification.
I google’d the words “METIS” and “airline” and came up with “Metis TransPacific Airlines”. But all the links i found seemed to indicate this airline never really existed, and that it was somewhat of a scam. Under the image search i could only find a picture of a 747 with the name of the airline on the side. NO mention of a 727 in the fleet.
So i looked at the history of this flight “METIS” and discovered it came to the US on July 1st from London Stansted Airport (in London) to Bangor Intl (in Maine). This trip took 6 hours and 49 minutes, traveling 3114 sea miles. CAN THIS BE DONE IN A 727-200??? The log info for that flight indicates it flew at 36k feet at around 400-450mph (which seems rather low for a cruising speed).
It then took approximately 10 flights between several cities in the US in the past 8 days, and tonight is scheduled to travel overseas to Bergen, Flesland (in Norway) which is supposed to be a 5 hour and 48min flight over 3300 sea miles…
This evening the flight flew from Metropolitan Oakland Intl to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (a 4 and a half hour flight) and is now being prepped for its flight overseas.
Does anyone have any info on what this flight may actually be? It just seems a little suspicious to me, and i’ve NEVER seen a 727 take such a long flight from America to Europe.
The registration is M-ETIS (Isle of Man) and it is operated by Azer Management LTD. Can’t find much on them but the plane is a Super 27 conversion which drops fuel consumption 10-15% supposedly and it also has winglets, so transatlantic flights probably no problem at corporate VIP weights. Looks like it has been a VIP all it’s life so must be sweet inside.
Wow, what a coincidence. I saw this airplane in Ottawa last night. They came in from OAK for a tech stop on their way to ENBR.
First 727 I ever saw with winglets, it’s all white, and gorgeous. Looks like a heavily modded 72.
I spoke with the Captain for a minute or two, and all he would say is that is was owned by a private individual, and they fly a lot. They were only on the ground for about 45 minutes or so.
You can really see the bigger JT8D-217C (MD88) outboard engines in that pic. The Super 27 conversion makes this plane a monster with less fuel burn, quieter, about 50 mph faster than a BBJ and waaaay better looking.
NASCAR’s Jack Roush also owns and flies two 727’s. The departure to points west out CLT occaisionally takes him right over my house in NW South Carolina. FedEx also flies two 727’s into GSP everyday. Got a couple of photos of them on flightaware’s photo gallery
I miss the 727-100 and -200. It seems they disappeared so quickly, almost overnight! Even in places like ATL, ORD, MIA and LAX I only occasionally get to see one, and even then it’s a UPS or FedEx – how I miss the Eastern and Braniff and PanAm and TWA and Continental and United and American and Delta and National 727s … sigh … it was a fun aircraft and I liked sitting just behind the wings, just to see the damn thing practically disassemble itself on landing with those triple-slotted flaps.
I’ve seen that on a couple of FedEx’s 727’s a few years back, where the 1 & 3 engines were bigger… the thing almost sounded like an MD80 and it absolutely hauled ass down the runway, faster than any 727 I’ve seen before, or since. And it wasn’t too light, since it had some fuel on for the SAN-MEM flight.
As far as winglets, I saw a couple Delta 727’s retrofitted, I assume for a trial. I recall seeing a Sun Country 727 with winglets as well.
Fry’s Electronics of San Jose, CA owns a very clean 722 Super, N724YS with 160 seats and based at KMCC. Its mainly used for transporting the family owned Arena Football team and last year was used by the SJC Sharks and comes with SJC noise curfew exceptions that can be used up to six flights I believe.
It diverted to Hanscom Field (KBED) outbound from Dulles last night, and left today for Eagle Co. (KEGE) Only one person I noticed went aboard, with a guitar case and a gibson guitar box.
Saw M-ETIS land at KEGE late last afternoon. It was there this morning when we left for DFW. The hotel driver says that it had been in there a lot recently.
Tom
Saw M-ETIS land at KEGE late last afternoon. It was there this morning when we left for DFW. The hotel driver says that it had been in there a lot recently.
Tom
