A Classic Farewell

For those that flew her, the classic still had a special place as technology raced on.

Something classic

My own relationship started with the classic 20 years ago. At my airline interview I had given the three-holer 727 as my first preference, but training on that fleet was winding down. My disappointment was short-lived as the 737-300 was still a big step up from the Barons and Chieftains that I had been bashing above the landscape in.

It was my first simulator-supported type endorsement and my first aircraft

The classic wasn’t a dinosaur, but it was feeling left behind.

with a functioning electric trim and autopilot. Those ‘accessories’ hadn’t rated highly in previous times. There was a truck-load of manuals to study and an enthralling slideshow known as ‘Spiritus’ where a monotone voice stepped you through every operating system of the 737. At the core was a need to truly understand the systems of the aircraft and this knowledge was quizzed by all and sundry at every opportunity.

That being said, the classic was a wonderful aeroplane to learn about aircraft systems in the 1990s. It was a blend of old world analogue with a touch of the new age. The primary flight and navigation displays were two EFIS screens, one atop the other, and a flight management computer allowed data entry and calculations to be performed through CDUs with green-lettered displays reminiscent of early digital watches. The aircraft had both an airspeed indicator and a speed tape.

Still, systems like the hydraulics and pressurisation were still of Boeing’s tried and tested form. ‘Bleeds off’ takeoffs were common at heavy weights to squeeze out maximum performance and this led to an intimate understanding of the APU, air systems and the maze of ducting that tied them together. Similarly there were means of ‘unloading’ the APU at engine start on a hot day by deselecting a range of services, including the electric hydraulic pumps.

Like the bleeds off takeoff, these were drills that were committed to memory and founded on sound systems knowledge. After simulator and ground school, base training introduced the new pilot to the real aeroplane without passengers and even engine-out circuits were flown about the runway at Avalon. Today, base training has disappeared, the aircraft systems are simpler and checklists are the norm, but for a rookie the 737 classic taught me well.

Classic memories

For those who have flown the ‘old and new’ 737s, few will argue that the classic possessed better handling characteristics from a pilot’s point of view. It sat comfortably above its optimum altitude in the cruise. The classic was a great aircraft to land and rode gusty conditions on final approach with a steady hand. The -300 in particular had a sporty feel and the -400 wasn’t far behind. However, it must be remembered that these were also times when breaking off a DME arrival and circling visually to a runway was commonplace. Handling was pivotal on dark, wet nights when the only real guidance cues were an altimeter, clock and a blurry line of runway lights out the side window.

Today a visual circuit is rarely flown in a 737 and circling has all but been confined to the annals of history. SIDs, STARs and RNP approaches guide the aeroplane along LNAV tracks under the coldprecision of the autopilot in most instances. As wonderful as the ‘old days’ were from a pilot’s perspective, hand-flying is not so common these days and the change is for the better in most cases. Operations are safer and more predictable, but we mustn’t lose those handling skills altogether either.

This change in philosophy and growth in technology was ultimately what saw the classic’s days becoming numbered. There was no GPS fitted and its navigation system was guided by an inertial reference system (IRS) that required updates from ground-based aids. This meant that the navigation display could drift and the map that was portrayed didn’t reflect the real world.

This shortcoming was particularly prevalent in the early days before the FMC technology caught up. It built up a healthy distrust and it only took one DME arrival into Cairns to see that the runway wasn’t sitting quite where the map display suggested. The worst drift I ever saw personally was 12nm on the way to Alice Springs, although the map quickly righted itself as we flew into range of the VOR. Despite the seemingly confusing conflict of information, one learnt that raw data was king and it was constantly referred to and tracked by. VOR radials, DME distances and NDB bearings were the trusted source of information and the map was nice-to-have when it was updated; but it was never entirely trusted. It must also be remembered that at the time, these systems were still a significant improvement on what had gone before.

Time marched on and the clever folks in white coats rectified these issues and the classic moved with the times. However, there were little idiosyncrasies that gave the aircraft character to those who flew her – idiosyncrasies that will probably bring smiles to faces for many years to come.

On hot days, the air conditioning packs could work so hard that they started to spit small flakes of ice out of the vents at the pilot. The ‘Flight/Ground’ switch, the highly sensitive landing gear warning horn that continued to sound between Flaps 1 and 10 and was cancelled by a tap to the ‘horn cut-out’ near the thrust levers. The autothrottle switch that would disconnect on the ground during a flight control check. The alternate navigation control display unit (ANCDU) that provided a basic ‘back-up’ navigation guidance system – rarely used, but an interesting exercise.

Change for the better

As much as we loved the classic, the introduction of the Next Generation 737 in Australia was both wise andwarranted. The growth of GPS navigation and RNP approaches were beyond the scope of the classic and the new models came with enhanced performance, systems and cabin amenities.

It was easy to view the aircraft purely from a pilot’s handling perspective, but in reality its time had come. It was still a safe, reliable workhorse but the world had changed. The -800 can fly faster, further and higher and above more of the weather. The -800 and its systems are more straightforward and offer greater support to the crews. In the cabin, the entertainment systems on offer today just couldn’t be found on a classic. As RNP approaches became more prevalent, the absence of a GPS onboard limited the arrivals that the classic could fly. With safety determining that circling approaches were also a thing of the past for the 737 for many operators, the minimas were raised and another option was removed. The classic wasn’t a dinosaur, but it was feeling left behind.

Much of the -800’s advancements are built upon the legacy of the classic, from ETOPS operations and improved EFIS displays to the simplified pressurisation system. Boeing has grown upon the winning formula of the 737 and continues to do so as the 737 MAX looms on the horizon. Still the classic will remain in reliable service across the globe and in freight operations in Australia for some time to come.

A classic farewell

All good things must come to an end and I am sad to see the classic depart. I am grateful for what it taught me about airline flying across a broad range of ports both domestically and internationally. Calculating PNRs to Auckland as the weather at Norfolk Island deteriorated and peeling off the bottom of the NDB approach at Ayers Rock as heavy rain hammered the red centre. There was very little the classic could not do, it’s just that the -800 can do it better.

The last Qantas 737-400 has now been parked in the boneyard at Victorville and the fire trucks’ final salute is already a fading memory. But for those who flew the classic, the memory shall not fade so fast and the debt of gratitude for many miles of safe passage will always remain.

As an airliner, it underpinned domestic airline operations for nearly three decades and still had the reach to fly across the seas to nearby neighbours. As an aircraft it was a joy to fly. Thanks for the memories and thanks for the new generation of aircraft that you spawned. As the 737 continues to develop and reach new heights now might be the time to pause for a moment and bid the classic farewell.