United 727 Lands at Chicago’s Meigs Field, October 15, 1992. Shot by Mark Suszko, IIS Video.

You can see the great short-field capabilities of the 727 making almost an aircraft carrier style trap on the Meigs runway in high gusts and crosswind, October 15, 1992. It was a donation from United Airlines to the Museum Of Science And industry. The tire smoke from first contact has barely dissipated as the thrust reversers pop, the engines slam into full power for reverse braking, and all the boards and spoilers hang out to drag the plane to a stop by the mid-runway turn-off.

The 727 had a small fuel load, to make it lighter and give a lower wing loading, which shortens the landing roll out but also reduces penetration into headwinds and means more sensitivity to turbulence and gusts… The officials stepping off after the steep and exciting approach and roll-out looked a little green to me, but happy.

Those low passes along the lakefront skyline are something that was never seen before… or again, ever, after 9/11.

My favorite passenger jet and favorite airport. I got to fly in and out of Meigs a few times over my state career, on one of the State’s own King-Air twins, and it was always a thrill. The runway looks like a postage stamp during final approach, and you’re convinced you’re going to hit the water. But you never do. I was so sad to see the airport closed, and infuriated by the underhanded way it was done. It really was a very valuable asset to the City.

I had a better camera angle on the landing, set up hours before, but at literally the last minute a stills photographer changed his assigned position and ended up in my shot, ruining the frame, so I had to pick up the camera, sticks, and the attached recording deck, and re-position a few feet over, then try and re-establish focus, in just a handful of seconds.

I returned to Chicago and this plane, to document the beach landing of the 727 on it’s barge after having the engines and many other heavy systems removed over in Indiana - and it’s slow traverse up the beach and across Lake Shore Drive, into a hole cut out of the side of the Museum. Maybe I’ll find a copy of that footage some day. It was all given to MSI courtesy of IDOT Aeronautics for their exhibit documentary projects. Meanwhile, I re-create this day all the time in x-Plane Simulator.