[Ronin]

Hard enough to take a loaded 727? Flat enough to avoid ripping off a nosewheel during the takeoff or landing roll?

If this was an Il-76, which is geared and designed for short field/rough field operations, I would be concerned, but a broken down old 727? I wouldn't give it a prayer's chance in hell of getting off the ground, let alone down in one piece.

But, heck, you may be right. The fanatics may have it and maybe they will get lucky.

[GRANGER]

If the story about the "stolen" 727 were true, we would have found it by now, and if we had found it, we would have destroyed it. There is no place on the Earth they could hide a 727, and there is no place on the Earth where we cannot put a team down on 12 hours notice or less. If all that happened, it will stay classified for quite some time, and so the "mystery" will continue.

[Kenny Bunk]

What say we go watch them try it? If they fail, there will be a win-win conclusion to this aerodynamic conversation.

I would recommend we put the folding chairs, sunshade, and cooler on a rise about a mile away. A Stinger set up might also be appropriate. But let's go with quail-hunting rules: no shooting until they actually clear the ground.