Trident trivia.

[derekliston]

A lot of people might think of the Trident as a sort of British copy of the Boeing 727 but it was quite a quirky aeroplane. The nosewheel was offset to one side and retracted sideways and hence did not change the CofG. The last mark of the aeroplane had three and a half engines!!! It actually had a small boost engine mounted above the centre engine for additional power on take-off. It was the only airliner to my knowledge that was certified to activate thrust reverse before touchdown. When I worked for BOAC/BA at Heathrow we as a family often caught the Shuttle to Edinburgh, that was in the days before the new runways were constructed, and the landings were often more like ‘arrivals’ you definitely knew when it touched down.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Lots of people think, "when they see a two engined or four engined airplane, they don't see the generator turbine under the tail, that makes it a three or five motor craft.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[derekliston]

True in most cases, but in the case of the Trident, I think the mark was 3b, it really was a boost engine, the APU was a separate entity. Google it!

 

 

[derekliston]

Picture of a Trident 3b, note the RB162 (I think!) booster engine above the centre engine, so including the APU it really was five engined! No photo because I can’t figure how to post a picture with this new format!!!

 

 

[facthunter]

 I don't know how many  Tridents were eventually sold

 

      . Most APU's don't contribute much (if ANY) thrust. but it's not a bad idea but may cause more drag when not used. They supply bleed air for airconditioning on the ground and starting engines and electric power  (sometimes if required ) in the Air..The Douglas DC-9 could use the APU as an extra generator  if one failed but wouldn't start above a certain altitude. (about FL 15 OTA). Once running it is useable at all cruise heights.. Multi engines with ALTERNATORS have complex electrical systems. Synchronising the A/Current is mechanically complex. You need a CS drive on the alternator or the back EMF can smash everything.  Nev

 

 

[red750]

Trident boost engine between the flag and the middle engine exhaust.

 

https://www.whatsupaustralia.com.au/media/trident-boost-engine-jpg.31/

 

And the asymmetric nosegear.

 

Asymmetric Gear

 

 

[derekliston]

Not wishing to be rude but people either don’t read or don’t listen, the Trident 3b had a boost engine which was shut down after take-off as well as an APU!!!

 

 

 

[Birdseye]

Not wishing to be rude but people either don’t read or don’t listen, the Trident 3b had a boost engine which was shut down after take-off as well as an APU!!!

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I was fortunate enough to complete an introductory pilot course for the Trident, it was definitely a 4 + APU. On a warm day and a full load it probably wouldn't have got off the ground without the RB162 running. It was also  potentially a very fast aeroplane, above M0.88 although BEA/BA didn't operate it at the higher speeds and the heavier 3b wasn't quite as quick.