[youtube]http://youtu.be/aOpBXmqa0eY[/youtube]

Why? Was this part of some certification back then? If so, why a grass runway in a mountainous river valley?

Edit: the YouTube comments suggest certification testing.

Hello guys,

Very nice video. Thanks for sharing that.

Henry, good question.

I fly the 737 for Southwest, and I know a little about the history.

You are correct about your assumption. The 737 was developed as a short haul and short field aircraft. It was to be the SUV of the boeing line.

I am quessing that the footage that you see here was testing for the unimproved field and gravel kit that was developed for that aircraft. I believe that these 'gravel kits' were mainly used by Alaska Airlines. At the time they flew into many unimproved fields that were unimproved and short. Prior to this 737, I believe they used turboprops for those airports.

This was a random find for me. I have zero knowledge on the background of this flight. Just thought it was awesome, and BT worthy.

I think there are still some Canadian airlines operating 737's into gravel airports like Resolute Bay.

Are the newer models still certified for this ? Engines are almost dragging the runway and the planes are awkwardly long. This may have been limited to the 'classic' models. They used to have a 'combi' version for pax & freight.

Hello again,

Tracy, you are correct. These aircraft are getting old, but the 737 was always a very stout aircraft.

I was very fortunate. I had the opportunity to fly the 737-200 series aircraft for a few years at Southwest before the they were retired. This was the most stout, most reliable, and best flying of all the 737's at the time. A truly great aircraft.

Florian, I do not believe that there are any of the newer aircraft certified with this 'gravel kit'.

I think that boeing just decided that the 737 would no longer fill that niche. After the 737-200, it became a much heavier aircraft with more load capability. It was no longer sutied for unimproved fields. At least that is what I believe.

The broomstick devices coming out of the front of the engine nacelles tap off one of the high pressure sections of the engine porting compressed air out the front of each broomstick to break up any engine induced vortices that would suck up rocks and trash into the engines.

The nose gear ski also keeps rocks from being tossed up into the engine too.

Its a gravel kit. Mostly used for gravel airstrip operation up north.
Lots of them in Northern Canada. Here is one operating by Air Inuit landing in Alert.


http://vid683.photobucket.com/albums/vv ... rInuit.mp4

First Air out of Yellowknife, NT, still operates the 737/200 series aircraft out of gravel strips. Saw a few of them last month when we were flying out of there.