"Walt BJ" wrote

The other 'secret' about airline flying is that the maximum allowable
takeoff gross weight for each flight is always calculated on the
ability of the airplane to make the FAA-mandated climb profile after
losing an engine at V1 speed and safely clear all the obstacles on the
way. In Denver in the summer the 727s usually had some seats blocked
off due to this weight restriction. None of those hairy KC135 max
gross 'wartime' weight takeoffs!

I used to love watching (and hearing) the A models take-off out of Riyadh
Military in the 80's (ELF-1) with 120 degrees in the shade. You could
hear them spool-up with water at least five miles away at the hotel, and
then they would still be at 500 ft waiting for airspeed passing over the
hotel (Al Yamamah). Jeeze, that's over 20 years ago already...