ACFT EQUIP PROB -- ACR ACFT USED A GREAT DEAL OF RUDDER TRIM AND FLC DISCOVERED A LARGE DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L OUTBOARD SLAT. PROBABLY FROM A LARGE BIRD STRIKE.

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FLEW ACFT ON SHUTTLE OPS LGA-DCA-LGA-DCA-LGA-DCA-LGA. NOTED IMMEDIATELY ON CLB OUT (I FLEW FIRST 2 LEGS) THAT THE ACFT NEEDED A LOT OF R RUDDER TRIM; AND; AGAINST CONVENTION; NEEDED MORE THE FASTER YOUR AIRSPD. ALSO NOTED DURING LNDGS THAT DESPITE BEING ON SPD THE ACFT SEEMED TO DROP JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN; IN PROGRESS OF FLT; RULED OUT FUEL IMBALANCE; ASYMMETRIC THRUST AND ACFT RIGGING. AFTER COMPLETING ROTATION; WALKED OUTSIDE JETWAY TO TERMINAL AND NOTICED A LARGE SPOT ON THE WING. IT WAS SEVERAL TAPE STRIPS ON THE LEADING EDGE; RUNNING VERTLY. I RECALLED THAT I HAD DEAD HEADED ON A SHUTTLE PLANE WHEN IT TOOK A BIRD STRIKE TO SAME SPOT. ASSUME THAT THIS WAS THE SAME PLANE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY CAUSING A LOT OF DRAG AND POSSIBLY AN EARLY STALL IN THE LNDG FLARE AT THE MINIMUM (THIS MAY RESULT IN A HARD LNDG) AND AT WORST COMPLICATE; POSSIBLY EVEN PREVENTING AN ENG OUT/FLT CTL MALFUNCTION/OR HIGH XWIND LNDG BEING SUCCESSFUL. I NOTIFIED COMPANY SAFETY HOTLINE AND PLT GROUP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS WAS A B727-232 THAT THE RPTR WAS FLYING. HE SAID THAT AFTER BOTH THE FO AND HE (THE CAPT) HAD TROUBLE WITH THE ACFT IN THE LNDG TOUCHDOWN AND WITH THE TRIM THEY DISCOVERED THE STRIPS OF TAPE OVER THE OUTBOARD SLAT'S LEADING EDGE. THERE WERE 4 OR 5 STRIPS OF HIGH SPD TAPE AND EACH STRIP RAN FROM BELOW THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SLAT TO THE TOP THE LEADING EDGE. THE DENT WAS QUITE LARGE AND THE DRAG OF THIS DEFORMED AREA HAD TO BE GREAT. SINCE THIS FORM WAS SUBMITTED THE RPTR SPOKE WITH HIS COMPANY'S MGMNT AND THE SLAT HAS BEEN CHANGED. THE MAINT CTL EXPLANATION WAS THAT THE ACFT WAS SERVICEABLE; BUT THAT THEY HAD INTENDED TO REPLACE THE SLAT SOONER HOWEVER; THEY DID NOT GET THE CHANGE DUE TO ACFT SHORTAGES.