B727-200 CREW HAD A RUDDER RADIO LIGHT FOLLOWED LATER BY A STANDBY RUDDER OVERHEAT. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE. ACFT EQUIP PROB RUDDER RATIO FAILURE FOLLOWED BY STANDBY RUDDER OVERHEAT.

Narrative

ON FLAP RETRACTION; RUDDER RATIO LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PERFORMED ABNORMAL PROC. 50 MINS INTO FLT; STANDBY RUDDER OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONTACTED DISPATCH; PHONE PATCH TO ACR MAINT. DECIDED A DIVERSION WAS NECESSARY. OVER COLUMBIA; SC; AT TIME. DECIDED IAD ONLY SUITABLE ARPT DUE TO WX. PROCEEDED TO IAD WHERE AN OVERWT LNDG WAS PERFORMED. IT WAS A NORMAL LNDG. SINK RATE 300 FPM. WT OF 156500 LBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B727-200. HE IS NEWLY RATED AS A CAPT; BUT FLEW THE ACFT PREVIOUSLY AS AN FO FOR ABOUT 3 YRS. HE HAD NEVER SEEN THESE PROBS BEFORE AND HAS FOUND NO ONE ELSE THAT HAS HAD THESE PROBS. HE REALIZES THAT THE ACFT IS AGING. WITH THE RUDDER RATIO LIGHT ILLUMINATED; THE RUDDER IS IN HIGH PWR MODE; FOR LOW SPD OP; WHILE THE ACFT IS IN A HIGH SPD REGIME. THIS REQUIRES A LOWER ALT; LOWER SPD FLT REGIME THAN NORMAL WITH THE STANDBY RUDDER 'ON.' A STANDBY RUDDER OVERHEAT LIGHT REQUIRES THAT THE STANDBY RUDDER BE TURNED 'OFF;' PUTTING THE ACFT BACK INTO THE HIGH PWR RUDDER SIT. THE RPTR'S ACFT MANUAL IS VERY VAGUE ON A STANDBY RUDDER OVERHEAT SIT; WITH NO PROC LISTED. THE ACR'S MAINT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE RPTR ON WHAT THEY FOUND WRONG WITH THE ACFT.