Lockheed L-1011

The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was the third widebody passenger jet airliner to reach the marketplace, following the Boeing 747 "jumbo jet" and the Douglas DC-10. In the 1960s, American Airlines approached Lockheed and competitor Douglas with a need for an aircraft smaller than the existing 747, but still capable of flying to distant locales such as London, the Caribbean, and Latin America from company hubs in Dallas/Ft Worth and New York. Lockheed answered the call with the TriStar. Ironically, American Airlines never flew the "Ten Eleven," purchasing many DC-10s instead.

Related Topics:
Lockheed - Widebody - Jet - Airliner - Boeing - 747 - Douglas - DC-10 - American Airlines - London - The Caribbean - Latin America - Dallas/Ft Worth - New York

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First flown on November 16, 1970, the twin-aisle TriStar was considered a technological marvel of its day, featuring low noise emissions, improved reliability, and efficient operation. The main visible difference between the TriStar and DC-10 is in the middle/tail engine; the DC-10's engine is external for more power, while the TriStar's engine is integrated into the tail through an S-duct (similar to the Boeing 727) for improved quietness and stability. Although the TriStar's design schedule closely followed that of its fierce competitor, the DC-10, Douglas beat Lockheed to market by a year due to delays in powerplant development. Rolls-Royce, the maker of the TriStar's RB211 turbofan engines, had filed for bankruptcy, halting L-1011 final assembly. The British government did not approve the large state subsidy used to restart Rolls-Royce operations until after the U.S. government had guaranteed the Lockheed loans previously provided to Rolls for the extensive engine contract. The first TriStar was finally delivered to Eastern Airlines on April 26, 1972.

Related Topics:
November 16 - 1970 - Boeing 727 - Rolls-Royce - RB211 - Turbofan - Eastern Airlines - April 26 - 1972

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Designed for a maximum seating of 400 passengers, the TriStar utilized a new engine layout: in addition to Rolls-Royce turbofan jet engines on each wing, a third engine was located dorsally below the vertical stabilizer. Manufactured in Lockheed facilities in Palmdale, California, the TriStar faced brisk competition with the Boeing 747 and, even more directly, the Douglas (later McDonnell Douglas) DC-10, which it closely resembled. The TriStar had a better safety record than the DC-10, and Trans World Airlines heralded the TriStar as one of the safest airplanes in the world in some of its promotional literature in the 1980s when concern over the safety record of the DC-10, which was flown by most of its competitors, was at its peak. However, the DC-10 outsold the TriStar nearly two to one, partly because of the TriStar's delayed introduction.

Related Topics:
Turbofan - Vertical stabilizer - Lockheed - Palmdale - McDonnell Douglas - DC-10 - Trans World Airlines

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nevertheless, a number of airlines flew the TriStar, including Aer Lingus, Air Atlanta Icelandic, Air Canada, Air Lanka, All Nippon Airways, Arrow Air, British Airways, BWIA, Cathay Pacific, Court Line, Delta Air Lines who operated the largest fleet of L-1011s, Eastern Airlines, Fine Air, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines,

Related Topics:
Aer Lingus - Air Atlanta Icelandic - Air Canada - Air Lanka - All Nippon Airways - Arrow Air - British Airways - BWIA - Cathay Pacific - Court Line - Delta Air Lines - Eastern Airlines - Fine Air - Gulf Air - Hawaiian Airlines

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Iberia Airlines (1 example), LTU, National Airlines, Orient Thai, Pan Am, Peach Air, PSA, TAP Air Portugal Trans World Airlines, United Airlines (acquired in the Pan Am buyout), Royal Jordanian and Saudi Arabian Airlines. The aircraft's largest operator, Delta Air Lines, retired its TriStar fleet in 2001, replacing them with the Boeing 767-400ER. TWA withdrew its last TriStar from service in 1997. Cathay Pacific eventually became the largest non-US operator of the type by acquiring many of the Eastern Airlines examples when Eastern Airlines went bankrupt, operating as many as 21 aircraft. Cathay Pacific retired its L1011 fleet in October 1996, replacing the fleet with Airbus A330-300.

Related Topics:
Iberia Airlines - LTU - National Airlines - Orient Thai - Pan Am - Peach Air - PSA - TAP Air Portugal - United Airlines - Royal Jordanian - Saudi Arabian Airlines - Delta Air Lines - 2001 - Boeing 767-400ER - 1997 - Cathay Pacific - 1996 - Airbus - A330-300

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lockheed bribed the Japanese government to subsidize ANA's purchase of L-1011's, and the resulting political scandal led to the arrest of Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei. To this day in Japan, the name Lockheed is well-associated with scandal.

Related Topics:
Japan - Tanaka Kakuei

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A longer-range variant of the standard-length L-1011 was developed in the late 1970s. Designated the L-1011-500, the fuselage length was shortened by 14 feet (4.3 m) to accommodate higher fuel loads.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lockheed manufactured a total of 250 TriStars, ceasing production in 1984. Lockheed needed to sell 500 planes to break even. Failing to achieve profitability in the civilian airliner sector, the TriStar was to be Lockheed's last commercial aircraft. Airlines played Douglas and Lockheed off each other, driving the prices of both planes down, and the end result was Douglas' merger with McDonnell and Lockheed's departure from the commercial aircraft business.

Related Topics:
1984 - Merger

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The aging L-1011 was still in use by some airlines at the start of the 21st century, and in the late 1990s, NASA performed aerodynamic research on modified L-1011s.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the ABC television series Lost, the set of the crashed plane consisted of an retired L-1011 which had been cut apart to resemble airline wreckage.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~