Posted on 09/12/2006 11:39:28 AM PDT by BenLurkin
PALMDALE - A Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, one of a fleet of roughly 250 built and tested at Plant 42 between 1968 and 1985, could become the latest addition at the city's Heritage Airpark. The City Council has authorized staff to acquire an L-1011 for display at the airpark, a 26-acre facility on the north side of Rancho Vista Boulevard (Avenue P) between 20th and 25th streets east.
The park was created for the display of approximately 40 aircraft designed, built, modified or flight tested in Palmdale.
The cost of buying the plane will be $60,000, and the cost of getting it from Victorville to Palmdale will be roughly $250,000, said Saynne Redifer , assistant to Palmdale City Manager Bob Toone.
"The L-1011 has a lot of history at Plant 42," at one point requiring the services of roughly 10,000 workers, Redifer said.
"It will be a great asset as a new addition to the Heritage Airpark," she said.
The plane was built to carry up to 300 commercial passengers as far as 3,160 miles at a cruising speed of 565 mph. Its wingspan was nearly 156 feet, its length almost 178 feet, and its height nearly 56 feet.
Airpark volunteers will need about a month to take the plane apart and about two months to reassemble, Redifer said.
"The L-1011 is probably one of the aircraft built in Palmdale that really shows what this Valley has done," Councilman Steve Knight said before participating in a 3-0 vote Sept. 6.
The aircraft has been well preserved and is in a condition that would allow visitors, particularly schoolchildren, to board the plane and view the cockpit and passenger areas, Redifer said.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
I always liked the L-1011...more than the DC-10 but not nearly as much as the 747.
Buying L-1011s was the one mistake that eventually killed PSA--they were a local carrier, not a major player.
A real pilots airplane....
Great a/c.
1st, and maybe the only - not sure, a/c to fly coast-to-coast completely non-pilot controlled. A stable and well designed craft. Ground-breaking techno-wise also.
I should have added - That c-to-c flight included take-off and landing.
However...
I haven't seen or known of any models of commercial aircraft -- beginning with the L-1011 Tristar...
...And including the current crop of Boeing B757/767/777 series that have fully automated takeoff.
One of the common-denominator aircraft limitations includes a minimum autopilot engagement altitude (for takeoff and non-autoland approach modes) ---
REASON...in order to leave room for a pilot-initiated recovery should the autoflight system malfunction up to a full-deflection pitch control error.
Sooo... I would be interested in any info or citation you might have in hand for the c-2-c flight events. I expect they were flown from minimum takeoff autoflight engagement altitude through.... OR... took off from BOS or NYC... or other east coast (perhaps LAX on the west coast )over the water, and by the time they crossed the coastline westbound/eastbound were then fully automated through the landing.
Have a great day
June 25, 1972 TWA inaugurates Lockheed L-1011 service. The first flight, operating from St. Louis to Los Angeles, is flown on autopilot from takeoff to landing.
http://www.scripophily.net/tranworairin2.html
TWA inaugurated Lockheed L-1011 service on June 25, 1972, making the first flight, St. Louis to Los Angeles, on autopilot, takeoff to landing.
http://cf.alpa.org/internet/alp/2001/oct01p18.htm
Pardon my enthusiasm. I like old airliners, some very elegant designs, and have respect for the L-1011.
Did you know there is not one single L-1011 crash attributed to mech failure? Impressive.
Take Care.
One more trivia detail....
Did you know the L10 flew nose-up at cruise altitudes due to a mating error in the prototype?
They mated the wingbox to the fuselage with a 4 degree error.... and didn't catch it until after certification was complete.
Once the type certificate was issued, it was a no-harm no-foul error.... ( all structural testing was passed with flying colors.)
They simply made them all that way.
(as opposed to re-manufacturing, re-testing, and recertifying the airframe for service.)
It was always uphill to the first class lav....LOL
bttp
Why was Khurkris banned?
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