How many of United's L-1011s are still in service?

[CSY Mon]

How many L-1011s does United still have in service? I think they got those from the PanAm purchase. They are probably a whole lot cheaper to operate on long thin routes than a 747.

Check the tail-number on that United L-1011..Pure Pan AM.

As for cheaper to operate than than the 747s..Sure, also less load and less range...Heck, take the motors of any airplane and it won't burn no fuel at all.

Bargain ain't it Einstein?

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

One of the flight attendants I flew with today is furloughed from ATA. She was flying on the L1011. She said all of the flying for the L1011 is for the U.S. military flying troops around. She also said they were always breaking down and things were MEL'd all of the time. I guess that's part of the reason why no one else flys them anymore.

 

[climbhappy]

there are about 40 to 50 old Delta and United L-1011s at Victorville, CA outside of LA in the parking lot.

 

[proftomda]

United acquired L1011-500's from Pan Am when they purchased some of their routes in the late 1980's. Most of these aircraft were then acquired by Delta circa 1990 or so. I was in MTC at DL then and remember them as low time airframes in very good condition and largest seat pitch I had ever seen in 1st class. I could almost lay down on the floor between seat rows lengthwise. Dl of couse changed that when we refitted them.

 

[kc10/c130]

Sure miss that L10. I'll have to agree, one of the best planes I ever flew.

 

[Otto77]

Huh? Take your medication hun.

Back on topic: I'm not sure how long UAL had L1011's but it was not for very long.

you lib

 

[Stifler's Mom]

She also said they were always breaking down and things were MEL'd all of the time.

And hence the "Tri-tanic" nickname.

 

[Halo_RJdriver]

And hence the "Tri-tanic" nickname.

What about the MD-911

 

[Pilotbob3]

ATA only has 5 left , 4 500s and 1 100. I think we're the only US operaters with them. Best aircraft in the world.

then why is ATA the only opererator in the US with only 5 total ships..if the L10 is so great?

 

[PHXFLYR]

Delta, Eastern, United, TWA, Pan AM, Rich, Air America, ATA, Arrow, FineAir. Those are the ones that come to mind.

X

I believe Kallitta operated several cargo converted L1011's during the Mid 90's if I remember correctly.

PHXFLYR

 

[banned username 1]

Yeah, we had them for a time but it was one of those things like being an orphan. There weren't enough of them to make keeping them viable and at the time, about the only thing we WEREN'T flying were DC-9s. We needed to pare down the number of fleets anyway. I bet they weren't here for a year.

That being said, I have heard that they were an excellent airplane. I know Lockheed had a great tradition of building some great airplanes. For those with some experience in the 1011, can you talk about it a little and tell why it had the reputation that it did.

Thanks

UAL78

 

[KC-10 Driver]

then why is ATA the only opererator in the US with only 5 total ships..if the L10 is so great?

The same reason the 727 or DC-8 is considered the greatest plane ever by a lot of folks. You don't see a whole lot of them flying either. I know some people who say the DC-3 was the greatest plane to fly.

Just because it is a great pilot's airplane doesn't mean management will keep it around forever!

Seems to me to be a silly question.

 

[Vector4fun]

That being said, I have heard that they were an excellent airplane. I know Lockheed had a great tradition of building some great airplanes. For those with some experience in the 1011, can you talk about it a little and tell why it had the reputation that it did.

Thanks

UAL78

There was a good thread on PPrune a couple years ago I think re the L1011. I think the overall judgement was great airplane, way ahead of it's time. Lots of mechanics hated them, because they were different, were "orphans" and the manuals and training material was dated. But the older guys who'd been around when they were introduced and knew the secrets and tricks, liked them fine. The "old guys" are about all retired now, so that knowledge is about gone from the ramps.

Dad flew them for a dozen or more years and loved it. Best jump seat I ever rode too. You could almost play ping-pong in that huge cockpit. The DLC system was awesome.

Check here:

http://trijets.net/tristar/

 

[habubuaza]

I believe Kallitta operated several cargo converted L1011's during the Mid 90's if I remember correctly.

PHXFLYR

Yeah, I remember jumpseating on a Kalitta L1011 a few years ago. They had one particular aircraft that had a basterdized, sort of f%cked up paint scheme. I think they used to call it "double ugly" or something like that. It may have been an ex-BA L1011.

 

[flitnabudih]

I don't think UAL ever had the L-1011. When they bought pan am's pacific, they got 747 SP's but they didn't last long.

 

[XTW]

Yes they did.

 

[Spooky 1]

I don't think UAL ever had the L-1011. When they bought pan am's pacific, they got 747 SP's but they didn't last long.

Duh! What do you think we have talking about for the last umpteen posts?

 

[Clyde]

More trivia:

For a little while, Eastern Airlines operated the DC-10-30 and the 747-100. Not sure where the -10's came from or how long they flew them for, but the 747's were leased from Pan Am.

Delta also operated the 747 for a short time, as well as the DC-10. They also operated the A310 for a short time.

Shortly after the AirCal purchase, American Airlines operated 737-200's and 737-300's.

Northwest operated 757-200's with RR powered engines shortly after the acquiring Republic. Republic had ordered them with RR engines, and Northwest got rid of them when the Pratt powered 757's showed up.

Both United and American operated the 747SP.

Remember Air Florida? They operated DC-10-30 service with aircraft on lease from TransAmerica.

 

[bobs98tlr]

AA got the 747SP's from TWA...N601AA and N602AA where the only 2 SP's AA had.

I remember when Delta flew the A310...saw a few in DFW when i was a kid in the early 90's...they flew those suckers EVERYWHERE...do an airliners.net picture search on them..Those DL DC-10 looked SWEET too..

 

[CSY Mon]

Delta, Eastern, United, TWA, Pan AM, Rich, Air America, ATA, Arrow, FineAir. Those are the ones that come to mind.

Tradewinds Airlines.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=464143&WxsIERv=Ybpxurrq%20Y-1011-385-1%20GevFgne%201%28S%29&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Genqrjvaqf%20Nveyvarf&QtODMg=Nthnqvyyn%20-%20Encunry%20Ureanaqrm%20%28Obevadhra%20Svryq%20%2F%20Enzrl%20NSO%29%20%28ODA%20%2F%20GWOD%29&ERDLTkt=Chregb%20Evpb&ktODMp=Abirzore%2025%2C%202003&BP=1&WNEb25u=Wbfr%20Zraqrm%20ODA%20Enzc%20Fcbggref&xsIERvdWdsY=A311RN&MgTUQtODMgKE=Svany%20qnlf%20sbe%20guvf%20GevFgne%20pbzvat%20fbba.%20Qrfreg%20arkg.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=966&NEb25uZWxs=2003-11-25%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=193N-1012&static=yes&width=1024&height=740&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20Y-1011%20GevFgne%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Genqrjvaqf%20Nveyvarf%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=3&prev_id=476204&next_id=413051