Lockheed JetStar with CF34 engines

[TransMach]

N380aa

Done !

 

[Gatorman]

I knew that someone here would know what I was refering to...thanks.

But, I am still looking for the pic.
Like I said ,I know that the pic was on the back cover of their maintenance manual and it had the story about the CF34.
Thanks for the info TransMach....you are on the right trail.

 

[con-pilot]

I did fly JetStar serial number 1. It started out as a twin engine with Brit engines, then was converted to a -6, then to a -8, then to the 731.

We got the the airplane from the FAA which operated it with the registration of N1. We operated it in the US Marshal Air Operations Division for a few years.

Sadly very poor maintenance caused the airplane to be grounded. It sat in the hangar for nearly a year and then the ownership was transfer to a College in Kansas. A crew came down and ferried the airplane (on three engines from what I heard) to Kansas and we never heard anymore information regarding its status.

Hopefully that this is the JetStar at Boeing Field.

One note on interest, the overhead fuel panel was reverse of the rest of the JetStars, which caused a few problems when attending Flight Safety for initial and recurrency. I also don't think we ever figured out the emergency gear extension procedures to that airplane because of all the changes it had been through.

The airplane was a maintenance nightmare. I ended up with nearly 500 hours on the JetStar and never completed a 3 or 4 day mission without breaking down. I remember once on a 5 day trip we were gone for 8 days because the airplane broke down every time we flew it. It would break, we'd get it fixed after a couple of days, takeoff and it would break, went on like that for 8 days. It wasn't just me, every crew that flew it had the same problem.

I had two rapid decompressions in it in 48 hours. The second one was with the US Attorney General and his staff on board. He was not impressed.

Now with all said, it was one of the nicest flying airplanes I have ever flown. Tons of room in the cockpit. It did have tendency to love runways however.

 

[Spooky 2]

I did fly JetStar serial number 1. It started out as a twin engine with Brit engines, then was converted to a -6, then to a -8, then to the 731.

We got the the airplane from the FAA which operated it with the registration of N1. We operated it in the US Marshal Air Operations Division for a few years.

Sadly very poor maintenance caused the airplane to be grounded. It sat in the hangar for nearly a year and then the ownership was transfer to a College in Kansas. A crew came down and ferried the airplane (on three engines from what I heard) to Kansas and we never heard anymore information regarding its status.

Hopefully that this is the JetStar at Boeing Field.

One note on interest, the overhead fuel panel was reverse of the rest of the JetStars, which caused a few problems when attending Flight Safety for initial and recurrency. I also don't think we ever figured out the emergency gear extension procedures to that airplane because of all the changes it had been through.

The airplane was a maintenance nightmare. I ended up with nearly 500 hours on the JetStar and never completed a 3 or 4 day mission without breaking down. I remember once on a 5 day trip we were gone for 8 days because the airplane broke down every time we flew it. It would break, we'd get it fixed after a couple of days, takeoff and it would break, went on like that for 8 days. It wasn't just me, every crew that flew it had the same problem.

I had two rapid decompressions in it in 48 hours. The second one was with the US Attorney General and his staff on board. He was not impressed.

Now with all said, it was one of the nicest flying airplanes I have ever flown. Tons of room in the cockpit. It did have tendency to love runways however.

That's a great story. The airplane at Paine Field up in Seattle is still in the 2 engine configuration and is touted as Serial No. 1, so go figure. With only two of these things having built you would think someone could get this right. I wonder if the airplane you flew was the one that Kelly Johnson once used as I had seen it parked in a hangar at Burbank back in the seventies with only two engines. I didn't think you could convert a -6 JetStar to a 731 and that only the -8's were candidates for that mod?

Thanks for the info.

 

[con-pilot]

We were told that it was serial number 1 buy the FAA when we got the airplane from them, but it was the FAA that told us, so who really knows.

As for the -6 to a -8 to a 731 I'm not really sure, however, it was Lockheed that changed this airplane from the original twin engine version into a -6. The airplane was converted from the -8 to the 731 when the FAA had the airplane.

Now remember one very important fact, back until a few years ago the FAA did not have comply with FARs. So this JetStar may been the only -6 that ever did make to a 731. As I said earlier, the fuel panel was inverted from all other JetStars, this was/can be confirmed by Flight Safety. There were other minor differences on that airplane compared to the rest of the JetStar fleet, but I cannot remember them now, it has been around 10 years since I flew the airplane.

As I said, I did love flying the JetStar, you had to try really hard to look bad in that airplane, especially on landing.

(It would be nice to know the real truth about that airplane, as I stated I was repeating what the FAA told us.)

I just had a thought, could the one in Seattle be the first non-civilan JetStar and the one the FAA and we operated the first civilan JetStar? Just an idea.

 

[Spooky 2]

We were told that it was serial number 1 buy the FAA when we got the airplane from them, but it was the FAA that told us, so who really knows.

As for the -6 to a -8 to a 731 I'm not really sure, however, it was Lockheed that changed this airplane from the original twin engine version into a -6. The airplane was converted from the -8 to the 731 when the FAA had the airplane.

Now remember one very important fact, back until a few years ago the FAA did not have comply with FARs. So this JetStar may been the only -6 that ever did make to a 731. As I said earlier, the fuel panel was inverted from all other JetStars, this was/can be confirmed by Flight Safety. There were other minor differences on that airplane compared to the rest of the JetStar fleet, but I cannot remember them now, it has been around 10 years since I flew the airplane.

As I said, I did love flying the JetStar, you had to try really hard to look bad in that airplane, especially on landing.

(It would be nice to know the real truth about that airplane, as I stated I was repeating what the FAA told us.)

I just had a thought, could the one in Seattle be the first non-civilan JetStar and the one the FAA and we operated the first civilan JetStar? Just an idea.

Okay I did a Google search and here is what I came up with. The JetStar you flew was actually #2. The original prototype remained in the 2 engine configuration and was in fact the airplane that Kelly Johnson rode around in. Serial #1 is at the Boeing Museam of Flight Restoration Center at Paine Field. WA. Don't know what happened to the one you flew but I'll bet someone at the museam knows it's whereabouts today, assuming it was not cut up. The one uo there has a single wheel landing gear as opposed to a dual set up. How was yours configured? The -6 to 731 conversion is questionable as the AF, who had all -6 airplanes was never able to upgrade to the 731, which they wanted very badly at one point in time. I suppose your aircraft was a true hybrid. Was it on a normal Airworthiness certificate?

Enjoyed this post, as it always interesting to learn something from the guys who were there and actually had some first hand knowledge. Take a look at rbogash.com/jetstar.html for more info.

 

[con-pilot]

First off thank you very much for the research on this Spooky 2 .

I do believe you are correct. It would be nice to know what happened to that airplane, for all I know it is still sitting at a College/Mechanic School in Kansas.

As for your question on the main gear it had dual wheels and I really can't remember if we had a Standard Airworthiness Certificate or not. We flew under 'Public Use' regulations which basically meant is was to the Government Agency in regards in how to operate the aircraft. However, I'm pretty sure we did have a Standard Airworthy Certificate, because the FAA issues them and we got the airplane from the FAA.

Now, whether this particluar JetStar was actually considered legally airworth is another question.

Anyway, thanks again.

 

[Gatorman]

yea, but.......

Guys, don't get me wrong, I enjoy the stories. I think it is great to hear them, but......this is not what I am asking about.

I am asking if anyone knows where I can find a picture (on the internet) of the JetStar that was modified to remove the four TFE731 engines and install two General Electric CF34 engines.

Here is the FAA STC on the mod:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgSC.nsf/9f3a6784c2775ea485256a46004fefbd/e0ff3a50469f0e3186256ee00040e283!OpenDocument

 

[slickmagneto]

Guys, don't get me wrong, I enjoy the stories. I think it is great to hear them, but......this is not what I am asking about.

I am asking if anyone knows where I can find a picture (on the internet) of the JetStar that was modified to remove the four TFE731 engines and install two General Electric CF34 engines.

Here is the FAA STC on the mod:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgSC.nsf/9f3a6784c2775ea485256a46004fefbd/e0ff3a50469f0e3186256ee00040e283!OpenDocument

Try contacting the maintenance school located in Vancover. If they have the airplane they may have a lot of photos also.

 

[Spooky 2]

Try contacting the maintenance school located in Vancover. If they have the airplane they may have a lot of photos also.

I think you missed the point Slick. The airplane that WAS up in CYVR is the same airplane that is now at the Boeing Museam facility. I'm clueless about where one would locate those photo's.

Google has 10+ pages of JetStar stuff so if one wanted they could sift through it and maybe find some info or pictures of the airplane in question.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Google has 10+ pages of JetStar stuff so if one wanted they could sift through it and maybe find some info or pictures of the airplane in question.

More importantly here is the best quote ever said on a Jetstar.

I can't link it cause FI thinks pus$y is a bad word. Scroll down....

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/sound-clips/goldfinger-sounds.php