An L-1011 TriStar flies again...after 15 years of storage

Following the last post on a classic airliner (the MD-11), and on a slow news day, here's an interesting report on another classic widebody tri-jet - the L-1011 TriStar - a direct rival to the MD-11's predecessor, the DC-10. 

Lockheed L-1011 TriStar-1(50) MSN 1064 N910TE flew for the first time in 15 years on July 14th, following storage at Tucson, AZ (TUS). The following day, the aircraft was ferried to Kansas City, MO (MCI) where it will be maintained in airworthy condition, in use as a ground trainer.

The aircraft was delivered new to Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) as N10112 on July 2nd 1974 (seen above at Los Angeles, CA (LAX) on July 31st 1974, still in it's first month of service), one of only two to be delivered to the airline.

The type proved to be too big for the airline, whose operation at the time (pre-1978 US deregulation) was focused on high frequency interstate service within California, primarily utilizing 727s and 737s. After just two years of service, typically on the heavily traveled Los Angeles to San Francisco route, both PSA L-1011s were stored at Marana, AZ. N10112 is seen below, taped up and basking in the Arizona sunshine in 1976.

PSA continued to have to maintain lease payments on these unused, nearly new aircraft, a significant drain on the company's finances. Other shocks and trials would face this once highly successful company in the years to come (but that's a separate story). Ultimately, PSA was acquired and merged into USAir in 1988, who fairly promptly dismantled the company's west coast operation, which it had cherished, and retreated to it's traditional bases on the east coast. (American's acquisition of Air Cal in 1987 went essentially the same way, as well as it's purchase of Reno Air in 1999).

The PSA name lives on though, as US Airways (by then re-named from USAir in February 1997), re-named it's subsidiary Jetstream International Airlines (a turboprop commuter affiliate) to PSA Airlines, essentially a bid to protect the PSA name and trademarks (for reasons not readily apparent, then or now).

As it is, American Airlines, which merged with US Airways in April 2015, retains a 'retro liveried' A319, as part of it's current "heritage themed" aircraft featuring the liveries of the some of the key airlines that historically make up US Airways and American Airlines through years of mergers and take overs by both. 

Lockheed leased the aircraft to Aero Peru (see below) between December 14th 1978 and June 8th 1982. It retained it's US registration, and was named "Ciudad de Lima". Aero Peru went through a lengthy selection process to choose between The L-1011 and DC-10, with considerable speculation at the time of illegal business practices (bribes) in "assisting" Latin American carriers in making their widebody selections, which they didn't really need. Competing US carriers were mostly still operating 707s and DC-8s on services to the region. A degree of patriotism and pride appeared to elevate the perceived need for these aircraft, rather than traffic and economics.  

The aircraft is seen below at New York JFK, between flights. Aero Peru ceased operations in March 1999

After 3 years of storage, the aircraft was leased by Worldways Canada as C-GIES, and operated charter flights until the airline's collapse on October 11th 1990. The aircraft was subsequently repossessed by the Royal Bank of Canada in 1991, and stored for three years at Kingman, AZ (IGM). This was the end of the aircraft's airline operations (none of whom exist today). But the aircraft had a new and unusual career still to come.

C-GIES seen landing (below) at Leeds-Bradford...not a typical destination for a widebody aircraft, with it's limited runway length.

After further storage, the aircraft was acquired by Operation Blessing International in October 1994 for use as a specialist flying hospital. Initially registered N787M, the aircraft later adopted an Aruban registration P4-MED in November 2000, before being finally withdrawn from use at Tuscon, AZ in September 2001.

Now a new and final chapter starts for the aircraft, at it's new Kansas City home. As the aircraft is to be maintained in airworthy condition, it's conceivable N910TE may grace the skies again in the future, although that is not believed to be planned at this time.

The rivalry between the L-1011 and DC-10 is well documented. Essentially the competing programs killed each other, as the market did not need two widebody Tri-Jets at the time. It didn't really need the 747 either in the mid-70s, with various geopolitical crises in play. All widebodied aircraft sales suffered. Lockheed delivered 250 TriStars, while McDonnell Douglas delivered 446 DC-10s (although 60 of these were for KC-10 refueling tankers aircraft for the US Air Force). Sales for both types were disappointing, and in Lockheed's case, they exited the commercial aircraft market entirely after the TriStar. McDonnell Douglas would later follow, when acquired by Boeing in 1998.

MDC did produce the updated and modernized MD-11 as a follow up to the DC-10, however the program was plagued by delays, under performance and the company's dwindling cash flow - selling just 200 examples. A classic case of the wrong aircraft at the wrong time, when ETOPs capable twin jets (767, 777, A330) took over the market.

By the early 1990s, there were only two large commercial aircraft players that really mattered: Airbus & Boeing...and that remains the status quo today, with the long range twin jets having now long replaced the L1011 & DC-10s (and increasingly most remaining quad-jet types too...A340s / 747s). With just one passenger 747 remaining on order (for Korean Air), this will leave the A380 as the only passenger quad-jet in production...and possibly not for too long. (But that is also another story).

The L-1011 was generally considered technically superior to the DC-10 in a variety of ways, and certainly the more elegant looking of the two types. The DC-10 suffered a poor safety record by comparison (even being grounded for a while after an American Airlines fatal accident at Chicago in May 1979), while the L-1011 enjoyed a remarkably good safety record. Dubbed the 'whisperliner' by Eastern Air Lines, it was a very well liked aircraft by airlines and passengers.

However, the DC-10 has enjoyed a longevity far beyond the L-1011, finding favor with freight carriers, and still in extensive service as such, with many passenger aircraft having been freight converted. It's safety record has improved too, with a variety of modifications, rectifications and various fixes for issues that plagued the type in it's early years. The USAF is also expected to fly it's remaining 59 KC-10s for some years to come.