Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
Thanks for the detailed exposition on the doors.
It's a long time ago now, but the TriStar was one of my favourite airliners. both to fly on and to work on.
Thanks -
BA leased in an Eastern Airlines Tristar for 2 years in 1978 - This one obviously only had the small doors at Posn 4.
BA got it to supplement their fleet until the L-1011-500s entered service, commencing in May 1979. The aircraft retained the Eastern Airlines registration N323EA.
Not sure if BA flight deck crews flew it, or the Americans did>?
This was one of the Tristars I gather, that visited Jersey to repatriate the large numbers of fogbound JER delayed pax.
British Airways placed the launch order for six of the shorter, extended-range L1011-500s in August 1976, converting earlier options, with deliveries in 1979.
This new version with upgraded RR engines could fly 6,030 miles, compared with the -1’s 2,739 miles.
In January 1979 the airline ordered two L1011-200s, followed by another six in September, taking the original BEA/BA L-1011 order up to 23.
The -200 combined the basic -1 airframe with the higher-powered RB.211-524B engines used on the -500, producing an airliner capable of economically serving both the US eastern seaboard and Gulf routes as well as high-density European destinations. It had a range of 4,362 miles
As with the -500s, BA was the first European carrier to take delivery of the -200 series – flight crews were rated for all three variants.
Initially serving mainly Middle East routes, the -200s released the -500s for much longer sectors.
But at
the end of 1982 BA was in serious financial trouble, and as a matter of urgency a number of newer aircraft were sold to raise cash.
The sales included all six TriStar 500s to the RAF. However, three were leased back to BA at different times, 2 for British Airtours and one of which operated MAN-JFK in summer '85.
Three of the -1s were converted in 1985 to -50s ~ G-BEAL/AK/AM – among the changes, the undercarriage was strengthened, increasing their maximum take-off weight and range, so the -50 could reach 4,178 miles; BA wanted to operate the Tristars to the USA and it was discovered that these last three Tristar 1s already included extra structural strengthening built into the production line. All BA needed to do to enable transatlantic operations was switch the wheels and axles and the aircraft, designated as Tristar -50s, could carry nine extra tons of payload allowing them the ability to reach the East Coast of the USA.
In 1988 British Airtours became Caledonian Airways and gradually most of the Tristar -1s and -50s moved over to the charter airlines fleet permanently.
Of the original 9 BA Tristars only G-BBAG, G-BEAK and G-BEAM did not serve with Caledonian, but AK and AM had previously served with British Airtours.
In 1989 two -1's G-BBAE/AF, after joining Caledonian Airways were both converted to -100 series and featured a new center fuel tank and higher gross weights that increased the aircraft's range by nearly 930 miles.
As well as the TriStar 500s being sold to the RAF, two 747-136s were sold to TWA, two new undelivered RR 747-236s were sold to MAS Malaysian,
and several new and undelivered 757-236s (plus many future delivery slots) were sold to Air Europe, Air Europa and Air Europe Italy.
Another brand new BA 757 G-BIKF was leased out and went immediately to Air Europe for summer 1983.
Other 757-236's slots NTU by British Airways went later to Pembroke, GPA, Babcock and Brown, Bouillon and Boeing leasing ~ National Airlines 4, TAESA 1, LTE 1, China Southern 1, Caledonian 6 (including 2 intended for Ambassador), and 1 for IEA.
BA flew with -500 GRU-GIG-LHR in the 1980s, perhaps the longest Tristar route in the world>?
Those aircraft were 2 -500 (G-BLUS/UT) that BA had to lease from UL in 1985 (The old Air Ceylon beforehand) for the Brazil routes as BA had ditched its own -500s in 1983.
BA got the South Atlantic routes swapping the Saudi Arabia routes with BCAL's in 1985. I believe these 2 TriStar 500s were used to fly to CCS as well?
BA were shut out from operating at EZE as a consequence of the Falklands conflict, but by early 1990 BA got approval to resume operations to Argentina.
HRH Princess Margaret christened British Airways’ first TriStar 500 at Heathrow, G-BFCA, which became Princess Margaret Rose.
BEA had stopped naming aircraft after getting its first jets, the Comet 4Bs, but this tradition was revived when British Airways accepted its initial TriStars in the new BA Negus livery – the aircraft being named after varieties of Rose.
In 1984 when BA introduced the new Landor-designed scheme, the Tristars were renamed after Bays around the British Coastline.
Two -200s, which had originally been leased to charter subsidiary British Airtours, joined the BA fleet and retained their Airtours birdlife names, Osprey and Golden Eagle.
Cheesy 1979 BA Advert for the new -500's (but using stock images of a -1 !)