Don't forget that the L-1011 was conceived as a twin, but due the existing runways they've putted another engine.
Eliminating one engine, that of course would create different pitch moments and weights, which I think a design/engineering team would perfectly solve it. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is somehow feasible without a radical change.
Hey, they do have to do some kind of work
About the age of the airframe its not that different from the 737. B737 first flight was in 1967 and L-1011 was 1968.
About running costs, thanks for the table mogas-82, superb! we can compare the L-1011 with old engines with some actual frames:
Ok! I was trying to put here an excel table but I will try it some other way!
So taken from your report [mogas-82] the total operating costs are not that different when compared to (some) other long range frames!
I'm surprised as well, comparing with actual 340 and 777, even with the 330!
Now imagine we take one of the engines out and change the other two by a much more fuel efficient ones? I would think that this, as a saying in my country "has legs to walk"
(It just means that it could be a good and feasible idea).
Now about logistics!
That's were you caught me Wiz!
I imagine that they don't have the production line set-up right now.
But this is all a component of an investment plan. They don't have but they did and still have for the military ones.
If looking from an economical point of view, this project would have some degree of execution and the revenues could cover the investment.
One component of the investment would be the production line itself, which would be, among others, a major task to be carried on.
I'm not looking for an investment partner or something like that, I'm just a recent CPL holder who happens to be an Engineer as well and like to study air crafts. And I'm overwhelmed by this Lockheed wonder.
Feel free to point me out my spelling and grammar errors, I appreciate it.