Lufthansa pulls the plug on their Super Star

[NutLoose]

See

Constellation News (http://www.conniesurvivors.com/1-connie_news.htm#MAR15)

https://www.flugrevue.de/zivilluftfahrt/flugzeuge/lufthansa-verlegt-super-star-nach-deutschland/750350

[andrasz]

The German artice says something completely different. It appears that after $200M spent the restoration team is still not certain whether the aircraft may be fully restored to flying condition. Lufthansa decided to move the aircraft to Germany (as originally intended) and assess how/if the work may be completed by Lufthansa Technik.

Lufthansa spokesman Wolfgang Weber takled on Friday to FLUG REVUE, so far only the decision was made to move Super Star to Germany. When and how this happens, is still open. It was also unclear whether an airworthy restoration of the classic airframe was possible.

[gearlever]

Maybe a tad too foamy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o31HaUpyRJA

[2csonTriple7]

Lufthansa to move ‘Super Star’ from Auburn to Germany - Lewiston Sun Journal (http://www.sunjournal.com/lufthansa-to-move-super-star-from-auburn-to-germany/)

[vapilot2004]

That would be too bad if true. Hopefully, the linked article was premature in its assumption that the aircraft will not fly. It does seem a bit hard to believe after all the effort and money, Lufthansa would stop now.

[tonytales]

The work completed so far was amazing considering the location. One can only hope that it will be possible to resume the restoration at Lufthansa Technik where full technical resources are available.
I was fortunate enough to have worked on the Lufthansa L-1649A in New York when they were new and also on Trans Atlantica Argentina's ex-TWA aircraft. They were superb machines and the most beautiful piston airliners in flight with their long wing. The revised higher-pressure hydraulic systems were quite unique in their dual configuration. The new type of fittings that replaced the AC and AN types on previous models on the lines proved not to be leak-proof as was promised in our training school.
I mentioned in another thread the original hollow aluminum prop blades that were quickly replaced by solid aluminum ones after some splitting at the leading edge.
Moving them about by towing and by taxiing was a bit interesting as that wing really stuck out there. Unfortunately they were far too late and the DC-7C had taken the market.

[El Bunto]

Unfortunately they were far too late and the DC-7C had taken the market. The Starliner would have been much earlier and faster had it not been for bickering between Lockheed and P&W about the T34 turboprop on the 1449 and 1549 variants. Even with extra tanks their range fell short of the 1249 and P&W wasn't very helpful, insisting that it wasn't an ideal usage for the engine. I don't think P&W saw much of a development future for the T34 and didn't want to be burdened with them in civilian service.

Eventually Lockheed took the 1449 paper design and put the Wright turbocompounds on the new wing, but as you say by then it was too late

[Airbubba]

The German artice says something completely different. It appears that after $200M spent the restoration team is still not certain whether the aircraft may be fully restored to flying condition.

$200 million for a restoration? Really? :eek:

Here is the newspaper article linked above:

Lufthansa to move ‘Super Star’ from Auburn to Germany

By Kathryn Skelton, Staff Writer - March 15, 20180

AUBURN — After 10 years, the “Super Star” Constellation is taking off — or at least moving on.

Lufthansa Technik announced Thursday that it will be removing the wings from the historic aircraft, packing it up and taking it to Germany later this year to finish the decade-long restoration.

At different phases, the project to restore the Lockheed L-1649A “Super Star” Constellation employed hundreds of people in a leased hangar at the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport.

Project Manager Oliver Sturm said 70 people work there now.

“The airplane is too complex to finish here because it’s a very old aircraft, coming from the ’50s,” Sturm said.

He didn’t yet have a firm date for its departure nor did he know whether any final public tours were planned.

“(The decision) is so brand new, we have to figure out what does it mean for the people, for the crew, for the aircraft,” he said.

In a statement released from Lufthansa Technik’s corporate parent, the company thanked local workers, business partners and both communities for its “steadfast support.”

“The project concludes an important phase since its inception and is soon to commence the next phase of its journey and will be welcomed in Germany where it will continue to be a shining example of German-U.S. aviation heritage and honoring the long-standing ties between both countries,” according to the statement.

“The L-1649A, known as the ‘Super Star,’ was the aircraft which served the United States on nonstop flights from Germany, three years after the re-establishment of Deutsche Lufthansa in 1955. The restoration of this magnificent aircraft continues to be a journey of precision work and collaboration with a very talented and dedicated team of experts, engineers, and skilled workforce on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque said it had been an honor to host the crew and have the project here.

“While we are sad to see the project shift to Germany ahead of their initial schedule, we are pleased to know that Auburn played such an important role in bringing back a true aviation icon,” he said. “It’s time for the airport and both Lewiston and Auburn to look boldly forward to the future economic impact the infrastructure that they leave behind will bring to our community.”

[2csonTriple7]

Here's a link to a petition directed at Lufthansa CEO, Carsten Spohr asking him to reconsider and not kill the project.


Fly Connie Fly (https://www.change.org/p/lufthansa-ceo-carsten-spohr-fly-connie-fly-lufthansa-ceo-spohr-complete-the-1957-lockheed-super-constellation?recruiter=864014018&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition)

[2csonTriple7]

$200 million for a restoration? Really?



Sure. How about some math just on the labor.

A & P Mechanic $25 / hr
40 hr / wk = $4000 / mo x 11.5 mo = $46,000 / yr x 70 mechanics = $3.2M
$3.2M x 10 years = $32M just in labor alone..... plus parts and engineers!

Sounds believable to me.