L1011 still flying
 

Didn't know that NASA had operational 1011 ? :cool:
Does NASA own it or is it leased ? Must be dificult to maintain and obtain spares...

NASA launches tiny satellites to measure hurricane winds - CNN.com

It's the one and only operational TriStar. It's originally an Air Canada aircraft, subsequently converted from -22Bs to 524s.

It looks in pretty good nick, too:

http://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/...61aee54-15.jpg

I'll admit to having a soft spot for the aeroplane, having worked on them for many years.

Here is this morning's flight, looks like they launched the Pegasus rocket while at FL390 going eastbound.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/a...140sc/#be5deb5

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...225Z/KXMR/KXMR

The L1011 is owned and operated by Orbital ATK under NASA contracts:

https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/1...s-carrier-jet/

I always thought Lockheed got that one right. And such a smooth ride.

Always wanted to fly the Tristar. Or the DC-10. Or the Falcon 7X. But mainly the Tristar. I have a thing for trijets!

But not the trijet of which more were built than any other ?

Quality over quantity?

I understand from reading postings from people with first hand experience of maintaining the L1011 many would disagree with that thought!

Love of my life !! Got Command on it at the tender age of 34 (a long time ago) - learned to love Flight Engineers ... mind you, couldn't eat a whole one !

They used be a common sight at Heathrow - BA, Air Canada, Gulf Air. A fine looking aircraft and years ahead of its time by all accounts. Long may this example stay in the air.

Spent many a happy hour in LTU Tristars, both in the cabin and on the FD (pre 911).

The 'Stargazer' N140SC is flying back to Vandenburg AFB, looks like the aircraft type is mistyped by a few decades ;):

N140SC 16-Dec-2016 KXMR - KVBG FlightAware

After the VBG stop a short hop over to Mojave is scheduled.

N910TE is airworthy and will hopefully be shuttled to it's new home soon.

Recent photos certainly appear to show it in reasonably good nick, though they have already missed a couple of scheduled dates for its ferry to Kansas City, so I suspect it isn't quite ready to fly yet.