ZE706 retirement

Royal Air Force started the phase-out of its TriStar fleet with the first example being the one with ZE706 registration number. This aircraft was ferried today from Brize Norton to Cambridge airport.

ZE706 is an ex-Pan Am aircraft which was not converted into a three-point tanker and was used as a passenger transport aircraft, a version designated C2A.

RAF's fleet is now down to 7 aircraft - ZD949 was unexpectedly withdrawn from service earlier after being retrofitted with a glass cockpit which did not go ahead.

• RAF's page about the TriStar: Here

Latest Pegasus launch

Orbital's L-1011 "Stargazer" made another successful launch of its Pegasus Rocket, last 27/06.

The rocket carried NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellite.

Stargazer © Orbital Sciences Corporation

Pegasus © Orbital Sciences Corporation

You can read Orbital's press release about this launch here and see some mission photos here.

Royal Flypast

One of the RAF's TriStars was seen performing in the flypast during the celebrations of the Queen's official birthday.

TriStar and VC-10 © UK Crown

Thirty seconds later the RAF’s longest serving aircraft, 216 & 101 Squadrons’ Tristar & VC-10, passed over Buckingham palace. These venerable aircraft are another foundation on which the RAF’s Strategic Global Air Mobility capability depends. Both aircraft will though in due course be replaced by Voyager, which followed seconds behind the older aircraft.

• Read the complete article about the flypast: Here

L-1011 @ Sheremetyevo

This is a very rare photo of TAAG's L-1011 at Sheremtyevo Airport, in Moscow. This aircraft was leased from TAP in the early 90s and kept its original registration CS-TEC.

CS-TEC at SVO © Por Dentro

In those days, this was a very demanding operation in Russia and Flight Crews were composed by TAP pilots and flight engineers.

"Un hommage sous FS X"

The latest issue of french magazine Micro Simulateur brings us an overview of the new Just Flight's L-1011 TriStar 500 for Microsoft Flight Simulator FS X.

The article is written in french and it seems to be pretty interesting for those who enjoy flight simulation.

Las Vegas Sands' L-1011 to be repaired?

L-1011-500 N388LS is in AOG condition at Don Muang Airport since November of 2011, when severe flooding occurred in Bangkok.

According to the information posted in this Facebook Group "Lockheed L-1011 TriStar", repair works have now started to put this aircraft back in the air.

Las Vegas Sands - an american casino and resort operating company - tried to ferry N388LS out of Bangkok last year but the special flight permit was denied according to this document which also describes the tasks that have to be carried out before that flight permit can be issued.

It would be awesome to see this bird with such a stunning livery flying again.

RAF ends refuelling operations in the Middle East

End of RAF Refuelling Detachment

TriStar Tanker © RAF/MOD Crown

A Royal Air Force Tristar departs 902 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) and brings the curtain down on the RAFs Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) detachment in the Middle East.

There has been an almost continuous RAF refuelling presence in the region for 23 years, operated by 101 Squadron VC10s and 216 Squadron Tristars. The aircraft and crews from RAF Brize Norton have been providing AAR since Operation Granby commenced in August 1990 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

• Read the complete article: Here

Delta Digest - Special L-1011 Issue

From Airchive.com:

Delta Digest © Airchive

This is the employee magazine “Delta Digest” coverage of the entry of the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar’s entry into service with the airline. Delta, along with TWA, were the launch customers for the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. Delta went on to operate the world’s largest fleet of the Tri-Jet over the span of its operations from 1973 through 2001.

• Airchive.com: Delta Airlines Sales Brochures, History and Memorabilia

Flight Simulation news

Just Flight released today their L-1011 product for FSX which is available in Download or Boxed edition. The featured model is the long range TriStar 500.

You can see more information here and also this preview video:

The additional Livery Pack contains (among others) the liveries of Air Luxor, Luzair and Yes.

Luzair © Just Flight

Air Luxor © Just Flight

Yes © Just Flight

If you prefer the longer version of the TriStar, it seems that Captain Sim is developing the L-1011-1 also for FSX.

L-1011-1 © Captain Sim

L-1011-1 © Captain Sim

The L-1011 is finally becoming popular in flight simulation!

• Captain Sim: 1011 Captain

National Airline History Museum's new L-1011 simulator

The same guys that preserved an ex-TWA L-1011 (msn 193B-1066), recently took delivery of an old Delta L-1011 simulator.

L-1011 simulator © National Airline History Museum

This museum in Kansas City sure is the right place to visit for every L-1011 fan.

• Weblink: Airline History Museum

Cockpit videos

Two new cockpit videos were added to the website.

Take-off at Abuja airport...

... and landing at Kaduna.

Good old days...

• More L-1011 videos: Here