RB211 - Main Engine Components

The RB211 was a revolutionary turbofan engine featuring a triple-spool architecture. It was initially designed for the L-1011 but it also powered other aircraft such as the 747, 757 and 767. It also gave birth to the sucessful and technologically advanced Trent family.

The dash -22B was available for every standard length model while the -524B equipped the L-1011-385-3 (TriStar 500) and was an option for the following standard length models: L-1011-1-14 and L-1011-1-15.

Main Engine Components (click to enlarge)

Number Two engine and 'S' duct explained by Lockheed

Number Two engine and 'S' duct

The Number Two engine is installed in the aft fuselage. Like the wing engines it is a 50,000 pound thrust Rolls Royce Engine. Its inlet is a curved "S" duct which provides performance equivalent to that of a straight through duct,

(There is no performance penalty)

Aside from improved looks, there are several advantages to using an "S" duct. First, this lowers the #2 engine, which gives a low center engine thrust line. This reduces pitch up tendencies, and permits both wider lateral spacing of the wing engines, and a wider flap span.

The aft fuselage does not taper as much as other wide body aircraft because of #2 engine. This allows a longer fuselage constant section and more passenger room.

The lower engine allows for a one piece rudder which gives improved handling by increasing rudder effectivity.

Surprisingly, the "S" duct design also reduces aircraft weight. The engine is mounted in the aft fuselage. This eliminates the need for heavy structural supports (800 lbs.) which would otherwise be required, Those supports, if used, would reduce the passenger cabin by 65 square feet, or 11 seats.

L-1011 lower deck galley

Two very nice videos covering the features of the L-1011's lower deck galley can be seen on YouTube:

Author of the videos: Carla Kittler

These videos were filmed inside an ATA Airlines' L-1011-100 series, probably N194AT. Only standard length TriStars were equipped with a lower deck galley.

L-1011 design features

Early RB211-22B engines that powered standard lenght TriStars were equipped simultaneously with both cascade vanes and clamshells reversers. The clamshells when deployed deflected the hot stream from the engine core. But they were very unreliable and troublesome and were definitely removed. As a result, a new and shorter afterbody design led to less engine drag.

Reverser system © Lockheed

As an option, Lockheed offered built-in airstairs that serviced door R3 on standard lenght TriStars. Very few airlines took this option, LTU being one of them.

Built-in airstairs © Lockheed

Our website's Specialties page was updated with this information and pictures.

An article from AirlineReporter

It was published by AirlineReporter a comprehensive article about the L-1011 and what made this aircraft so unique.

This article starts with a brief description of the historical context of the time where the L-1011 developed and the goal of Lockheed of designing a product that made the difference by employing advanced technology and unique features.

Then it proceeds with the inputs of the airlines on the L-1011 and with special cabin details that made the TriStar a pleasurable aircraft for the passengers.

It even includes the proposed self-dimming windows (a concept very similar to what we find today on the Boeing 787) that unfortunately did not make it into production aircraft:

Self-dimming windows © AirlineReporter/Lockheed

Another interesting curiosity revealed was that the L-1011 flight deck was proposed in three different colours to the operators: grey, blue and olive. TAP's original L-1011s were delivered with their flight decks in tones of blue.

Finally, the article tells about the remarkable TriStar's AFCS, whose systems are also described in this website's Specialties page.

• AirlineReporter: Requiem For a Trijet Masterpiece - The Lockheed L-1011

Did you know that...

1. Pan Am was the first airline to operate the TriStar 500 with extended wingtips/active ailerons, in 1980?
2. The first TriStar 500 models delivered to British Airways in 1979 did not originally have the wingtip extensions? They were retrofitted later.

3. The extended wingtips/ active ailerons were first installed and tested in the L-1011 prototype (N1011)?

N1011 - standard lenght TriStar - with active ailerons 

You can read more about active ailerons/active control system here.

Lockheed 2000 Freighter

This was an old idea from Lockheed to convert some L-1011s to freighter aircraft. However, Lockheed never sold this mod program.