AGD Systems takes six TriStars from RAF

Defense Contractor AGD Systems announced recently that it will operate six ex-Royal Air Force TriStars which will return to civilian operation (these aircraft once belonged to British Airways and Pan Am) and will be available for military contracts.

The six aircraft have already the following N-numbers assigned:

• msn 193V-1157 | N304CS
• msn 193V-1164 | N405CS
• msn 193V-1165 | N309CS
• msn 193V-1174 | N705CS
• msn 193Y-1186 | N507CS
• msn 193Y-1188 | N703CS

Ex-British Airways examples (193V) are air-to-air refueling capable while the two ex-Pan Am (193Y) are in ordinary passenger configuration. These aircraft are intended to be deployed on the very same missions they performed for RAF such as "refueling, cargo, personnel and medivac missions globally".

• PR.com: AGD SYSTEMS Corp Announces Capabilities with Addition of Six (6) Tristar Tankers

Stargazer turns blue

Following the recent merger of Orbital Sciences Coporation with Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Stargazer - the only active L-1011 left in the world - got a revised paint job that reflects the new corporate identity.

N140SC © Orbital ATK

At least two more launches of the Pegasus rocket are scheduled until 2017.

N91011 is ready to fly

N91011 © TriStar History and Preservation, Inc

According to TriStar History and Preservation, Inc, N91011 (ex-CS-TMR) is now ready for its ferry flight to Kansas City where it will be preserved in TWA colors.

The L1011 (N91011) now effectively ready to fly resides at its restoration site Pacific Aerospace in Victorville, California.  We’ll ferry it to Kansas City as the next steps for painting and parking are finalized.

It has been a long marathon to bring the aircraft back to an airworthy status so let's hope everything goes fine for the flight to its final resting place.

TriStar Inc's related newsletter can be read here.

TWA's TriStars and Court Line footage

We would also like to suggest a very interesting video on Youtube about Court Line's L-1011 and some of its special features:

Also, Jon Proctor's full article about TWA's TriStars is now available for reading on its own website.

TWA L-1011 © Jon Proctor

• Jon Proctor: TWA's TriStars

Airways Magazine - TWA's TriStars

Airways' issue nº 225 (November 2014) has an interesting article about TWA's L-1011 written by Jon Proctor.

Jon Proctor was a TWA's DCS (Director of Customer Services) and had a long experience with the L-1011.

Some nice details like the record transatlantic cargo load carried by a L-1011-50 on a flight between Lisbon and New York and the fact that a TWA's RB211 engine completed 20,000 hours from service entry until it was removed from its wing are well explained in this article.

Airways Magazine - November 2014

TWA was one of the main and most enthusiastic operators of the L-1011.

Just Flight L-1011 - new update coming soon

Just Flight announced an extensive upgrade to its L-1011 product called "L-1011 TriStar Professional" which will be available for FSX and Prepar3d platforms.

Royal Air Force © Just Flight

This new product should be released soon and the detailed list of its features can be checked down below:

• Just Flight: L-1011 TriStar Professional

L-1011 - Luxury Among the Clouds

L-1011 © Lockheed Martin

Following its Centennial commemoration, Lockheed Martin published a brief article telling the story of the L-1011:

• Lockheed Martin: Luxury Among the Clouds

euroAtlantic - 20 years flying around the world!

euroAtlantic airways magazine

The latest issue of euroAtlantic airways' inflight magazine is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the airline and it has a special article about its operation and mission since the beginning. euroAtlantic was founded in 1993 as Air Zarco/Air Madeira and started flying with one L-1011 in 1997. The article shows several interesting photos including one with the crew of its first flight and with the L-1011 (still with Air Portugal's stripes) in the background.

L-1011 maintenance & handling mishaps

This one ocurred in Amasterdam when CS-TMR (now N91011) was being readied for its ferry flight back to Lisbon after long term storage at Schiphol Airport.

CS-TMR@AMS - November 2006

Damaged elevator

Photos via Luzair

And another incident with CS-TMX at Havana .

CS-TMX@HAV - August 2005

Engine #3 nacelle

Photos via Linhadafrente.net

Portuguese TriStar fleet status 05/14

N91011 © TriStar History and Preservation, Inc

MSN 1206 euroAtlantic CS-TMX - scrapped at Lisbon (LIS)
MSN 1240 euroAtlantic CS-TEB - stored at Amman (ADJ)
MSN 1241 Luzair CS-TMR - under maintenance at Victorville (VCV); re-registered N91011
MSN 1248 Luzair CS-TMP - stored at Aqaba (AQJ)

The big news in this report is related to msn 1241 which was bought by TriStar History and Preservation, Inc from BES (a Portuguese bank that still owns CS-TMP). This change is already reflected on the FAA Registry website.
CS-TMR was re-registered N91011 in January of this year and maintenance works are under way for a ferry flight to Kansas City/MCI where the aircraft will be preserved and supposedly painted in TWA colors. Let us remember that this aircraft was one of the 5 original L-1011s delivered to TAP Air Portugal with customer code 293B and registration mark CS-TEC.
Progress of maintenance works can be witnessed at TriStar's Facebook page with videos of dry and wet engine runs.

On another note, also a few months ago, it seems that HR-AVN owners (an ex-Portuguese L-1011 / msn 1242) were seeking crew members for a ferry flight back to the Middle East - the aircraft is stored at Honduras/La Ceiba for several years now.