Всё
← Back to Squawk list
Lockheed L-188A Electra First Flight Was 63 Years Ago Today
At 10:28 a.m., Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s Chief Engineering Test Pilot Herman Richard (“Fish”) Salmon, and co-pilot Roy Edwin Wimmer started the Number 4 engine (outboard, right wing, of the new prototype Model L-188A Electra, c/n 1001, registered N1881. Also on board were flight engineers Louis Holland and William Spreuer. In rapid succession, the flight crew started engines 1, 2, on the left wing, and 3, inboard on the right. The prototype then taxied to the eastern end of Lockheed Air… (www.thisdayinaviation.com) Ещё...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I jumped on an Eastern L-188 out of Newark. I got to sit mid cabin in the aft facing seat.
I remember during my days at Western Airlines, an old story going around about an Electra that powered itself out of the deep mud when it went off the runway. Does anyone know if that's a true story? I think it was in SAN.
My dear father was a test engineer on these engines at GM Allison Gas Turbine in Indpls. He was very upset of the Tell City crash,, worried that the engines failed but they didn't. I also built the 501 at the plant and also some of the smaller gas turbines, 250, C20, C30s. Plus we re-fabbed the props. I loved going into the test cell when he was setting up a 501, took almost a day, the he would run it 24 hrs at different speeds and power settings. CAVU here in DFW but in 30s.
I always loved watching the P-3s fly the pattern at Futenma while I was there. It was so graceful.
Good morning. I posted this story at the end of the main article. Not sure it shows up anywhere. It's about a Reeve Aleutian Electra that landed at one of the remote Alaska airports. The crew was never alerted that the runway was all ice. Strong crosswind so when they touched down the plane started to weathervane into the wind. With no braking the captain used the power on the upwind side and the rudder to keep it under some sort of control as he accelerated to go around/ no leave !. A passenger noted the foam from the thrust on the ocean as they lifted off at the runway's end. One of those days where they earned their pay ! It was in either Airways Magazine or Airliners quite a few years ago. Certainly a day where the Electra's great power came in handy.
The Electra does bring back some memories.
I was aircrew on the a/c in 1966 with American Airlines based at Boston.
Airlines were expanding quickly and AAL was no different. As a side note during the year 1966 I was trained and flew as flight engineer and co-pilot on DC-6, DC-7, Electra and 707.
At 25 years old I was sent to training both as a Flight Engineer and Co-Pilot.
It is correct that the Electra was caught between the movement from piston props to pure jet aircraft.
Engine power was impressive. During flight training both piston prop and jet stall training was to the approach to stall. My training on the Electra was power off, level flight and enter a full stall. The recovery was started when the aircraft was shaking so much you could not read the instruments. Application of full power blew the stall right off the wing.
Engine out landing for AAL piston and jet aircraft was with one engine at idle simulating a 3 engine landing. For the Electra one outboard engine was shut down and a second on the same side was at idle basically simulating a TWO engine landing.
Generator power was such you could operate the aircraft on ONE generator.
Flying was my life. Reading aircraft history brings many memories covering 40 years from U.S. Navy to American Airlines. Skyraider pilot to Boeing 777 covering 22,843 hours in low orbit.
I was aircrew on the a/c in 1966 with American Airlines based at Boston.
Airlines were expanding quickly and AAL was no different. As a side note during the year 1966 I was trained and flew as flight engineer and co-pilot on DC-6, DC-7, Electra and 707.
At 25 years old I was sent to training both as a Flight Engineer and Co-Pilot.
It is correct that the Electra was caught between the movement from piston props to pure jet aircraft.
Engine power was impressive. During flight training both piston prop and jet stall training was to the approach to stall. My training on the Electra was power off, level flight and enter a full stall. The recovery was started when the aircraft was shaking so much you could not read the instruments. Application of full power blew the stall right off the wing.
Engine out landing for AAL piston and jet aircraft was with one engine at idle simulating a 3 engine landing. For the Electra one outboard engine was shut down and a second on the same side was at idle basically simulating a TWO engine landing.
Generator power was such you could operate the aircraft on ONE generator.
Flying was my life. Reading aircraft history brings many memories covering 40 years from U.S. Navy to American Airlines. Skyraider pilot to Boeing 777 covering 22,843 hours in low orbit.