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Post by Piston Paul on Oct 30, 2009 7:48:56 GMT -5
During New England-holiday earlier this month, I visited Auburn, Maine, where Lufthansa is currently restoring a Starliner to flying condition. You guys probably know this. Below some pics to show progress. Obviously still some work to do, but Lufthansa expects +/- 2 years to go. Pretty impressive what these guys are doing overthere! enjoy. Paul "spare" aircraft parked outside. 3rd 'spare' at Polk City, Fla.       |
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Post by ejoiner on Oct 30, 2009 8:58:33 GMT -5
These are great! Thats a ton of money for an airline to be investing in the old girl,considering how bad the airlines are doing nowadays.
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Post by jesse on Oct 30, 2009 10:09:50 GMT -5
I can imagine the Chief Finance Officer has plans to use the restored Connie as an operational advertising mode and as such can probably write off the restoration expense for Lufthansa.
Jesse
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Post by dc6tryer on Oct 30, 2009 10:55:49 GMT -5
Hi, great shots Paul. I would imagine it's a great training and teaching tool as well for Lufthansa staff and engineers of all ages and skill levels. It's like a kind of living history lesson in all 3 dimensions to bring one of these magnificent aircraft back to fly again, from the past and into the future  Andy. |
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Post by sunny9850 on Oct 30, 2009 14:17:41 GMT -5
Great Pics Paul,
I'd love to see more if you have them.
And yes the plan is indeed to fly the Starliner in the same fashion as the Ju-52 D-AQUI is being flown. The whole thing is actually processed by Lufthansa's Historic Association.
The work is being done as far as I was told by an all volunteer army made up of Captains, FEs, retired Lufthansa Technik A&Ps and A&P trainees currently in LHs 3 1/2 year training program.
The signup sheet is as long as the list of things to do since there are apparently a lot of people in love with the Connie.
A friend of mine who is a very senior captain for LH in his day job said as soon as he heard about the SuperStar coming back to life he put his name on the list of volunteer pilots.
Stefan
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Post by thomas on Dec 4, 2009 17:14:34 GMT -5
Nice photos, Paul!
When I viewed the SAA Museum Society's Starliner ZS-DVJ standing at Johannesburg (FAJS) a few weeks ago I was told the LH chaps have been there to borrow her doors to use as templates. Apparently, in order to be airworthy the LH Starliner will keep DVJ's doors and will give the replicated doors to the SAA Museum to be refitted.
cheers
Thomas
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Post by capflyer on Dec 5, 2009 0:41:10 GMT -5
Thomas,
This is indeed correct. Unfortunately the Europeans would not allow LH Technik to fabricate new doors. They looked high and low for the correct ones and the SAA aircraft is the only one to have them. They worked out a deal whereby the SAA aircraft gets replica doors and a few other things while the LH Starliner will get airworthy doors.
I do want to see pictures of the complete cockpit (or at least an artists rendering of it) because it will be interesting to see a propliner with a true glass cockpit (again, required equipment by regulation to fly it in the modern European Air System).
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