Editing Lockheed L-1011 TriStar (section)

==Operational history==

===Commercial===
[[File:Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 1 Proctor-1.jpg|thumb|left|An [[Eastern Air Lines]] L-1011 TriStar in St. Louis in 1972. This aircraft would become the first L-1011 and first wide-body hull-loss as [[Eastern Air Lines Flight 401]].]]

TWA heralded the TriStar as one of the safest aircraft in the world in promotional literature in the 1980s when concern over the safety record of the [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]], flown by rival airlines, was at its peak.<ref name=David_Encyclo/> The L-1011 has been involved in five fatal accidents, only one of which was due to a problem with the aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.super70s.com/lockheed-l-1011/ |title= Lockheed L-1011 |work= Super70s.com |access-date= December 4, 2011}}</ref>

[[Delta Air Lines]] was the type's largest customer.<ref name="delmus">{{cite web |url= http://deltamuseum.org/M_Education_DeltaHistory_Aircraft_Lockheed_L-1011.htm |title= Delta History: Lockheed L-1011 |publisher= Delta Museum |access-date= July 16, 2011}}</ref> Delta retired its TriStars in 2001 to replace them with the [[Boeing 767-400ER]].  [[Cathay Pacific]] eventually became the largest non-U.S. operator of the type by acquiring many of the Eastern Air Lines examples when Eastern went bankrupt, operating as many as 21 aircraft.  Cathay Pacific retired its L-1011s in October 1996 and replaced the type with the [[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-300]]. TWA withdrew its last TriStar from service in 1997.

To secure the Japanese market, Lockheed secretly bribed several members of the Japanese government to subsidize [[All Nippon Airways]]' purchase of L-1011s; this caused a significant scandal when the bribes were uncovered.<ref>{{cite news |last= Nevin |first= Loouis |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pEMVAAAAIBAJ&pg=4356,2474197&dq=lockheed+japan&hl=en |title= Payoff scandal could prove costly to Lockheed; Japanese might halt orders |work= The Bulletin |date= February 27, 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/03/archives/lockheeds-japanese-data-asked-in-senate-subpoena.html |title= Lockheed's Japanese data asked in Senate subpoena |work= The New York Times |date= April 3, 1976 |access-date= July 16, 2011}}</ref> The discovered scale to what has become known as the [[Lockheed bribery scandals#Japan|Lockheed bribery scandal]] led to the arrest of Japanese Prime Minister [[Kakuei Tanaka]], as well as several other officials.<ref>{{cite news |last= Kamm |first= Henry |url= https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10A1EFC3E5D167493C6AB178AD85F438785F9 |title= Lockheed Scandal in Japan headed for its trial phase |work= The New York Times |date= January 24, 1977}}</ref> Within Lockheed, board chairman Daniel Haughton and vice chairman and president [[Carl Kotchian]] resigned their posts on February 13, 1976.<ref>{{cite news |last= Lindsey |first= Robert |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/03/archives/kotchian-calls-himself-the-scapegoat-kotchian-calls-himself-the.html |title= Kotchian calls himself the Scapegoat |work= The New York Times |date= July 3, 1977}}</ref> Tanaka was eventually tried and found guilty of violating foreign exchange control laws but was not charged with bribery, a more serious criminal offense.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,914484,00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070823184822/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,914484,00.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= August 23, 2007 |title= Bribery Shokku At the Top |magazine= Time |date= August 9, 1976 |access-date= July 16, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1= Hunziker |first1= Steven |first2= Ikuru |last2= Kamimura |chapter-url= http://www.rcrinc.com/tanaka/ch4-3.html |chapter= The Lockheed Scandal |title= Kakuei Tanaka: A Political Biography Of Modern Japan |access-date= July 16, 2011 |archive-date= September 27, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110927042639/http://www.rcrinc.com/tanaka/ch4-3.html |url-status= dead }}</ref> Crucially for Lockheed, the fallout from the scandal included the loss of a contract worth over $1 billion.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Pb0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6590,1059160&dq=lockheed+japan&hl=en |title= Lockheed loses big Japanese contract |work= St. Petersburg Times |date= February 11, 1976 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The [[Soviet Union]] at that time lacked a widebody airliner. Development of its own [[Ilyushin Il-86]] was delayed;<ref>{{cite web |url= http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/07/28/aircrash.ilyushin/index.html |title= Facts: The Ilyushin Il-86 |publisher= CNN |date= July 28, 2002 |access-date= July 16, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/658660432.html?dids=658660432:658660432&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+04%2C+1981&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Soviet+Wide-Bodied+Jet+Begins+Regular+Service+to+East+Berlin&pqatl=google |title= Soviet Wide-Bodied Jet begins regular service to East Berlin |work= Los Angeles Times |date= July 4, 1981 |access-date= July 6, 2017 |archive-date= November 5, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121105083935/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/658660432.html?dids=658660432:658660432&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+04,+1981&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Soviet+Wide-Bodied+Jet+Begins+Regular+Service+to+East+Berlin&pqatl=google |url-status= dead }}</ref> consequently, in the mid-1970s, the Soviets started negotiations to buy 30 TriStars and license-produce up to 100 a year.<ref>{{cite book |last= Birtles |first= Philip |title= Lockheed TriStar |series= Modern Civil Aircraft No 8 |location= London |publisher= Ian Allan |year= 1989 |isbn= 978-1-85310-934-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/643359962.html?dids=643359962:643359962&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+01%2C+1973&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=World&pqatl=google |title= A British paper said Russia may buy the jet engine used in the Tristar |work= Los Angeles Times |date= November 1, 1973 |access-date= July 6, 2017 |archive-date= November 5, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121105083948/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/643359962.html?dids=643359962:643359962&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+01,+1973&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=World&pqatl=google |url-status= dead }}</ref> The talks collapsed as US President [[Jimmy Carter]] made human rights an important consideration in US foreign policy.<ref>{{cite news |last= Neikirk |first= Bill |url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/615547772.html?dids=615547772:615547772&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+27%2C+1977&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=World+hears+Carter+human+rights+call&pqatl=google |title= World hears Carter human rights call |work= Chicago Tribune |date= March 27, 1977 |access-date= July 6, 2017 |archive-date= November 5, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121105084003/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/615547772.html?dids=615547772:615547772&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+27,+1977&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=World+hears+Carter+human+rights+call&pqatl=google |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Jacoby |first= Tamar |url= http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4262005/ |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120527061706/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_v18/ai_4262005/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2012-05-27 |title= Did Carter fail on human rights? |work= Washington Monthly |date= June 1986}}</ref> The TriStar was also listed by the [[CoCom|Coordinating Committee]] as embodying advanced technology forbidden for sale to potential enemies, which presented a serious obstacle to the export deal.

The last three airlines to operate the L-1011 in ''scheduled'' service were [[Brussels Airlines]] (codeshare with [[Hewa Bora Airways#Codeshare agreements|Hewa Bora Airways]]), [[Thai Sky Airlines]], and [[Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano|Lloyd Aereo Boliviano]], with final flights in August 2007, February 2008, and May 2008, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Routes Trivia: Where Did All The TriStars Go?|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/149211/routes-trivia-where-did-all-the-tristars-go/|access-date=2020-12-10|website=Routesonline|language=en-GB}}</ref> In later years the L-1011 has been used by smaller start-up carriers, particularly in Africa and Asia. These operators mainly do their business in the ''ad hoc'' [[Air charter|charter]] and [[Wet lease|wet leasing]] businesses. [[ATA Airlines]] (formerly known as American Trans Air) fleet included over 19 TriStars, but operations dwindled to only three L-1011-500s before the company's shutdown in April 2008.

===Military===
{{Main|Lockheed TriStar (RAF)}}

The TriStar has also been used as a military tanker and passenger/cargo aircraft. The British [[Royal Air Force]] had nine aircraft of four variants. The aircraft were six ex-[[British Airways]] and three Pan Am L-1011-500s.<ref name="Frawley Military">{{cite book |last= Frawley |first= Gerard |title= The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002–2003 |location= Fyshwick, ACT, Australia |publisher= Aerospace Publications |year= 2002 |isbn= 1-875671-55-2 |page= 44}}</ref><ref name= "BAfleerenew">{{cite news |last= Prokesch |first= Steven |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/07/business/british-air-purchasing-boeing-747-s.html |title= British Air Purchasing Boeing 747s |work= The New York Times |date= July 7, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title= TriStar Tankers...The RAF Goes Widebody |magazine= [[Air International]] |volume= 29 |issue= 6 |date= December 1985 |pages= 271–277 |location= Bromley, UK |publisher= Fine Scroll}}</ref> All of the aircraft served with [[No. 216 Squadron RAF|No. 216 Squadron]], and were based at [[RAF Brize Norton]]. The TriStar was replaced in RAF service by the [[Airbus A330 MRTT]] under the [[Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft]] <!-- (FSTA) --> program.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-signs-13-billion-tanker-deal-222521/|title=UK signs £13 billion tanker deal|last=Craig|first=Hoyle|date=March 27, 2008|work=FlightGlobal|language=en-GB}}</ref> 216 Squadron was officially disbanded on March 20, 2014, and flew its last sorties with the TriStar on March 24, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last= Hoyle |first= Craig |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/RAF-TriStars-to-fly-final-sortie-397316/ |title= RAF TriStars to fly final sortie |work =Flight International |date= March 24, 2014 |access-date= March 25, 2014}}</ref>

===Other===
[[File:Vandenberg supports successful Pegasus launch (6696118).jpg|thumb|[[Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman's]] L-1011-100 "Stargazer" preparing for a flight, with the fuselage lifted to make the room for mounting Pegasus XL rocket]]

In the early 1990s, [[Orbital Sciences]] began to use a converted L-1011-100 named ''[[Stargazer (aircraft)|Stargazer]]'' to launch [[Pegasus (rocket)|Pegasus]] rockets into orbit around Earth. This venture effectively rendered the small [[Scout (rocket)|Scout]] rocket obsolete.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.orbital.com/SpaceLaunch/Pegasus/ |title= Tristar used to launch Pegasus |work= Orbital.com |access-date= July 16, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.air-and-space.com/20020201%20VAFB%20HESSI.htm |title= Orbital Sciences Corporation L-1011, Stargazer carries HESSI spacecraft from Vandenberg AFB to the Kennedy Space Center |work= Air and Space |date= February 1, 2002}}</ref> This aircraft was also used in support of the [[X-34]] and [[NASA X-43|X-43]] programs. [[NASA]] performed aerodynamic research on Orbital Sciences' L-1011 in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/L-1011/index.html#APO |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/19970605021301/http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/L-1011/index.html#APO |url-status= dead |archive-date= June 5, 1997 |title= Dryden L-1011 Tristar |work= NASA Photo Collection |publisher= National Aeronautics and Space Administration |date= July 16, 2011}}</ref> In 2014, three L-1011s in the world were airworthy.<ref>{{cite news |last= Howarth |first= Nigel |url= http://aviationweek.com/blog/contrasting-fortunes-old-freighters-california-desert |title= Contrasting fortunes for old freighters in the California desert |work= [[Aviation Week & Space Technology]] |date= April 15, 2014 |access-date= May 24, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140524220548/http://aviationweek.com/blog/contrasting-fortunes-old-freighters-california-desert |archive-date= May 24, 2014}}</ref> As of 2019, ''Stargazer'' is the only active L-1011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/10/10/rockets-purchased-by-stratolaunch-back-under-northrop-grumman-control/|title=Rockets purchased by Stratolaunch back under Northrop Grumman control |website= Spaceflight Now |first=Stephen|last=Clark}}</ref>