Lockheed Constellation

We take a look at the Lockheed Constellation with one of the last pilots to have flown the L-1649A Starliner Constellation. In the news, the ROTOR Act and an ADS-B In mandate, GAMA’s annual Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report, the Government’s partial shutdown impact on the TSA, Government luxury jets, and a plan to market an Embraer aerial tanker. Also, an interview from the Singapore Airshow with a Product Development VP from Textron Aviation. Lockheed Starliner L-1649A flying in TWA colors. Guest Philip Kemp has been an Airline Transport Pilot for 17 years, and he has more than a little experience with the Lockheed Constellation. That connection came about in the 1980’s after meeting Maurice Roundy, a Lockheed Constellation fan and collector of the airplane. Philip is one of the last pilots to have flown the L-1649A Starliner Constellation.  Philip describes the development of the Lockheed Constellation and its variants, and how the airliner was obsoleted by jet transports. He tells us about his adventures ferrying Connies, the remaining examples that still exist, and the sale of Maurice’s Constellations, including an ultimately unsuccessful attempt by Lufthansa to make one of the aircraft flightworthy. Philip explains that N8083H is now at the TWA Hotel at JFK after a cosmetic restoration, N974R is with Kermit Weeks also for a cosmetic restoration, and that N7316C was shipped to Hamburg for the 100th Lufthansa anniversary.