Why Do Lockheed L-188 Electras Still Fly in Canada?

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
  • The Lockheed L-188 Electra has found a niche for itself decades after it first entered passenger service, and more than 50 years after the type first flew, there are actually quite a few still around in Canada!
    With many thanks to ‪@MarkBrandonAviation‬ and Conair's media team!
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
    Become a Channel Member:
    / @alexpraglowskiaviation
    Website: www.alexpraglo...
    Instagram: / alexpraglowskiaviation
    Twitter: / alexpraglowski
    Facebook: / alexpaviation
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
    SOURCES:
    Electras on the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: wwwapps.tc.gc....
    Electra Information: www.aircharter...
    / lockheeds-electra-part-2
    / lockheed-electra-part-3
    wahsonline.com...
    CP-140 Auroras: www.rcaf-arc.fo...
    web.archive.or...
    www.navalnews....
    cradpdf.drdc-r...
    silverhawkautho...
    www.auroranews...
    Air Spray: www.airspray.c...
    skiesmag.com/f...
    web.archive.or...
    Conair: conair.ca/rece...
    web.archive.or...
    Conair Media Team (Thank you!)
    Buffalo Airways: www.globalavia...
    www.mytruenort...
    buffaloairways...
    buffaloairways...
    Wildfire Air Operations: wildfire.alber...
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
    Outro song - "Take Flight" by Nyhtian: • Nyhtian - Take Flight ...
    © Alex Praglowski Aviation 2021
    This video is the property of Alex Praglowski Aviation and may not be used for any purpose without prior permission. Contact me at the email in the "About" section of my channel for usage.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 484

  • @MikeyMcBryan
    @MikeyMcBryan 3 роки тому +304

    Great job on the video 👍

    • @TyNovakAviation
      @TyNovakAviation 3 роки тому +6

      Hi Mikey!

    • @bonzogamer6966
      @bonzogamer6966 3 роки тому +4

      I was wondering when he said Buffalo, he didn't show a picture of you.

    • @stevenewtube
      @stevenewtube 3 роки тому +14

      Hi Mikey. Hope to see a new video from you too soon.

    • @stevenewtube
      @stevenewtube 3 роки тому +4

      New vids coming soon??

    • @jhendricks203
      @jhendricks203 3 роки тому +2

      Joining naval aviation early 1960, I flew into San Diego on a DC3 and out on a new Electra..and cross county on DC 7. Fun!

  • @CuratedPile
    @CuratedPile 3 роки тому +116

    I am lucky enough to see Electras every time I go to my home airport, Red Deer, Alberta. It is the maintenance base for Electras for both Buffalo and Air Spray so almost every flying Electra finds itself in Red Deer at some point. There are also a large number of retired airframes stored here. Definitely your one stop shop if you want to see these beautiful planes.

    • @Len_M.
      @Len_M. 3 роки тому

      What do they use for Cloud Seeding? Or does Air Spray do Fire Fighting and Seeding?

    • @CuratedPile
      @CuratedPile 3 роки тому +3

      @@Len_M. As far as I know Air Spray has nothing to do with cloud seeding. That's mostly King Airs, at least the ones I've seen.

  • @DarkpawTheWolf
    @DarkpawTheWolf 3 роки тому +143

    I remember Buffalo Joe having a great one-liner on the Electra: "It turns jet fuel into black smoke."
    They're still cool.

    • @conradmcdougall3629
      @conradmcdougall3629 3 роки тому +6

      Wasn't it, "it turns money into black smoke"?

    • @lucasrem
      @lucasrem 3 роки тому

      burn it all down! fck this planet!

    • @gastonmartintripodi2561
      @gastonmartintripodi2561 3 роки тому +2

      Wonderful job lad .congrats...Here in argentina they had done prety bad things with the electras but as always .....The problrms comes from the folks not from the planes

  • @barryervin8536
    @barryervin8536 3 роки тому +240

    When I was in the Navy in the mid 1960s and would fly home on leave it was always a jet between Philly and Atlanta but an Electra between Atlanta and Pensacola, with a stop or two in Alabama. I loved the Electra. Unlike the "gradually picking up speed" of an early jet on takeoff, the Electra would shove you back in your seat and leap off the runway. They had a long career as the P-3 Orion, too. A great airplane!

    • @rhondohslade
      @rhondohslade 3 роки тому +18

      The Electra was/is a wonderful bird in all of its many guides. I can't help but wonder if there wouldn't be a place for them or something very much like them today in both civil and military use, were the lines restarted today. After all, the Hercules (same lineage and age; same 'parents' too!) in today's world. It can do things that full turbine birds simply aren't capable of doing; like operating from unimproved fields - witness the utility of the C-130 which I believe is still coming off lines 65+ years since inception.

    • @TooLooze
      @TooLooze 3 роки тому +3

      I flew An Eastern Airlines Electra out of Mobile around that same time. Before that, Eastern flew DC-3s.

    • @waschte123
      @waschte123 3 роки тому +2

      @One eyed Cantab! Same in Germany, but the funny thing is, that we replaced an old system with a older one. As the Breguet Antlantics we flew first became outdated, we didn't purchase the modernized model of the Antlantic neither we bouht anything new, we bought 10 used P3 from the Netherlands, and so we ended up retire a type of Aircraft wich had its first flight in 1961, and replacing it with a Aircraft wich jad its first flight in 1959. And now, not even 15 Years and Billions of Euros later, we ordered the Poseidon to replace the P3, and now, another billions spent, and didnt get anything in return. And you know why this happened? Because some high officers used their influence, so the can be trained on a 4 Engine Aircraft so they can find a job easier without paying money. We burned all that money not because of having a better plane, or reaching higher defence capabilities, no, we burned the money because of Pilots after-navy-life🤬

    • @lucasrem
      @lucasrem 3 роки тому

      Vietnam, killed the bad commies????
      mad!

    • @johnnybbgunner2136
      @johnnybbgunner2136 3 роки тому +1

      Used as submarine trackers on the West Coast out of Moffet Field in Mt View Ca.

  • @howardthrongard640
    @howardthrongard640 3 роки тому +23

    Thanks. I flew an Electra from Minneapolis to San Diego in 1966 when I joined the Navy, and later flew a military version, the EP-3, in the Navy. Great memories.

    • @lucasrem
      @lucasrem 3 роки тому

      did you need to protect the country, or just burned it?

  • @robm3074
    @robm3074 3 роки тому +60

    Hands down… one of my all time favorite aircraft.. Had the chance to fly many of them.

  • @Slonge92
    @Slonge92 Рік тому +2

    In 1962 we visited the grandparents in Indiana. We flew from Los Angeles to St Louis and changed planes for the flight to Indiana.
    While waiting to board the connecting flight, my dad looks out the window and says “Oh, that’s a Lockheed Electra, they had problems with the engines falling off.” My mom turned to him and said “as long as it’s not the DC-3 we flew in two years ago, I don’t care!”
    (Same trip in 1960, we flew a TWA Super Connie from LA to St Louis then a DC-3 to Indiana. It was awesome, I was five.)
    Thanks for the great video.

    • @JClarkeCT1334
      @JClarkeCT1334 4 місяці тому

      That particular problem was fixed. It was an unexpected vibration mode in the propellers that combined with a resonance in the engine mount. I was an engineer for the propeller manufacturer--I started there long after that but the old timers would talk your ear off about that problem and the lessons learned. Lockheed redesigned the engine mount and retrofitted it at their cost. C-130 uses pretty much the same engine and propeller and benefited from those lessons.
      Note--"engine falling off" per se is not a major problem for an Electra--they fly fine on two engines and this is done routinely with P-3s to extend duration while searching for subs. The problem was that the particular failure mode destroyed the wing structure.

  • @johntrauger68
    @johntrauger68 3 роки тому +11

    I was an electrician on these in the 70's. VP-40 Moffett Field, Ca.

  • @adrianwilliams763
    @adrianwilliams763 3 роки тому +2

    Remember as a kid in 1965 flying in an Electra from Sydney Australia to Auckland NZ. Was operated by TEAL, fore runner of Air New Zealand.

  • @rogerlloyd7809
    @rogerlloyd7809 3 роки тому +10

    Back in the 60s I would drive out to the Madison, WI airport for the sole purpose of listening to an Electra start it's engines. Loved that sound!!

  • @bobuncle8704
    @bobuncle8704 3 роки тому +19

    These are a beautiful plane. Love Buffalo air. Miss the show

  • @billlarrabee9436
    @billlarrabee9436 3 роки тому +45

    I loved the Electra when I flew on Eastern Airlines to get where I had to go. Just feeling the power on takeoff and the stopping ability after landing was a real rush. As a pilot in training I always had hoped to fly one but that didn't happen. God bless Canada for keeping a great bird in the air.

    • @TheEDFLegacy
      @TheEDFLegacy 3 роки тому +2

      Not like there's a choice; there's no modern equivalent to these, the Boeing 737-200 w/ gravel kit, or even the DC-3. They fly because no modern aircraft of their class can land on gravel runways.
      Once a company creates a modern equivalent, I'm sure they will be VERY popular.

  • @sonnenhausebay
    @sonnenhausebay 3 роки тому +5

    Thanks for the information about Electras in these days. I was a fan of the L-188 for many years and enjoyed a few flights as a passenger. TAME in Ecuador, VARIG on their shuttle between SDU and CGH, PSA between SFO and Lake Tahoe, several flights on Northwest Territorial between Edmonton and YZF and from YZF via Rankin Inlet to Winnipeg. The most exciting flight was in spring 1990 in the cockpit on Reeve Aleutian from ANC to Cold Bay and further to St.Paul Island with its gravel runway. Unforgettable.

  • @gastonmartintripodi786
    @gastonmartintripodi786 3 роки тому +1

    wonderfula lad you rock with that video ,,,,long life to the lockeed from argentina

  • @kurohone
    @kurohone 3 роки тому +11

    My did flew Aurora's from their service entry until his retirement in '86... then he flew Electra's for NWT Air for a few years. Love this plane.

  • @itchyvet
    @itchyvet 3 роки тому +77

    During my military service, I was required to fly from one side of Australia, right across the nation to North Qld on an annual basis. The flights in the Electra compared to jets was simply awesome. For starters, the seating was just TWO seats side by side with plenty of ROOM for arms, elbows you name it, AND you could actually stretch your legs without moving the seat backwards of forwards, the space had be seen to be believed. The climb rate was also un-noticable, nothing like the jets, which go practicly straight up and cause pressure on your ear drums. Noise in the cabin was nice and quiet unlike jets. Coming in to land, again, very smooth and decent hardly noticeable. All in all, very sorry to see them go as passenger planes.

    • @KatariaGujjar
      @KatariaGujjar 3 роки тому +4

      Seating arrangement and capacity is decided by the airline.

    • @AlexanderSuraphel
      @AlexanderSuraphel 2 роки тому

      Have you seen how many of them crashed?

  • @auburn886
    @auburn886 3 роки тому +5

    I flew on an Eastern Airlines Electra back in the 60's. Quiet and smooth and I was just a little kid, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

  • @amc3
    @amc3 3 роки тому +2

    Gosh, this brings back such warm memories watching the Electras at Glasgow Airport, Scotland in the late 80`s early 90`s on cargo ops to East Midlands.
    When my father explained the aircraft were older than me, it blew me away. Stunning and beautiful aircraft.

  • @crushingvanessa3277
    @crushingvanessa3277 3 роки тому +19

    Love the old Lockheed birds. Connies, Electras, etc. Great video with accurate history.

  • @sgd5k292
    @sgd5k292 3 роки тому +6

    As a young teen in the early 60's I was lucky enough to fly in an Electra a number of times from LA area (Burbank I think) to Oakland Ca. and back with either Western or PSA, don't remember which. Great airplane, great times! Thanks for making this video!

  • @calcrappie8507
    @calcrappie8507 3 роки тому +15

    A lot of hours in Electra's, Caribou's and Huey's when assigned to Kwajalein Missile Range. Loved all three of them.

  • @a-a-ron9965
    @a-a-ron9965 3 роки тому +15

    I loved flying on the Electra. Reeve Aleutian Airways was the only airline that flew to my hometown in Alaska up until the year 2000. That startup sound was music to my ears 👍

    • @guaporeturns9472
      @guaporeturns9472 2 роки тому

      I used to fly on Reeve all the time to Dutch Harbor and Adak back in my crabbing/longlineing days. Loved those Electras.

  • @Semiam1
    @Semiam1 3 роки тому +3

    I flew in one of these while visiting Canada. Loved it.

  • @robertkelly8106
    @robertkelly8106 3 роки тому +11

    My first commercial flight was on an Electra in 1966 flown by PSA (Pacific Southwest, long ago folded into Southwest) between Oakland and Burbank for $18.95. It was not that many years after the Electra's revealed a serious problem with the wings falling off in severe weather. That had been fixed, but I was still a bit anxious even though it was a typical California sunny and calm day.

  • @joshbnty984
    @joshbnty984 3 роки тому +21

    The blades are so wide. Always loved the look

  • @timothyharrison8953
    @timothyharrison8953 3 роки тому +2

    Great video. I spent a week working out of Buffalo Airways hangar doing cold weather testing in 2019. Witnessed their Electras, Dakota, and C-54 fly in some of the coldest weather I've ever experienced. All of these required special preparations prior to flight. They tried to keep the daily fliers in the hangar as much as possible. They told me the Electra is their preferred lifter due to its payload capacity.

  • @howardkerr8174
    @howardkerr8174 3 роки тому +5

    The first time that I would travel by plane was on a Lockheed Electra. I was flying back to basic training and had no idea that day how big Electras would figure in my Naval career. After several months of basic and advanced aviation electronics training my orders to my first squadron arrived: I was assigned to a P-3 training squadron in preparation for placement in a P-3 squadron, one of many in North Florida.
    In my 21 years in the Navy, I would be assigned to 4 different squadrons that flew Lockheed Electra/P-3 aircraft, and spend overseas shore duty working in support of P-3 squadrons.
    I would only ever get to fly in one of these aircraft once, in my whole Naval career after that flight to basic training.

  • @peteacher52
    @peteacher52 3 роки тому +33

    I well remember the power and smell of an Electra preparing to take off from Whenuapai (then the city's international airport) heading over the Tasman for Sydney some time in the early '60s. They were a superb aircraft and I wonder why the video made no mention of the reliable Allison turboprops that made this, the Orions and Hercules so legendary.

    • @howardsimpson489
      @howardsimpson489 Рік тому

      My parents flew me in the sixties from Wellington to my grand parents in Christchurch and back every school holidays. I loved the Electras and can still hear them in my memory. Another lovely sound was the Bristol Freighters flying across Cook Strait.

  • @propman3523
    @propman3523 2 місяці тому

    I flew on the Electra with Eastern and Northwest and it was a thrill!! It handled more like a fighter than a transport. Great post!!

  • @gryph01
    @gryph01 3 роки тому +2

    I love the Electra. As a teen, I wanted to fly the CP-140 Aurora... The military version of the Electra. What a beautiful plane.

  • @rileymannion5301
    @rileymannion5301 3 роки тому +3

    I've seen them fly into Calgary a few times, it's great seeing them still flying around along with the 737-200's with the visible dirt runway kit infront of the engines

  • @clydedonaldson7369
    @clydedonaldson7369 2 місяці тому

    I'm also a "graduate" of the "Buffalo Joe Academy of Advanced Air Freight" and the Electra had wide doors that made loading with the heavy forklift a breeze. A beautiful aircraft that eats up the sky.

  • @FlynnTrials
    @FlynnTrials 3 роки тому +3

    Thanks for an interesting video. I lived in Coventry in the UK growing up, about 2 miles from Coventry airport, which was where Atlantic Airlines were based. I fondly remember hearing Electras fly in and out regularly. Glad to see they are still flying somewhere in the world.

  • @jonathonmackay6811
    @jonathonmackay6811 3 роки тому +4

    Back in 2009 these brought fuel to the DEW Line remediation project I was on in Baffin Island. The pilot had trained in the same 172 I had years before.

  • @Vet-7174
    @Vet-7174 3 роки тому +1

    When I was in the Navy ,I used Eastern Airline and Flew Philly to Boston most weekends ,,Awesome Bird !!

  • @warrenosborne6044
    @warrenosborne6044 3 роки тому +2

    Adak 74-75 I got to meet Bob Reeve. The sounds of the P 3's I will always remember. Thanks for memories.

  • @composer1663
    @composer1663 3 роки тому +1

    I will never forget one Eastern Airlines flight on an Electra near the end of their commercial use. It was a long flight across the U.S. I was sitting in a window seat. A liquid began dripping on me from above, near the window. Being an old pilot, I gingerly tasted the liquid. It was hydraulic fluid. I slipped the flight attendant a note to tell the Captain that there was a leak in a certain hydraulic line. A few minutes later, the First Officer slowly sauntered back to my seat and said, "Where is the leak you think we have?" I had him hold out his hand to collect a few drops. The look on his face was sheer terror. (The line went to an essential system.) We diverted to the nearest airport. I never again flew on an Electra.

  • @kaptainkaos1202
    @kaptainkaos1202 3 роки тому

    I flew on the US Navy P-3 which is descended from that sexy aircraft, the Electra, as a radio operator, RADAR operator, Inflight Technician and finally a projects engineer. Since day one when I saw the P-3 I just fell in love with it. Smooth lines, svelte and a joy to listen to. It was my home away from home for many years traveling around the world while on active duty and then as a flight test engineer. I ended up accumulating over 3000 hours of flight time on them. Postscript, I was offered a position on the P-8 test program at work. I just couldn't do it. I asked my boss if there were any other programs I could work with which is not real safe since I could have gotten a crap program. I ended up as the lead test engineer for the KC-130J Block Upgrade which ended up almost as fun as my P-3. Thanks for listening to my babbling and thanks for the video!

  • @whfowle
    @whfowle 3 роки тому +11

    I remember the Lockheed Electra with a great deal of respect, and especially their pilots. When I was stationed at Shemya Alaska back in the early 70's, Reeve Aleutian Airways was the best way to get there on time. The very high cross winds often prevented the Air Force C-141's from delivering their cargo and had to turn back. I remember landing at Shemya and watching the landing out the side window until nearly touchdown as the Electra slipped sideways onto the runway.

    • @raybon7939
      @raybon7939 3 роки тому +3

      Prop planes are still very useful in many regional things

    • @thomashelm6931
      @thomashelm6931 3 роки тому

      I was probably on one of those c-141s. As a loadmaster, I flew into there many times. As you alluded to, the winds are extremely bad there and exceeded takeoff parameters on occasion. Thus, spending the night and seeing downtown, 😂

    • @michaelbujaki2462
      @michaelbujaki2462 3 роки тому

      @@raybon7939 I'll be taking a journey on a modern turboprop aircraft in a week. It turns out that in a world with rising gas prices, the turboprop reigns supreme.

  • @tedll75
    @tedll75 3 роки тому +9

    Loved this video!! I'm learning so much watching! I really can't wait until the next video!! Thanks Alex!

  • @MATTNMEMPHIS
    @MATTNMEMPHIS 3 роки тому +2

    I grew up with the Electra. My dad was one of the regional directors for Zantop Int'l. The Electra was by far my favorite.

  • @jameslovelady7751
    @jameslovelady7751 Рік тому +1

    I was working at Lockheed when they invited us to watch the maiden flight take off. Very impressive.

  • @jakelaplante7607
    @jakelaplante7607 2 роки тому

    I’m an AME for airspray, and working on these electras is a big reason why I chose to work here love these aircraft

  • @johnarnold893
    @johnarnold893 Рік тому

    They have been flying out of our local airport for some years now every fire season. Pretty cool to see such a venerable workhorse still doing a fantastic job.

  • @JungleYT
    @JungleYT 3 роки тому

    My very first flight on an airplane was a Lockheed Electra in 1967! I am now 62... Will never forget that "scoop" on top of the engine and thoze WIDE propeller blades. At first thought I had flown on a DC-7 or something, but somebody on UA-cam helped me to properly identify it as an Electra. Great to see that they're still flying...

  • @wozja
    @wozja 3 роки тому +10

    Love the Electra if you have ever heard one live or has such a beautiful sound

  • @OfficialJohnnyNelson
    @OfficialJohnnyNelson Рік тому

    My Great Uncle was the person in charge of hiring the flight attendants for Eastern Airlines. Always makes my ears perk up when I hear Eastern mentioned.

  • @max_archer
    @max_archer 3 роки тому +4

    I live just a few miles from where these were built, and actually go there quite often because the former factory site is now the location of my local Target, Lowe's, Best Buy, and so on. It's cool to see Electras still operating up in Canada but I wish we had one down here, along with a museum to put it in. (IMO it's criminal that Burbank doesn't have a proper aviation museum considering its history.)
    As for replacement cargo aircraft, the ideal one would be a much newer Lockheed product, the LM-100J, but I'm not sure whether any of the Canadian operators have the budget for them.

  • @marks-the-spot
    @marks-the-spot Рік тому +1

    I was about 6 when I took my first flight. It was in a Western Airlines Electra from SFO around 1960. I only remember two things about that flight, the noise of the engines on takeoff and seeing a Super Constellation for the first time at a nearby gate.

  • @paulg3336
    @paulg3336 3 роки тому +1

    RNZAF has six P-3K2 Orions in use.
    Purchased as P-3Bs in 1966 ,they were upgraded continually and re-winged.

  • @salehrashid2726
    @salehrashid2726 3 роки тому +1

    Old is gold.

  • @Chris-xj4kk
    @Chris-xj4kk 3 роки тому +6

    It is a beautiful looking aircraft and what an amazing work career it has contributed to the aviation industry.
    Enjoy your channel ! Cheers !

  • @leerussel2033
    @leerussel2033 Рік тому

    I worked for Eastern Air Lines. We flew it on the Shuttle into the 1980s. It was a great aircraft. I loved working on them.

  • @Kronix86
    @Kronix86 3 роки тому +4

    I was fortunate enough when I was a teenager to be able to fly on a CP-140 Aurora based out of CFB Comox on 2 seperate occasions.

  • @idolhanz9842
    @idolhanz9842 3 роки тому +2

    The Lockheed Electra was the first airplane that I ever flew on on January 4th,,1964. An evening Eastern Airlines flight out of the old Washington DC National up to NY Idlewild JFK . Heading overseas!

  • @horusfalcon
    @horusfalcon 3 роки тому +6

    An impressive aircraft - I am especially intrigued by the over-wing engine layout. I imagine that caused a bit more drag, but enhanced lift quite a bit. Interesting to see them compared to the DHC-8/400 series. It's nice to know Canada has a domestically sourced replacement for the L-188 on tap.

    • @michaelbujaki2462
      @michaelbujaki2462 3 роки тому +2

      Th3e over-wing engine mount also makes them less prone to damage on gravel runways.

  • @masseypadgham7113
    @masseypadgham7113 3 роки тому +1

    I flew on these as a passenger a few times in the early 1970s. Lots of legroom (especially in rows with club seating), large chairs. So much more comfortable than modern sardine cans. My all-time favourite passenger aircraft.

    • @brustar5152
      @brustar5152 3 роки тому

      Ten four! I flew a lot on Vickers Viscounts and bemoan the fact those were the good old days of roomy seats

  • @howardnielsen6220
    @howardnielsen6220 3 роки тому +1

    Loved flying on the Electorate with PSA when I was in the Army coming home to San Diego

  • @Alansaidhello
    @Alansaidhello 3 роки тому +3

    They still fly the P-3 Orions and EP-3 Aries in NAS Whidbey, so amazing to see them

  • @rinunculartoo3006
    @rinunculartoo3006 3 роки тому +4

    Our National Airline TEAL used these Elecltra aircraft for international travel right up to the Early 1970's before the DC8 came along.

  • @ClassicTrialsChannel
    @ClassicTrialsChannel 3 роки тому +2

    I used to load the Electra with freight for DHL back in the 90s. run by Atlantic airlines.

  • @lutomson3496
    @lutomson3496 3 роки тому +1

    Spent a few thousand hours flying a P-3 back in the day very reliable airframe with proper maint

  • @shompirass
    @shompirass 11 місяців тому

    Every pilot values a good, solid platform.

  • @TorchMagick
    @TorchMagick 3 роки тому

    I had the honour and pleasure of flying on an Electra as a young boy. My Mom knew I was already an aeroplane enthusiast ( Dad was a Naval Aviator ) and I got a window seat in line with #3 engine. I sure would love another flight on this magnificent bird...ELECTRAS FOREVER!☺❤🖖✈

  • @karterjohnson6398
    @karterjohnson6398 3 роки тому

    Just stumbled across your videos by youtube recommendation, very nice work!

  • @Oppie10605
    @Oppie10605 3 роки тому +1

    When I was in engineering school on the 1970s, the Electra was given as a case study. There had been several crashes due to failure of the titanium wing. Titanium couldn't be welded without making it brittle so the engine mounts were clamped on. Over time the mounts loosened and the engine/propeller vibrations eventually destroyed the wing. Not foreseen in the original design, the simple fix was to re-torque the engine mounts at service intervals. After that, the Electra flew safely for many years.

    • @michaelbujaki2462
      @michaelbujaki2462 3 роки тому +1

      And in the 2000's we found a way to weld Titanium.

  • @souzadecesar
    @souzadecesar 3 роки тому

    Electras were used to connect Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in 80s and early 90s, right on my childhood time. So I have sweet memories when I hear its engine sound, since it used to fly over my hood going and coming from Guarulhos Airport, near here.

  • @PeteDavidson-yl3ps
    @PeteDavidson-yl3ps Рік тому

    Great to watch an informative video that ‘ doesn’t ‘ loop and loop back over the same pictures or video clips. Love prop planes, something about sitting waiting to release the brakes as the engines rev up, one can feel the airframe moving under so much power then as others have stated then your pushed back in your seat. Thanks

  • @nemo227
    @nemo227 3 роки тому

    I was a passenger when PSA flew between northern & southern California. They were comfortable, fast, and the tickets were economical for the time.

  • @davidjames6879
    @davidjames6879 Рік тому +1

    There is still a very prominent and necessary (deterrent) 1950s designed aircraft in service for seemingly into perpetuity--the B-52. There is a very interesting insight into how old things are just more efficient sometimes than current design. Thanks Alex

  • @dhornsbycultus
    @dhornsbycultus Рік тому

    Well done, Alex. Really enjoy your videos.

  • @HOWNDOG66
    @HOWNDOG66 Рік тому

    Thx for this video. An airspray Electra showed up near me for Cameron lake fire, flying out of Williams Lake and I see the Aurora regular flying with a USA counterpart

  • @jonmajarucon51
    @jonmajarucon51 3 роки тому +1

    Lot of work. Thank you. Well done. I LOVE the Electra.

  • @james94582
    @james94582 3 роки тому +1

    Why the heck not!! They're awesome classics.. That still work amazingly for what they're used for!!

  • @judgegixxer
    @judgegixxer 7 місяців тому

    Two of the Airspray L-188s have been flying over my house for the past few days. #485 & #482. I live in Northern BC.
    They sound nice.

  • @rogertulk8607
    @rogertulk8607 Рік тому

    I remember the Orion being adopted by the Canadian Forces. Thanks for reminding me that was in 1980 as I was still thinking of the Orion as a new aircraft.

  • @michaelreilly8890
    @michaelreilly8890 3 роки тому +1

    There were still a couple Electras flying in US charter service in the early 80s. Used to transport sports teams and oilfield personnel to places far from their usual areas.. I saw one every weeks during the time the oils companies were actively drilling off the coast of Massachusetts when they would fly the rig crew up from the gulf coast; where most lived : to Hyannis where the helps were based that transported them out to the rigs.

  • @MrPlanes63
    @MrPlanes63 3 роки тому +4

    Another great video Alex keep them coming!

  • @pquodling
    @pquodling 3 роки тому +1

    I flew on one of these in about 1964 - dad was seconded to a mining project in Africa - Perth to Johannesburg involved flying up to Cocos-Keeling island, then to Mauritus, then Joburg.

  • @beyond_the_infinite2098
    @beyond_the_infinite2098 3 роки тому

    The Aurora is awesome. I repaired P3C avionics at NAS Alameda in the late 70s & 80s. Fun job.

  • @timothykirchner6082
    @timothykirchner6082 3 роки тому +1

    Beautiful airplane, my first job as an aircraft technician was with Zantop who had a couple of these. 1979.. Yipsilanti Michigan Willow Run

    • @MATTNMEMPHIS
      @MATTNMEMPHIS 3 роки тому +1

      Zantop had more than a couple. I still have a pic of all the Electras up in Anchorage. Swiped it from my Dad who ran Zantop station MEM.

    • @timothykirchner6082
      @timothykirchner6082 3 роки тому

      I’m sure they did, it was sooo long ago I couldn’t remember how many..

  • @vk2ig
    @vk2ig 3 роки тому

    Juliane Koepcke flew on a L-188A operating LANSA flight 508 from Lima to Pucallpa over the Peruvian Andes on Christmas Eve, 1971, when it encountered a thunderstorm and broke up in mid-air. She fell nearly 10,000 feet still attached to her seat ... and survived!

  • @felixmartinez5792
    @felixmartinez5792 3 роки тому +1

    Old but elegant and just plain beautiful aircraft.

  • @stephenmonken1337
    @stephenmonken1337 Рік тому

    There was a movie several years ago about Mic Jagger being a rock star who got separated from his band in Brazil. At the airport he went around trying to find somebody who spoke English and could help him. The view out the window of the terminal showed Electra's all over the place. The only reason that plane was not taken up by the airlines was the introduction of the DC-8 and 707 which had the speed advantage and captured the market quickly. That and the fact that early Electra's had a wing flaw that restricted their airspeed until it was fixed. Quote: The Lockheed L-188 Electra, notoriously, suffered from early problems with whirl-mode flutter, which caused two Electras to break apart in flight in 1959 and 1960, forcing an expensive redesign of the Electra's engine mounts and killing off Electra sales.

  • @uwekonnigsstaddt524
    @uwekonnigsstaddt524 3 роки тому

    Great video!!! Thanks for sharing!. As a kid in South America, I saw them take off and land out of BAQ (Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), in Barranquilla, Colombia. As fas I know, 2 airlines flew it back in the late 60s/early-mid 70s in Colombia: SAM (Sociedad Aeronáutica de Medellín) and Aerocondor de Colombia. Aerocondor’s Electra had the flamboyant red/orange/yellow livery and later those colors were subdued. On May/June 1973, a SAM Electra was hijacked, and after several stops, the last one being BAQ airport, the Electra was flown to Communist Cuba where the hijackers stayed. The plane was allowed to return later. It was big news in Barranquilla, and as the Electra took off on its way to Cuba, it flew right over our home, right after sunset. Those memories are indelible and stay with you for the rest of your life. Just Google “Aerocondor Electra” and you’d see some of them with probably the most beautiful colors ever worn by the Electra. Memories, memories, memories. Again, thanks for sharing! Semper Fi!

  • @jcbaily5559
    @jcbaily5559 3 роки тому +3

    I always enjoy listening to the music you play at the end of yiour vlogs....thanks!

  • @bushcraftnorthof6012
    @bushcraftnorthof6012 3 роки тому +1

    Loving the Yellowknife content. Take care!

  • @randyk1919
    @randyk1919 2 роки тому

    I was a passenger on a few Electra flights between Orange County and Oakland as a little kid in the early '70's. Air California mainly flew 737s, but I believe they had at least two Electras for a period. I loved the sound they made.. a combination of a high-pitched whoosh and a hum. Try humming and whistling at the same and you'd be in the ballpark.

  • @BKetch
    @BKetch 3 роки тому +2

    Interesting video! Thank you!

  • @timmotel5804
    @timmotel5804 Рік тому

    2023: I've flown on these with American Airlines. My dad worked for them. Wonderful , Beautiful Airplane. Love that Sound!

  • @jtuttle11
    @jtuttle11 Рік тому +1

    The problems that caused the loss of so many 'Electras' back in the '60s were identified and fixed. It was however too late as the Public's confidence and willingness to fly on the airliners was completely destroyed. Only the conversion of the planes into the US Navy P-3 Orion saved the company and plane.

  • @curtisccr
    @curtisccr 3 роки тому

    My first commercial flight was on an Electra. I was 8 years old an flew unaccompanied from Oakland to South Lake Tahoe on Holiday Airlines. I mad e a couple of round trips on Holiday to Tahoe before they folded. But Air California filled the void with the couple of Electras they still had. Those Allisons and big props made the coolest sound. The low pitch drone with the background whine has alway been one of my favorite sounds in aviation.

    • @curtisccr
      @curtisccr 3 роки тому

      @Marc Gatto That’s how I need to tell the story from now on! LOL. Especially since I think it took six hands to fly one.

  • @Navyguy1990
    @Navyguy1990 3 роки тому +1

    I used to fly on US Navy P3C Orions. Great aircraft!

  • @DannyEastVillage
    @DannyEastVillage 3 роки тому +4

    I enjoyed this bit of nostalgia enormously. I call it nostalgia because when I was a little guy in the 1950s growing up in Charlotte, NC, my father would take me to the airport to watch planes take off and land. Eastern AL was Charlotte's principal carrier, so we saw a lot of Electras come and go. They were painted in those years with Eastern's older logo on the tail, a dramatic orange-red colored stylized falcon in flight against a sky-blue field. Looking back, it was beautiful. Again, thanks for this lookback.

    • @voornaam3191
      @voornaam3191 3 роки тому

      So the tail looked like a special edition F-16? They always have a falcon, and something like "30 years in our Air Force" or "Moron shot my tail off. Got a new one."

    • @DannyEastVillage
      @DannyEastVillage 3 роки тому

      @@voornaam3191 nah. They looked like this:
      www.google.com/search?q=old+eastern+airlines+logo&hl=en&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk010OAqDY-ouzOkzO3oIClz2czKnUQ%3A1628773122538&source=hp&biw=1523&bih=738&ei=AhsVYY7OHpb3-gSoi5DgAg&oq=old+eastern+airlines+logo&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIFCAAQgAQ6BAgjECc6CAgAEIAEELEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToICAAQsQMQgwE6BggAEAgQHjoECAAQGDoECAAQHlDjCFjpJmDKKGgAcAB4AoABzAKIAdwfkgEIMC4yMS4zLjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZw&sclient=img&ved=0ahUKEwiO14vbxKvyAhWWu54KHagFBCwQ4dUDCAc&uact=5

  • @williambaldwin4563
    @williambaldwin4563 4 місяці тому

    Took an Eastern Airlines Electra from Louisville to New York. Smoooth!!

  • @TheFULLMETALCHEF
    @TheFULLMETALCHEF 3 роки тому

    National Airline’s L-188 was my first flight. Best ride ever.

  • @map3384
    @map3384 3 роки тому

    My dad loved that plane. He was an airline mechanic at LaGuardia Airport from 1959 to 1962 before he became a NYC police officer. He told me it’s wonderful design made it easy to work on. But jets came in and he was out of a job.

  • @lakewoodil
    @lakewoodil 3 роки тому +1

    Worked these for a number of years as a ramper for NA in TPA. Sadly it had 3 or more remains on nearly ever flight from Florida back to their 'home' up North.

  • @schaferhundschmidt1798
    @schaferhundschmidt1798 3 роки тому

    That sound of P-3's landing and taking off at Monterey and Moffat Field was the background noise to my time at Ft. Ord, ( along with Huey's from my own unit) and it meant Ivan had to behave himself while on station 12 miles out, sitting in his Delta or Victor class.

  • @MattJacques
    @MattJacques 2 роки тому

    Great video! I'm lucky enough to live in Yellowknife, NWT and get to see plenty of interesting aircraft from the Buffalo fleet coming and going from YZF daily...