1960 Israel EL AL Unique ADVERTISEMENT Hebrew BRISTOL BRITANNIA Airlines ZIM

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1960 Israel EL AL Unique ADVERTISEMENT Hebrew BRISTOL BRITANNIA Airlines ZIM:
$79.00

DESCRIPTION: Up for sale is a FULL PAGE ADVERTISEMENT of exquisite beauty and UNIQUE RARITY for \"EL AL Israel AIRLINES LTD\" , Israel NATIONAL AIRLINE . The advertisement is a BACK COVER of a 1960 publishing. Depicting the tail of EL AL BRISTOL BRITANNIA with a ballet dancer since the publication is a ballet performance. In addition to the UNIQUE EL AL ADVERTISEMENT , The program is a TREASUIRE of FULL PAGE ADVERTISEMENTS to \"ZIM\" , \"CARMEL MIZRACHI - CARMEL ORIENTAL\" , \"OLYMPIC AIRWAYS\" , \"AMRON - Israeli PORTABLE TRANSISTOR RADIO\" , \"QUICK\" Israeli laundrey powder and more. The program is for the Israeli tour of \" PARIS SUR GLACE 1960 \" ( PAIS ON ICE 1960 ) . The EL AL advertisement is printed on extremely thick stock. Around 9.5 x 7 \" ( Not accurate ) . Excellent condition. ( Pls look at scan for accurate AS IS images ) Will be sent inside a protective rigidpackaging .PAYMENTS : Payment method accepted : Paypal .

SHIPPMENT : Shipp worldwide via registered airmail is $ 18 ( Domestic $12 ).Will be sent inside a protective rigidpackaging.Handling within 3-5 days after payment. Estimated Int\'l duration around 14 days.

El Al Israel Airlines Ltd(TASE: ELAL),[1]trading asEl Al(Hebrew:אל על‎, \"To The Skies\" or \"Skywards\",Arabic:إل عال‎‎), is theFlag carrierofIsrael.[2][3]Since its inaugural flight fromGenevatoTel Avivin September 1948, the airline has grown to serve some 45 destinations, operating scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights toEurope,North America,Africaand theNearandFar Eastfrom its main base inBen Gurion International Airport.[4]El Al in principle offers onlykosherin-flight mealsand does not fly passengers on the JewishSabbathor religious holidays.[5][6]It is the only commercial airline to equip its planes with missile defense systems, and is considered one of the world\'s most secure airlines, thanks to its stringent security procedures, both on the ground and on board its aircraft.[7][8]Although it has been the target of many attempted hijackings and terror attacks, onlyone El Al flighthas ever been hijacked.[9][10]As Israel\'s national airline, El Al has played an important role in humanitarian rescue efforts, airlifting Jews from other countries to Israel, setting the world record for the most passengers on a commercial aircraft (single plane record of 1,122 passengers) byOperation Solomonwhen 14,500 Jewish refugees were transported fromEthiopiain 1991.[11][12]In 2012, El Al operated an all-Boeingfleet of 38 aircraft, flying over 4 million passengers, and employed a staff of 6,056 globally. The company\'s revenues for 2011 grew to $2.4 billion, totalling losses of $49.4 million compared to a profit of $57 million in 2010.[13]Contents[hide]1 History1.1 Early years1.2 Expansion in the 1960s1.3 Late 1960s hijacking attempts1.4 The 1970s and 1980s1.5 1990s1.6 21st century2 Company affairs and identity2.1 Headquarters2.2 Operations2.3 Business trends2.4 Subsidiaries3 Security3.1 Onboard missile defense systems3.2 Airport security measures3.3 Flight security measures4 Controversies4.1 Security controversy and passenger profiling4.2 Excess baggage fee controversy4.3 Treatment of female passengers4.4 Other incidents5 Up6 Destinations6.1 Codesharing7 Fleet7.1 Current fleet7.2 Historic fleet7.3 Livery8 Services8.1 Frequent flyer program8.2 Lounge9 Accidents and incidents10 Notable El Al employees10.1 Pilots10.2 Flight attendants11 See also12 Notes13 References14 External linksHistory[edit]Early years[edit]An El AlLockheed Constellation(1951)In September 1948, Israel\'s firstpresident,Chaim Weizmann, attended a conference inGeneva, Switzerland. Weizmann was scheduled to fly back to Israel in an Israeli government aircraft, but due to an embargo imposed on Israel at the time, this was not possible. An IsraeliC-54military transport aircraft was instead converted into a civilian plane to transport Weizmann home. The aircraft was painted with the logo of the \"El Al/Israel National Aviation Company\" and fitted with extra fuel tanks to enable a non-stop flight from Geneva to Israel. It departed fromEkron Air Baseon 28 September, and returned to Israel the next day. After the flight, the aircraft was repainted and returned to military use.[14]The airline was incorporated and became Israel\'s national Flag carrier on 15 November 1948, although it used leased aircraft until February 1949, when two unpressurizedDC-4swere purchased fromAmerican Airlines. The acquisition was funded by thegovernment of Israel, theJewish Agency, and other Jewish organizations. The first plane arrived at Lod Airport (later renamed Ben Gurion) on 3 April 1949. Aryeh Pincus, a lawyer from South Africa, was elected head of the company. The first international flight, from Tel Aviv to Paris, with a refueling in Rome, took place on 31 July 1949.[14][15]By the end of 1949, the airline had flown passengers toLondonandJohannesburg. A regular service to London was inaugurated in the middle of 1950. Later that year, El Al acquired Universal Airways, which was owned by South African Zionists. A state-run domestic airline,Israel Inland Airlines, was founded in which El Al had a 50% stake.[when?][14]Curtiss Commando freight aircraft of El AlEl Al\'s cargo service was inaugurated in 1950 and initially relied on military surplusCurtiss C-46 Commandoaircraft. The same aircraft type was used also for passengers transportation in certain routes.[citation needed]The same year the airline initiated charter services to the United States, followed by scheduled flights soon afterwards.[14]From its earliest days the operation of the airline in keeping with Jewish tradition has been a source of friction; when the Israeli prime ministerDavid Ben-Gurionwas forming his first coalition, the religious parties would not join unless Ben-Gurion promised that El Al would serve onlykosherfood on its flights and would not fly on theJewish Sabbath.[16]Kurdish Jewish Immigrants from Iraq leavingLod Airport(1951)Bristol Britanniaof El Al at Farnborough Airport in 1957 just before delivery to the airlineThe airline was involved in several covert operations: In the early 1950s, El Al airlifted over 160,000 immigrants to Israel fromIndia,Iran,IraqandYemenas part ofOperation Magic CarpetandOperation Ezra and Nehemiah.[17]In 1960,Naziwar criminalAdolf Eichmannwas captured and flown from Argentina to Israel on an El Al aircraft.[18]In 1955, after usingLockheed Constellationsfor several years, the airline purchased twoBristol Britanniaaircraft. El Al was the second airline in the world to fly this plane, after theBritish Overseas Airways Corporation. In 1958, El Al ran a newspaper advertisement in the United States featuring a picture of a \"shrunken\" Atlantic Ocean (\"Starting Dec. 23, the Atlantic Ocean will be 20% smaller\") to promote its non-stoptransatlantic flights.[19]This was a bold step: the airline industry had never used images of the ocean in its advertising because of the widespread public fear of airline crashes. The advertisement, which ran only once, proved effective. Within a year, El Al\'s sales tripled.[20]Expansion in the 1960s[edit]An El AlBoeing 720being serviced atLondon Heathrow Airportin 1964.Despite the purchase of its Britannias and inauguration of non-stop transatlantic flights the airline remained unprofitable.[14][further explanation needed]When Efraim Ben-Arzi took over the company in the late 1950s, the Britannias were replaced in the next decade by theBoeing 707andBoeing 720jet airliners.An El AlBoeing 707atOrly Airport,Paris(1965)The first year that El Al turned a profit was 1960. That year, more than 50 percent of the passengers flying into Israel arrived on El Al flights.[14]On 15 June 1961, the airline set a world record for thelongest non-stop commercial flight: an El AlBoeing 707flew from New York to Tel Aviv, covering 5,760 miles (9,270km) in 9 hours and 33 minutes.[17]By this time, El Al was carrying 56,000 passengers a year—on a par withQantasand ahead of established airlines likeLoftleiðir. In 1961, El Al ranked 35th in the world in accumulated passenger distance.[21]El Al\'s success continued into the late 1960s. In 1968, regular flights toBucharestwere inaugurated, and cargo flights began to Europe and the United States. The airline also established a catering subsidiary, Teshet Tourism and Aviation Services Ltd. All these ventures brought in a profit of $2 million that year.[14]Late 1960s hijacking attempts[edit]See also:El Al Flight 426 hijackingIn 1968, El Al experienced the first of many acts of terrorism that have been perpetrated against the airline. On 23 July, the only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft took place, when a Boeing 707 carrying 10 crew and 38 passengers was taken over by three members of thePopular Front for the Liberation of Palestine(PFLP). The aircraft,El Al Flight 426, which was en route from Rome to Tel Aviv, was diverted toAlgiersby the hijackers. Negotiations with the hijackers lasted for 40 days. Both the hijackers and the passengers, including 21 Israeli hostages, were eventually freed.[22]The hijackers were said to have believed Israeli General Ariel Sharon was on the flight.[23]According to Sarah Levy, it was the Lubavitcher Rebbe, RabbiMenachem Mendel Schneersonwho saved Sharon\'s life, by advising him the night before to take a different flight.[24]On 26 December of the same year, two PFLP members attacked an El Al aircraft atAthens International Airport, killing an Israeli mechanic.[25]TheIsraeli Defense Forcesresponded to the incident on 29 December, with anight-time raidon Lebanon\'sBeirut Airport, destroying 14 planes on the ground belonging toMiddle East Airlines,Trans Mediterranean AirwaysandLebanese International Airways.[26]The military action was responsible for the demise of the LIA, which had most of its fleet destroyed.[citation needed]On 18 February 1969, Palestinians attacked an El Al plane atZurich Airportkilling the copilot and injuring the pilot. One Palestinian attacker was killed and others were convicted but later released. Between September and December of that year, bomb and grenade attacks occurred at El Al offices inAthens,West Berlin, andBrussels.[27]This wave of violence culminated in the failed hijacking of an El Al 707 byPatrick ArguelloandLeila Khaledon 6 September 1970, as part of theDawson\'s Field hijackings.[28]The 1970s and 1980s[edit]Revenue Passenger-Kilometers, scheduled flights only, in millionsYear Traffic1950 501955 1381960 4131965 13311969 20701971 30271980 45901985 65071995 112872000 14125Source: ICAO Digest of Statistics for 1950-55, IATA World Air Transport Statistics 1960-2000An El AlBoeing 707-300Blanding atZürich Airport,Switzerland(1982)An El AlBoeing 767-200on short final toLondon Heathrow Airportin 1985El Al acquired its firstBoeing 747in 1971. Many[who?]felt it was a risky purchase given the high cost of the plane and fear of attacks, but El Al operations flourished after the purchase. Another 747 was delivered in 1973 and was used to start non-stop service from Tel Aviv to New York (707s had flown the eastward nonstop since around 1961).In the mid-1970s El Al began to schedule flights from airports outside of Israel that departed on theJewish sabbathand landed in Israel after it had finished. The religious parties in the government were in arms over this, being that this was a violation of Jewish law and contrary to the agreement signed in the early days of the state, in which El Al promised to refrain from flying on the sabbath. In 1982 the newly re-elected prime ministerMenachem Begin, brought before the Knesset a vote to ban Sabbath flights once again (it passed by a vote of 58 to 54).[29]Outraged, the secular community threatened to boycott the airline. In August 1982 El Al workers blockedOrthodoxandHassidicJews from entering the airport.[16]In 1977 El Al established a charter subsidiary, El Al Charter Services Ltd., later renamedSun D\'Or International Airlines Ltd. Two years earlier the airline had suffered its first losses since the late 1950s, largely a product of the global recession. The management changed three times towards the end of the 1970s, until Itzhak Shander was named president.[clarification needed]As the political situation in Iran deteriorated, El Al began to airlift Jews to Israel. All the airline\'s infrastructure in Iran was eventually destroyed.[14]El Al flights toCairowere inaugurated in April 1980, following theIsrael–Egypt Peace Treaty.[17]In late 1982, after a long period of labor disputes and strikes, El Al operations were suspended. The government appointed Amram Blum to run the company, which lost $123.3 million in the fiscal year ending April 1983.[14][clarification needed]The airline also sold its stake in Arkia at this time.[30]Operations resumed in January 1983 underreceivership. The government purchased two newBoeing 737aircraft and announced plans to acquire fourBoeing 767jets at the cost of $200 million. Within four years, El Al was profitable again.[14]It broke another record, since then surpassed, in May 1988 with a non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv, a journey of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000km) in 13 hours and 41 minutes.[17][clarification needed]Flights to Poland and Yugoslavia were inaugurated in 1989.[14]1990s[edit]In January 1990,North American Airlinesbegan providingfeeder servicesto El Al\'s US destinations. El Al held a 24.9 percent stake in the airline until selling it back to Dan McKinnon in July 2003. By this time, El Al was operating a fleet of 20 aircraft, including nine Boeing 747s, and had begun replacing its aging Boeing 707s with theBoeing 757. Early that year, following thecollapseof theSoviet Union, El Al inaugurated regular flights to Moscow. Noairliftsfrom the former Soviet Union were possible at the time but permission was granted in 1991. Charter flights commenced in August 1991, withimmigrantsalso occupying all available seats on El Al\'s scheduled routes. In cooperation withAeroflot, El Al flew more than 400,000 Jewish immigrants to Israel within a three-year period.El Al helped with the airlifting ofEthiopian immigrantsfromEthiopiaduringOperation Solomonin 1991.On 24 May 1991, an El Al Boeing 747 cargo plane airlifted a record-breaking 1,087Ethiopian JewsfromAddis Ababato Israel in the framework ofOperation Solomon. Three babies were born during the flight. The plane carried twice as many passengers as it was designed for.[11]In less than 36 hours, 14,500 Ethiopian Jews were flown to Israel.[12]On 27 April 1994, El Al received its firstBoeing 747-400.[14][31]El Al flights were inaugurated to theFar East[when?]and, in 1995, El Al signed its firstcodesharing agreementwithAmerican Airlines.[14]In February 1995, the receivership under which the airline had technically been operating since 1982 came to an end.[32]In June 1996, El Al recorded its first flight from Israel toAmman,Jordan.[17]In 1996, El Al recorded US$83.1 million in losses, due to the resumption of terrorist activities and the government\'sopen skiespolicy.[14]To keep its planes flying during this period, El Al introduced flights \"to nowhere\": passengers were offered various kinds ofin-flight entertainmentas the plane circled the Mediterranean. One-day shopping trips to London and visits to religious sites in Eastern Europe were also promoted.[14]In 1997, El Al opened a separate cargo division.[33][clarification needed]21st century[edit]El Al\'s firstBoeing 777embarked on its maiden flight in March 2000. Later that year the controversy over flights on Shabbat erupted again, when the airline announced that it was losing US$55 million a year by grounding its planes on Saturdays. After privatization of the company began in June 2003, the policy regarding sabbath flights was expected to change.[16][17]The first phase of the long-delayed privatization of the company commenced in June 2003 and by Israel\'s Government Companies Authority, headed byEyal Gabbai. 15 percent of El Al\'s shares were listed on theTel Aviv Stock Exchange. By June 2004, 50% of the company had been sold to the public. By January 2005, a controlling share of the company had been transferred to Knafaim-Arkia Holdings Ltd.[17]As of October 2014, El Al\'s major shareholders are Knafaim Holdings (36%), Ginspurg Group (10%) and Delek Group (10%).[34]In August 2010, El Al andAmerican Airlinessigned an agreement to provide connecting through tickets between Israel and 61 destinations in the United States from October 2010, viaJohn F. Kennedy International Airportin New York.[35]Company affairs and identity[edit]Headquarters[edit]Small El Al aircraft at Schneider Children\'s Medical Center inPetakh TikvaEl Al\'s headquarters are located on the grounds ofBen Gurion International AirportinTel Aviv District,Israel, nearLod.Operations[edit]During 2005, the airline transported 3.5 million passengers, a rise from 3.2 million in 2004 and 2.8 million in 2003.[36]60% of the airline\'s passengers are Israeli.[37]In 2006, El Al posted a $44.6 million loss on revenues of $1.665 billion.[38]The company is facing four lawsuits, two of which have been approved asclass actions, which could cost the company $176.2 million.[when?][39]El Al spends $100 million a year to conform with the airline security measures required by Israel\'sShin Betsecurity service.[40]In early 2007, El Al opened a newKing David Loungeat Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. New lounges at Heathrow airport in London and JFK International airport in New York had also opened in late 2007.[41]In 2007, El Al invested NIS 1 billion in the purchase of two newBoeing 777-200sthat included an updated El Al decal. The aircraft are fitted with upgraded seats with adjustable headrests and legrests. Each seat is equipped with a touch-screen entertainment system. The first aircraft, named \"Sderot\", completed its maiden flight from New York to Tel Aviv on 26 July 2007. The second, \"Kiryat Shmona\", was delivered at the end of August 2007.[42]After the United StatesFederal Aviation Administrationdowngraded Israel\'saviation safety ratingto 2 in February 2009, anIATAmember has warned El Al, as well as competing airlines Arkia andIsrair, that they may appear on theEuropean blacklist of banned carriers.Giora Romm, head of theCivil Aviation Authority of Israel, responded to the claim, stating: \"We are in close contact with the Europeans,\" He added, \"I don\'t know what the fuss is about. The Europeans\' e-mail is strange. We are doing everything we can to improve security.\" TheEuropean Unionhas yet to make an official statement on the matter.[43]El Al uses theAmadeus CRSsystem for reservation, inventory, check-in and online bookings.[44]In November 2012, the United States FAA restored Israel\'s category 1 rating.[45]El Al has a cargo branch, El Al Cargo, which became independent in 1997. As the national cargo airline of Israel, it operates to destinations in Asia, Europe and North America plus ad hoc worldwide charters with its twoBoeing 747-200Faircraft. Before 2001, when the Israeli air cargo market opened up to competition, El Al Cargo enjoyed a monopoly. Now its main competition comes fromCAL Cargo Air Lines.[14]As of 2011, the company employs a staff of 6,056 globally and has a fleet of 37 aircraft. The company\'s revenues for 2011 grew by 4% from 2010 to $2.4 billion, totalling losses of $49.4 million compared to a profit of $57 million in 2010.[13]El Al hasHebrew languagevoiceovers andArabic languagesubtitles in its flightsafety videos. And after the first video is finished another video comes on inEnglish[46]Business trends[edit]The key trends for El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. are shown below (as at year ending 31 December):[47]Currency in Millions of US Dollars 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Operating revenues 2.096,3 1.655,8 1.971,4 2.042,6 2.015,6 2.103,0 2.081,3 2.054,0 100,0%Passenger aircraft, operation revenue 1.832,0 1.489,5 1.764,5 1.829,5 1.827,9 1.920,3 1.910,6 1.865,3 90,8%Cargo aircraft, operation revenue 139,5 58,3 87,5 99,4 80,4 70,4 69,9 71,4 3,5%Other revenue and Adjustments revenue 124,9 108,0 119,4 113,7 107,3 112,4 100,8 117,4 5,7%Operating expenses 1.776,3 1.444,3 1.584,6 1.764,9 1.701,9 1.737,1 1.802,7 1.592,8 77,5%Gross Profit 320,0 211,6 386,9 277,7 313,7 335,9 278,6 461,2 22,5%Selling, Administrative, General and Others expenses/revenues -325,7 -286,6 -299,6 -321,6 -301,6 -310,6 -291,4 -291,4 -14,2%Operating profit/loss -5,7 -75,0 87,3 -43,9 12,1 64,3 -12,8 169,8 8,3%Financing expenses/income, net -44,6 -26,3 -25,1 0,3 -37,0 -25,4 -26,6 -26,0 Share of the profits of subsidiaries, net of tax 0,5 0,4 0,0 1,4 1,4 0,3 1,1 0,8 Profit/loss before tax -49,7 -100,8 62,2 -42,2 -23,4 39,2 -38,3 144,6 7,0%Profit/loss after tax -41,9 -76,3 56,5 -49,8 -18,2 26,7 -28,1 106,5 5,2%Subsidiaries[edit]Sun D\'Or[edit]The charter operations of the Group is carried out throughSun D\'Or, a company fully owned by El Al. Sun D\'Or operates as a tourist organizer for wholesalers and individuals and markets charter and scheduled flights, both by means of leasing full aircraft capacity to third parties, or aircraft parts\' capacity to a number of partners for pre-negotiated prices, or by direct sales. Starting from 2011, Sun D\'Or operates as a tourist organizer, while maintaining the \"Sun D\'Or\" brand for scheduled and charter flights marketed by Sun D\'Or and operated by it (on weekdays) or by other airlines (on weekend and holiday flights).Tamam[edit]Tamam (a company fully owned by El Al) is mainly engaged in the production and supply of kosher ready meals to airline companies.Katit[edit]Katit (a company fully owned by El Al) is mainly engaged in the production and supply of meals to the Company\'s employees.Borenstein Caterers[edit]The main business of Borenstein, a company (fully owned by El Al) registered in the U.S. and operates at the New York JFK airport, is the production and supply of kosher ready meals to airlines and other institutions.Superstar Holidays[edit]Superstar (a company fully owned by El Al) is a tourist wholesaler that markets tourist package deals to travel agents and passengers, and sells airline tickets at discounted prices for flights on the Company\'s routes.Security[edit]As a prime target for terrorism, El Al employs stringent security procedures, both on the ground and on board its aircraft. These effective, though time-consuming and discriminatory, procedures have won El Al\'s security reputation.[10]In 2008, the airline was named byGlobal Travelermagazine as the world\'s most secure airline.[7]Onboard missile defense systems[edit]El Al planes have been fitted with anti-missile counter-measures since the early 2000s, with the initial system known asFlight Guard.[48][49][50][51]Since the early 2000s (decade), El Al has been the only commercial airliner to fit its planes with systems to defend againstanti-aircraft missiles. In 2014, El Al began to fit some of its planes that fly on more sensitive routes with an updated system missile defense system that employs an infrared missile-tracking camera, an “infrared (IR), ultra-violet (UV), or radar missile-approach warning (MAWS) sensor to detect a missile launch in the very early stages of an attack” and a laser system to act as a counter-measure.[52]In November 2014, under the Israeli government\'s SkyShield programme,Elbit\'s Commercial Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasures (C-MUSIC) system was adopted by El Al. \"C-MUSIC is one of the biggest and most complex projects ever undertaken at Elbit and in Israel\".[53]Airport security measures[edit]At Israel\'s Ben Gurion International Airport, plainclothes agents and fully armed police or military personnel patrol the premises for explosives, suspicious behavior, and other threats. Armed security personnel also patrol El Al terminals overseas. Inside the terminal, passengers and their baggage are checked by a trained team. El Al security procedures require that all passengers be interviewed individually prior to boarding, allowing El Al staff to identify possible security threats. Passengers are asked questions about their place of origin, the reason for their trip, their job or occupation, and whether they have packed their bags themselves. El Al believes interviewers can spot signs of nervousness.[54]At thecheck-incounter, passengers\'passportsandticketsare closely examined. A ticket without a sticker from the security checkers will not be accepted. At passport control passengers\' names are checked against information from theFBI,Canadian Security Intelligence Service(CSIS),Scotland Yard,Shin Bet, andInterpoldatabases. Luggage is screened and sometimes hand searched. In addition, bags are put through a decompression chamber simulating pressures during flight that could trigger explosives.[55]Even at overseas airports, El Al security agents conduct all luggage searches personally, even if they are supervised by government or private security firms.[56]Flight security measures[edit]Undercoveragents (sometimes referred to assky marshals) carrying concealed firearms sit among the passengers on every international El Al flight.[57]Most El Al pilots are formerIsraeli Air Forcepilots.[58][note 1]The cockpits in all El Al aircraft have double doors to prevent entry by unauthorized persons. Acodeis required to access the doors, and the second door will only be opened after the first has closed and the person has been identified by thecaptainorfirst officer.[58]Furthermore, there are reinforced steel floors separating the passengercabinfrom the baggage hold.[59]In April 2013, the Israeli government increased payments to El Al to secure 97.5% of the airlines\' security costs, ahead of the Open Skies agreement to take effect in 2014 with theEuropean Union.[60]Controversies[edit]Security controversy and passenger profiling[edit]The airline was also criticized by the Hungarian courts for refusing to search luggage with the passenger present, acting against Hungarian domestic laws stipulating that only authorized officials are able to undertake such searches.[61]A civil case was brought to theSupreme Court of Israelon 19 March 2008 alleging that El Al\'s practice of ethnic profiling singles out Arab passengers for tougher treatment.[62]Excess baggage fee controversy[edit]The Israeli presidentShimon Peres, opted at the last minute to change his flight from El Al toAir Canadaduring a state visit, because El Al tried to charge the president a $5,000 excess baggage fee for anoxygen tank. According to protocol, it is mandatory for an oxygen tank and other medical equipment to be on board an aircraft whenever an Israeli president or prime minister flies abroad.[63]Treatment of female passengers[edit]In September 2014 it was reported that there have been repeated incidents where ultra-Orthodox passengers refused to sit next to women passengers, sometimes delaying flights for hours. As result, a petition was initiated withChange.orgto pressure El Al to alter their policy of allowing ultra-Orthodox passengers on flights to negotiate switching seats. The petition reads: \"Why does El Al Airlines permit female passengers to be bullied, harassed, and intimidated into switching seats which they rightfully paid for and were assigned to by El Al Airlines? One person\'s religious rights do not trump another person\'s civil rights.\"[64][65][66]Following the incidents, Iris Richman, founder ofJewish Voices Together, a group created to address issues of religious pluralism in Israel and the U.S., encouraged passengers to protest this behavior through the US government, referencing \"49 U.S. Code § 40127 – Prohibitions on discrimination: Persons in Air Transportation.\" According to this directive, she wrote, \"An air carrier or foreign air carrier may not subject a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.\" Richman contacted the U.S. Department of Transportation, Aviation Consumer Protection Division, and stated the department \"is willing to investigate any situation where any employee of a carrier – i.e. a steward/ess – participated in asking someone to change a seat because of their gender.\"[67]El Al said that it would not put a policy in place to handle situations where male Haredim refuse to sit next to female passengers, but would instead attempt to satisfy passengers involved in such incidents on a case by case basis.[68]In February 2016, an Israeli woman named Renee Rabinowitz filed a lawsuit against El Al after being involved in an incident where an ultra-Orthodox man refused to sit next to her on a flight fromNewark International Airportto Tel Aviv and the flight attendants asked her to move seats.[69][70]Other incidents[edit]In 2013, the media reported that an El Al flight unprecedentedly returned to the gate to retrieve an 11-year-old cancer patient, Inbar Chomsky, who was removed from the flight after she misplaced her passport. Just before takeoff, her passport was found in another passenger\'s backpack, and the crew began to negotiate for the plane to return and pick up the distressed young traveler on her way to a summer camp for children with serious illnesses. El Al released a statement noting that \"planes rarely return to the gate after departing...but when the passport was found on the plane...a decision was made and the plane returned to pick up Inbar.”[71]Up[edit]Main article:Up (airline)On 26 November 2013, El Al unveiled its new low cost airlineUp,[72][73]which commenced operations on 30 March 2014, initially fiveBoeing 737-800stransferred from El Al fleet.[73]In August 2014,RyanairCEOMichael O\'Learyforeshadowed the development of aRyanair Israel, connecting Israel with cities across Europe. He said an inhibiting factor in the plan was Israeli authorities protectiveness of El Al from competition. The CEO ofUpwishes to recreate the airline business world.[74]Destinations[edit]Main article:El Al destinationsEl Al destinations.IsraelEl Al destinationsCargo only destinationsCodeshareonly destinationsEl Al serves destinations on five continents with a well-developed European network that also takes in important cities inRussia, theBaltic regionandCIS member states. The airline serves a number of gateway cities inNorth Americaand has expanded its service to cover central and southeast Asia (Bangkok,Mumbai) and theFar East(BeijingandHong Kong). However, El Al\'s inability to overflySaudi Arabianairspace, along with that of several otherArab countries, has reduced their ability to further expand their route network in Asia. It also offers services toJohannesburginSouth Africa.[75][76]El Al also operated domestic flights toEilatfor a while, ending them in October 2013.[77]Codesharing[edit]El Al hascodeshare agreementswith the following airlines as of January 2015.[78]Air ChinaAir Serbia[79]American AirlinesCzech AirlinesEthiopian AirlinesIberiaJetBlueS7 Airlines[80]Swiss International Air LinesThai AirwaysVietnam Airlines[81]Fleet[edit]This sectiondoes notciteanysources.Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(May 2016)Current fleet[edit]An El AlBoeing 737-800on short final toSchiphol Airportin 2012An El AlBoeing 777-200ERatDon Muang International Airportin 2005El Al has an all-Boeingfleet composed of the following aircraft:[82]El Al FleetAircraft In Service Orders Option Passengers NotesF C Y TotalBoeing 737-800 10 – – – 16 126 142 4 – 36 144 180 Operated for subsidiaryUp1 – – 189 189 Operated for subsidiarySun d\'OrBoeing 737-900ER 8 – – – 16 156 172 Boeing 747-400 6 – – 12 49 348 409 To be replaced with Boeing 787s by 2020Boeing 767-300ER 7 – – – 16 211 227 To be replaced with Boeing 787s by 2020Boeing 777-200ER 6 – – 12 35 232 279 Boeing 787-8 – 7 – TBA5 purchase and 2 leased (for a period of 12 years)Boeing 787-9 – 8 – TBA4 purchase and 4 leased (for a period of 12 years)Boeing 787-10 – – 7(+6) TBAFor each option that is firmed up, one more will be allocated resulting in the potential for six more B787-10sEl Al Cargo FleetBoeing 747-400F 1 – – — Total 43 15 13 El Al\'sBoeing customer codeis 58. That is, a 777-200ER built for El Al will have the model name of 777-258ER.[83][84]Historic fleet[edit]A former El AlBoeing 767-200ERA former El AlBoeing 747-200BOn November 26, 2012, El Al retired its lastBoeing 757-200after 25 years of service.[85]The lastBoeing 767-200ERin the fleet was retired on September 22, 2013 while the lastBoeing 737-700was phased out on May 10, 2016.[86]Fleet History[citation needed]Aircraft Introduced RetiredBoeing 707-300C 1965 1992Boeing 720B 1962 1980Boeing 737-200 1981 2000Boeing 737-700 1999 2016Boeing 747-100 1977 1988Boeing 747-200B 1971 2001Boeing 747-200C 1975 2006Boeing 747-200F 1979 2012Boeing 757-200 1987 2012Boeing 767-200 1982 2012Boeing 767-200ER 1984 2013Bristol Type 175 Britannia 1960s 1960sLockheed Constellation 1951 1960sDouglas DC-4 1949 1967Curtiss C-46 1940s 1950sMcDonnell Douglas MD-11 1998 2000Livery[edit]El Al\'s historic, superseded livery featured a turquoise/navy blue stripe down the side of the aircraft, and a turquoisetailfinwith the Flag of Israel at the top. El Al\'s logo was featured above the front run of windows on each side of the plane in the turquoise/navy scheme.[87]The new livery features a blue stripe with a thick silver border on the bottom that sweeps across the side of the aircraft near the wing, disappears over the top of the plane and reappears at the bottom of the tailfin. The El Al logo is part of the design, although it has been changed slightly since then. Most of El Al\'s aircraft are named for Israeli cities, such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Bet Shemesh, Nazeret, Haifa, and others. The cities names are located near the nose of the plane beneath the cockpit windows[88][further explanation needed]Services[edit]El Al Economy class in-flight vegan mealEl Al Economy class in aBoeing 757-200Frequent flyer program[edit]Matmid is El Al\'s presentfrequent flyer program. King David club cards (red) were issued 1991. It was re-launched in 2004 following the merger of El Al\'s previous frequent flyer programs. It has five tiers: Matmid, Matmid Silver, Matmid Gold, Matmid Platinum and Matmid TOP Platinum. Points accumulated in the program entitle members to bonus tickets, flight upgrades, and discounts on car rentals, hotel stays, and other products and services. Points are also awarded for travel with partner airlines, as well as for nights at partner hotels and for credit card purchases.[89]Matmid points can be collected on most flights operated bySouth African Airways,Sun D\'Or,Qantasand limitedAeroméxicoflights[90]Points are accumulated for any fares (ex. promotions), and points age—i.e. lose their validity after three years. To join Matmid, a one-time fee must be paid.Lounge[edit]The King David Lounge is the name adopted by El Al for special airport lounges that serve the airline\'s premium class passengers. There are six King David Lounges worldwide at the key airports at Ben Gurion International Airport,John F. Kennedy International Airportin New York,Newark Liberty International Airport,Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport,London Heathrow AirportandLos Angeles International Airport.[91]All King David Lounges offer drinks, snacks, newspapers and magazines (Israeli and foreign), while some lounges also offer freeWi-Fiinternet access. The King David Lounge at Terminal 3 at Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion airport is equipped with telephone, shower facilities and a spa; it has a separate section for first-class passengers.[92]Accidents and incidents[edit]Monument for theBijlmer disaster, Amsterdam of 4 October 1992. The monument was designed by architect Herman Hertzberger together with survivors.On 24 November 1951, aDC-4on a cargo flight from Tel Aviv to Amsterdam crashed on approach toZürich Airport, killing 6 crew members.[93][further explanation needed]On 27 July 1955, aLockheed ConstellationoperatingEl Al Flight 402, was shot down by twoBulgarian Air Forcefighter jets overBlagoevgrad, nearSofia,Bulgaria, after it strayed into Bulgarian airspace in rough weather. All 58 passengers and crew were killed.[94][95][96]On 23 July 1968,El Al Flight 426operated by aBoeing 707-358Cen route from London toTel Avivvia Rome, was hijacked by three members of thePopular Front for the Liberation of Palestineshortly after take-off from Rome-Fiumicinoairport and forcibly diverted toAlgiers. The hijacking ended after 40 days and is considered to be the only successful hijacking involving an El Al jet.In February, 1969, an El Al Boeing 707 was attacked atZürichairport. An Israeli trainee pilot was killed, with another eight people being wounded. In a firefight involving security personnel, one hijacker was killed, while the others were arrested. The hijackers were later put on trial inWinterthur, Switzerland but released following the hijacking of a Swissair aircraft one year later.[97]On September 6, 1970, El Al Flight 219 from Tel Aviv to New York, with a stopover in Amsterdam, was the target of an attempted hijacking byLeila KhaledandPatrick Argüelloafter taking off from Amsterdam. The hijacking was meant to be one of theDawson\'s Field hijackings, but it was thwarted by the pilot and on-board air marshall. Argüello was killed in this incident.[98]On January 13, 1975, several men, includingCarlos the Jackal, made an unsuccessful attempt to destroy an El Al airliner at Orly Airport. The men tried again on January 17, also without success.[99][100]On 27 December 1985, after several failed attempts to attack El Al aircraft, guerrillas of theFatah Revolutionary Councilattacked El Al ticket countersat Rome-Fiumicinoand Vienna-Schwechatairports, killing 18 people.[25]Another terrorist attack was foiled on 18 April 1986 in what became known as theHindawi Affair. A pregnant Irishwoman named Anne-Marie Murphy was about to board an El Al flight at London\'s Heathrow airport when her bag was found to contain three pounds of plastic explosives. These had been planted by her fiancéNezar Hindawi, who was booked on a different flight. Hindawi was jailed for 45 years, the longest sentence (short of a life setence) ever delivered by a British court.[101]There was evidence thatSyrianofficials were involved and as a result, Britain cut off diplomatic relations with Syria.[102]On 4 October 1992,El Al Flight 1862operated by a Boeing 747-200F cargo plane, crashed into two highrise apartment buildings (Kruitberg and Groeneveen) inBijlmermeer, a neighborhood of Amsterdam. The crash was caused by an engine detaching from the aircraft, knocking a second engine off the aircraft as well. The three crew members, one passenger, and 39 people on the ground were killed.[103]On 4 July 2002,Hesham Mohamed Hadayetshot six Israelis at El Al\'s ticket counter atLos Angeles International Airportbefore he was shot and killed by an El Al security guard.[104]Two of the victims died. Although not linked to any terrorist group, Hadayet, anEgyptian, espoused anti-Israeli views and was opposed to US policy in the Middle East.[105]The USFederal Bureau of Investigationclassified the shooting as aterrorist act, one of the few on US soil since theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.On 17 November 2002, Tawfiq Fukra, a twenty-three-year-oldIsraeli Arab, attempted to hijack an El Al flight from Tel Aviv toIstanbul. He was reportedly armed with a pocket knife, and attempted to break into the cockpit in order to fly the aircraft back to Israel and crash it into a building. He was apprehended by on-board security personnel.[106][107][108]Notable El Al employees[edit]El Al flight attendant in the 1950sPilots[edit]Pinchas Ben-Porat- Palmach Member, one of Israel\'s first aviatorsGiora Epstein- Israeli Air Force pilot, flying aceEliezer Cohen- politicianYoav Kish- politicianAbie Nathan- humanitarian and peace activistFlight attendants[edit]Gali Atari- singer and actressMiki Haimovich- anchorwoman, television presenterAdir Miller- actor, Screenwriter and comedianSara Netanyahu- wife ofIsraeli Prime MinisterBenjamin NetanyahuAlma Zack- actressTheLockheed Constellation(\"Connie\") was a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built byLockheed Corporationbetween 1943 and 1958 atBurbank, California.Lockheed built 856 in numerous models—all with the same triple-tail design and dolphin-shaped fuselage. Most were powered by four 18-cylinderWright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclones. The Constellation was used as a civil airliner and as a military and civilian air transport, seeing service in theBerlinand theBiafran airlifts. Three of them served as the presidential aircraft forDwight D. Eisenhower.Contents[hide]1 Design and development1.1 Initial studies1.2 Development of the Constellation2 Operational history2.1 World War II2.2 Postwar use2.3 Records2.4 Obsolescence3 Variants4 Operators5 Surviving aircraft5.1 Commercial5.2 Military6 Specifications (L-1049G Super Constellation)7 Accidents and incidents8 See also9 References9.1 Notes9.2 Bibliography10 External linksDesign and development[edit]Initial studies[edit]Lockheed had been working on theL-044 Excalibur, a four-engine, pressurized airliner, since 1937. In 1939,Trans World Airlines, at the instigation of major stockholderHoward Hughes, requested a 40-passenger transcontinental airliner with a range of 3,500mi (5,630km)[1]—well beyond the capabilities of the Excalibur design. TWA\'s requirements led to theL-049 Constellation, designed by Lockheed engineers includingKelly JohnsonandHall Hibbard.[2]Willis Hawkins, another Lockheed engineer, maintains that the Excalibur program was purely a cover for the Constellation.[3]A preserved C-121C Super Constellation, registration N73544, in flight in 2004Development of the Constellation[edit]The Constellation\'s wing design was close to that of theP-38 Lightning, differing mostly in size.[4]The triple tail kept the aircraft\'s height low enough to fit in existing hangars,[3]while features included hydraulically boosted controls and ade-icing systemused on wing and tail leading edges.[1]The aircraft had a maximum speed of over 375mph (600km/h), faster than that of aJapanese Zero fighter, a cruise speed of 340mph (550km/h), and a service ceiling of 24,000ft (7,300m).[5]According to Anthony Sampson inEmpires of the Sky, Lockheed may have undertaken the intricate design, but Hughes\' intercession in the design process drove the concept, shape, capabilities, appearance, and ethos.[6]These rumors were discredited by Johnson. Howard Hughes and Jack Frye confirmed that the rumors were not true in a letter in November 1941.[7]The famous 1953-54Studebaker coupe, considered by some one of the most beautiful American automobile designs, was inspired in part by the design of the Constellation, according to its principal designer, Robert Bourke.[citation needed]Operational history[edit]World War II[edit]The first Lockheed Constellation on January 9, 1943With the onset ofWorld War II, the TWA aircraft entering production were converted to an order forC-69 Constellationmilitary transport aircraft, with 202 aircraft intended for theUnited States Army Air Forces(USAAF). The first prototype (civil registration NX25600) flew on January 9, 1943, a short ferry hop from Burbank toMuroc Fieldfor testing.[1]Edmund T. \"Eddie\" Allen, on loan fromBoeing, flew left seat, with Lockheed\'s ownMilo Burchamas copilot.Rudy Thorenand Kelly Johnson were also on board.Lockheed proposed the modelL-249as a long-range bomber. It received the military designationXB-30, but the aircraft was not developed. A plan for a very long-range troop transport, the C-69B (L-349, ordered byPan Amin 1940 as theL-149),[8]was canceled. A single C-69C (L-549), a 43-seat VIP transport, was built in 1945 at the Lockheed-Burbank plant.The C-69 was mostly used as a high-speed, long-distance troop transport during the war.[9]A total of 22 C-69s were completed before the end of hostilities, but not all of these entered military service. The USAAF cancelled the remainder of the order in 1945. However, some aircraft remained in USAF service into the 1960s, serving as passenger ferries for the airline that relocated military personnel, and carrying the livery of the Military Air Transport System. At least one of these airplanes had passenger seats installed backward, with occupants facing toward the rear of the direction of travel during flight.Postwar use[edit]TWAL-749A Constellation atHeathrowin 1954 with an under fuselage \"Speedpack\" freight containerSuper Constellation (C-121C) during pilot training in Epinal - Mirecourt, FranceAfter World War II, the Constellation came into its own as a fast civilian airliner. Aircraft already in production for the USAAF as C-69 transports were finished as civilian airliners, with TWA receiving the first on 1 October 1945. TWA\'s first transatlantic proving flight departed Washington, DC, on December 3, 1945, arriving in Paris on December 4 viaGanderandShannon.[1]TWA transatlantic service started on February 6, 1946 with a New York-Paris flight in a Constellation. On June 17, 1947,Pan American World Airways(Pan Am) opened the first-ever scheduled round-the-world service with theirL-749Clipper America. The famous flight \"Pan Am 1\" operated until 1982.As the firstpressurized airlinerin widespread use, the Constellation helped to usher in affordable and comfortable air travel. Operators of Constellations included TWA,Eastern Air Lines, Pan Am,Air France,BOAC,KLM,Qantas,Lufthansa,Iberia Airlines,Panair do Brasil,TAP Portugal,Trans-Canada Air Lines(later renamedAir Canada),Aer Lingus,VARIG,Cubana de Aviación, andLínea Aeropostal Venezolana.Records[edit]Sleek and powerful, Constellations set a number of records. On April 17, 1944, the second production C-69, piloted by Howard Hughes and TWA presidentJack Frye, flew fromBurbank, California, toWashington, DC, in 6 hours and 57 minutes (about 2,300 miles (3,700km) at an average 331 miles per hour (533km/h)). On the return trip, the aircraft stopped atWright Fieldto giveOrville Wrighthis last flight, more than 40 years after his historic first flight. He commented that the Constellation\'s wingspan was longer than the distance of his first flight.[2]On September 29, 1957, a TWAL-1649Aflew from Los Angeles to London in 18 hours and 32 minutes (about 5,420 miles (8,720km) at 292 miles per hour (470km/h)). The L-1649A holds the record for the longest-duration, non-stop passenger flight aboard a piston-powered airliner. On TWA\'s first London-to-San Francisco flight on October 1–2, 1957, the aircraft stayed aloft for 23 hours and 19 minutes (about 5,350 miles (8,610km) at 229 miles per hour (369km/h)).Obsolescence[edit]L-1049H freighter ofNordairCanada atManchester Airportin 1966The advent of jet airliners such as thede Havilland Comet,Boeing 707,Douglas DC-8,Convair 880, andSud Aviation Caravellerendered the piston-engined Constellation obsolete. The first routes lost to jets were the long overseas routes, but Constellations continued to fly domestic routes. The last scheduled passenger flight in the lower 48 states was made by a TWA L749 on May 11, 1967, from Philadelphia to Kansas City, Missouri.[10]Constellations carried freight in later years, and were used on backup sections ofEastern Airlines\' shuttle service between New York, Washington, and Boston until 1968. Many old propeller airliners were used on overnight freight runs, even into the 1990s, as their low speed was not an impediment. An Eastern Constellation to date still holds the record for a New York to Washington flight from liftoff to touchdown in just over 30 minutes. The record was set prior to speed restrictions by the FAA below 10,000ft.[11]One of the reasons for the elegant appearance of the aircraft was the fuselage shape—a continuously variable profile with no twobulkheadsthe same shape. Unfortunately, this construction was very expensive and was replaced by mostly tube-shaped modern airliners. The tube is more resistant to pressurization changes and cheaper to build.With the shutdown of Constellation production, Lockheed elected not to develop a first-generation jetliner, instead sticking to its lucrative military business and production of the modestturboprop-poweredLockheed L-188 Electraairliner. Lockheed did not build a large civilian passenger aircraft again until itsL-1011 Tristardebuted in 1972. While a technological marvel, the L-1011 was a commercial failure, and Lockheed left the commercial airliner business permanently in 1983.[12]Variants[edit]Main article:Lockheed Constellation variantsSuper Constellation atCharles Prince Airport,Rhodesia(nowZimbabwe) in 1975, used as a flying club headquartersA United States NavyR7V-2(L-1249) in flight: The L-1249 usedPratt & Whitney T34turboprop engines in place of theWright R-3350radials.[13]The initial military versions carried the Lockheed designation ofL-049; as World War II came to a close, some were completed as civilianL-049 Constellationsfollowed by theL-149(L-049 modified to carry more fuel tanks). The first purpose-built passenger Constellation was the more powerfulL-649andL-749(which had more fuel in the outer wings),[8][pageneeded]L-849(an unbuilt model to use theR-3350TurboCompoundengines adopted for the L-1049 ),L-949(an unbuilt, high-density seating-cum-freighter type, what would come to be called a \"combi\"),[8]followed by theL-1049 Super Constellation(with longer fuselage),L-1149(proposal to use Allison turbine engines)[8]andL-1249(similar to L-1149, built as R7V-2/YC-121F),[8]L-1449(unbuilt proposal for L1049G, stretched 55in (140cm), with new wing and turbines)[8]andL-1549(unbuilt project to stretch L-1449 95in (240cm)),[8]andL-1649 Starliner(all new wing and L1049G fuselage).[8]Military versions included theC-69andC-121for theArmy Air Forces/Air Forceand theR7OR7V-1 (L-1049B)EC-121WV-1 (L-749A)WV-2 (L-1049B)(widely known as theWillie Victor) and many variant EC-121 designations for theNavy[14][15]Operators[edit]See also:List of Lockheed Constellation operatorsAfter TWA\'s initial order was filled following World War II, customers rapidly accumulated, with over 800 aircraft built. In military service, the U.S. Navy and Air Force operated theEC-121 Warning Starvariant until 1978, nearly 40 years after work on the L-049 began.Cubana de Aviaciónwas the first airline in Latin America to operate Super Constellations.Pakistan International Airlineswas the first airline from an Asian country to fly the Super Constellation.Surviving aircraft[edit]The Breitling Super Constellation from the Swiss Super Constellation Flyers Association: It is the last Super Constellation in flying condition in Europe.An abandoned Constellation display in Florida (1970s)HARS Super Connie atWollongong, 2004Lockheed L-1049 G Super Constellation on display close toMunich International AirportCommercial[edit]The Breitling Super Constellation:Swisswatch manufacturerBreitlingsponsored a restoration of a C-121C Super Constellation, registration N73544, that is based inBaseland has since been featured in its advertisements. This plane is now registered in the Swiss Aircraft registry as HB-RSC.[16]The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society secured and restored a former USAF C-121C Super Constellation (54-0157). The aircraft was subsequently painted in pseudo-Qantas livery (with the usual Qantas lettering along the fuselage replaced with the word \"CONNIE\") and registered inAustraliaas VH-EAG. The aircraft is currently based inWollongong. This Constellation is one of two flying in the world.[17]An L-1049H Constellation that was built originally in 1957, stored for several years, and then delivered to cargo carrier Slick Airways was restored in 1986 by the Save-a-Connie, Inc. organization inKansas City, Missouri, now known as theAirline History Museum. Originally painted in red and white with Save-a-Connie, it was later repainted in the 1950s livery of TWA to resemble its originalStar of AmericaConstellation.[18]The aircraft appeared at New York\'s John F. Kennedy International Airport at the original TWA terminal designed byEero Saarinento commemorate the 75th anniversary of the airline with the paint scheme donated by TWA in Kansas City for the occasion. TheStar of Americahas appeared at many airshows and was even used inThe Aviator, the 2004 film depicting the life of TWA\'s one-time owner Howard Hughes, the man often credited with helping design and develop the original Constellation series.[19]After being grounded for the past few years,Star of Americais currently being returned to airworthiness.An L-1049G Super Constellation inLufthansalivery and with historic D-ALEM call letters is on display close toMunich International Airport,Munich,Germany, representing Lufthansa\'s first long-haul aircraft of 1955.[20]One Super Constellation namedCity of Miamiis parked on an unused runway in theRafael Hernández AirportinAguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was struck by a runaway DC-4 at Aguadilla-Borinquen Airport, on February 3, 1992, resulting in damage to the right wing and main spar.[21]ZS-DVJ c/n 1042 (L-1649A) ofTrek Airwaysis on display at OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa at the South African Airways Technical area. The aircraft is owned by the South African Airways Museum Society.[22]L-749A restored at AviodromeThe Dutch National Aviation MuseumAviodromeacquired a VC-121A Constellation. It was restored to airworthy condition and ferried from Tucson, Arizona, to theNetherlands, where restoration continued. It is now painted in theKLMlivery of the 1950s, depicting a KLM Lockheed L-749A. Thanks to a donation byKorean Air, which donated two airworthy engines, this aircraft is scheduled to be flying again. RenamedFlevoland, this is the only flying example of the \"short\" version of the Constellation.HL4003 of the formerKorean National Airlinesis displayed atJeongseok AirportonJeju Island, South Korea. The current owner,Korean Air, keeps this aircraft in an airworthy state, and the aircraft flew under its own power from Seoul to its current location.[23]N7777G is displayed in TWA colors (although this aircraft never flew for TWA) at the Large Item Storage facility for the UK Science Museum at Wroughton, near Swindon. This aircraft was used by the Rolling Stones to transport equipment during their 1973 Australian tour.[24]It is the only UK Constellation and is viewable on certain open days.[25]L-049 c/n 2072, federal registration N9412H (delivered as Air France\'s first Constellation in June 1946 as L-049 F-BAZA) is parked adjacent to a flight school and cafe at Greenwood Lake Airport in West Milford, New Jersey. It was sold to Frank Lembo Enterprises in May 1976 for $45,000 for use as a restaurant and lounge, and flown into the airport in July 1977. It was sold to the State of New Jersey along with the airport in 2000, and the interior was refurbished and used as a flight school office in 2005.[26]Two L-1649A Super Stars N7316C c/n 1018 and N8083H c/n 1038 (both ex-Alaska Airlines) are parked on private land next to the Lewiston-Auburn Municipal Airport in Auburn, Maine. The two aircraft were purchased at sale by the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Foundation. Lufthansa Technik North America has built a hangar at the airport, which will be used to overhaul N7316C to airworthy condition. The target date for completion of the overhaul was October 10, 2010.L-049 c/o 1970, N90831, one of the first TWA aircraft and a former C-69 transport, s/n 42-94549, is displayed in outdoor exhibit on airliner row atPima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.[27]L-049 c/o 2071, ex-KLM, ex-Capital Airlines, is on display at theTAM Museum, located in the TAM Airlines airfield, in Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil. Previously, it served as a children\'s attraction at the entrance of the Asuncion (Paraguay) International Airport.[28]L-749 c/o 2503 is in theMusée de l\'Air et de l\'Espace(The Museum of Air and Space) located inLe BourgetAirport, 10km north of Paris. It has been parked in a museum storage area since 1975, and is in good condition with minimal corrosion. Ex-Pan Am «Clipper America» del. 6 June 1947 reg. N C86520; to Aerovías Guest Mexico (XA-GOQ 01/1948),Air Francefrom 01/1949 to 10/1960 as F-BAZR; CGTM (Compagnie Générale des Turbo-Machines) as F-ZVMV for use as flying engine test until December 1974.[29]L-1049G Super Constellation - CF-TGE (c/n 4544) is on display at theMuseum of FlightinSeattle, Washington, with its originalTrans-Canada Air Linesmarkings (the company that operated it from 1954 to the 1960s). After TCA service, it was sold toWorld Wide Airwaysand later retired in Montreal by 1965; it was renovated as a restaurant and bar in and around the Montreal area, and sold and moved again toTorontoand used as convention facility by theRegal Constellation Hotel. It was sold again and stored atToronto Pearson International Airport. Finally, it was sold and restored inRome, New York, and shipped to the Museum of Flight.[30][31]L-1049G c/n 4519 F-BGNJ, formerly a C version, was delivered to Air France on November 2, 1953, and is undergoing a complete restoration for static display by theAmicale du Super Constellationlocated inNantesAirport. It was upgraded to a L-1049 G in 1956 and was operational until August 8, 1967, having totaled 24,284 hours under Air France\'s colors. After retirement, it was sent to Spain, to be registered EC-BEN, briefly flying humanitarian and medevac missions in Biafra. Aero Fret bought it in 1968, brought it back home to France, registered it as F-BRAD, and operated it on cargo hauls until 1974. When the Constellation landed in Nantes one last time to be scrapped, it was ultimately saved by Mr. Gaborit, who revamped it somewhat by his own modest means to finally park it near the terminal, accessible to visitors for a few years, until the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Nantes-Atlantique Airport bought it, to contract theAmicale du Super Constellationto undergo a complete restoration of the old aircraft.[32]A Lufthansa L-1049G Super Constellation serial number 1049G4604, registration D-ALIN, is on display at theFlugausstellung Hermeskeil, nearHermeskeil, Germany. This is the actual aircraftKonrad Adenauerflew in toMoscowin 1955, when he negotiated the release of German POWs.L-1649A Starliner, N974R (c/n 1040) is on static display in front of the \"Fantasy of Flight\" attraction in Lakeland, Florida.[33]L-749 Constellation, N2520B, in Aerosur livery, is on static display on the first ring road in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. It is known asEl Avión Pirata.[34]N4247K c/n 4144 was impounded at Manila Airport, the Philippines, by June 1988, and stored in deteriorating condition at the Manila Airport,[35]but in September 2014, was secured for removal and static preservation to theQantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach.[36]Military[edit]Dwight D. Eisenhowerflew in three Constellations, namedColumbine,Columbine II, andColumbine III.L-749A c/o 2613 was the first of two WV-1s delivered to the US Navy in 1949. Essentially, it was a prototype for the Super Constellations that followed. Retired from the Navy in 1957, it served the FAA from 1958 to 1966. Flown to Salina, Kansas, in 1967, it remains parked there, and was last flown in 1992.[37]Three Constellations were used as Dwight D. Eisenhower\'s aircraft. The VC-121AColumbine(s/n 48-0614) was used during his role asSupreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europecommander before he became president. It is currently on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, on loan from the National Museum of the US Air Force.[38]Columbine II(s/n 48-0610), the firstAir Force One, is being restored in Bridgewater, Virginia, after a long period of storage atMarana Regional Airport, near Tucson.[39][40][41][42]Two other Constellations, the VC-121EColumbine III(s/n 53-7885) used as Dwight D. Eisenhower\'s presidential aircraft, and theEC-121 Warning Star(s/n 53-555) are fully restored and on display at theNational Museum of the United States Air ForceatWright-Patterson Air Force BasenearDayton, Ohio.Columbine IIIwas retired to the Museum in 1966, and is displayed in the museum\'s Presidential gallery. The interior of the aircraft is open to the public. The EC-121 Warning Star is on display in the museum\'s Modern Flight Gallery.[43]C-121A serial number 48-0613 (Bataan) is on display atPlanes of Famein Valle, Arizona. This Constellation is in flying condition. According to the museum\'s website, this aircraft was used as a personal transport by General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War, and later by other Army general officers until 1966, when it was retired and transferred to the U.S. space agency NASA. After its acquisition by Planes of Fame, it was restored to its original configuration with a \"VIP interior\".C-121C is on display at theNational Air and Space Museum,Udvar-Hazy Centerlocated at Dulles Airport in Virginia, and this aircraft flew as an Air Force C-121C and is painted in the colors of the Air National Guard.[44]EC-121D Warning Star is on display at theAerospace Museum of Californiaat the formerMcClellan Air Force BaseinNorth Highlands, California. This aircraft is on loan from theNational Museum of the United States Air Force.[45]EC-121D, Navy BuNo 141311, is on display at theChanute Aerospace Museumat the formerChanute AFBinRantoul, Illinois.EC-121T, serial number 52-3425, is on display at thePeterson Air and Space MuseumatPeterson AFBinColorado Springs, Colorado. Previously assigned to the 966th AEWCS atMcCoy AFB, Florida, and then the 79th AEWCS atHomestead AFB, Florida, it was the last operational EC-121 and was deployed by the 79th AEWCS toNAS Keflavik, Iceland. It was delivered to Peterson AFB in October 1978.[46]N4257U on display at the Combat Air Museum in TopekaEC-121T serial number 53-0554, with markings from the 79th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron, Homestead AFB, Florida, 1974 is displayed in the outdoor exhibit at Pima Air & Space Museum. As of April 6, 2014, it is undergoing restoration on itsradome.[47]RC-121D serial number 52-3418 (N4257U c/n 4336 federal registration) was delivered to the Air Force in October 1954. Then it was redesignated EC-121D 1962, converted to EC-121T, but the upper radome was not removed. Reassigned to USAF Reserves at Homestead AFB, Florida by July 1974, it was retired and flown to Davis Monthan AFB for storage on April 7, 1976. Reassigned to theCombat Air Museum,Topeka, Kansas, on March 1981 as N4257U, the RC-121D was ferried to Topeka, Kansas, on June 1981 with Frank Lang in command.IN315, anIndian NavyL1049G (formerAir IndiaL1049E VT-DHMRani of Ellora) Super Constellation is on display at theNaval Aviation Museumat Dabolim inGoa,India.[48]Specifications (L-1049G Super Constellation)[edit]Data fromGreat Aircraft of the World[49]andQuest for Performance[50]General characteristicsCrew:five, flight crew, varying cabin crewCapacity:typically 62–95 passengers (109 in high-density configuration)Length:116 ft 2 in (35.42 m)Wingspan:126 ft 2 in (38.47 m)Height:24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)Wing area:1,654 ft2(153.7 m2)Empty weight:79,700 lb (36,150 kg)Useful load:65,300 lb (29,620 kg)Max. takeoff weight:137,500 lb (62,370kg)Powerplant:4 ×Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound18-cylindersuperchargedradial engines, 3,250 hp (2,424 kW) eachPerformanceMaximum speed:377 mph (327 kn, 607 km/h)Cruise speed:340 mph (295 kn, 547 km/h) at 22,600 ft (6,890 m)Stall speed:100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)Range:5,400 mi (4,700 nmi, 8,700 km)Service ceiling:24,000 ft (7,620 m)Rate of climb:1,620 ft/min (8.23 m/s)Wing loading:87.7 lb/ft2(428 kg/m2)Power/mass:0.094 hp/lb (0,155 W/kg)Accidents and incidents[edit]Main article:List of accidents and incidents involving the Lockheed ConstellationSee also[edit]Robert Nietzel BuckRelated developmentL-049 ConstellationC-69 ConstellationL-649 ConstellationL-749 ConstellationL-1049 Super ConstellationC-121/R7V ConstellationL-1249 Super Constellation(R7V-2/YC-121F)L-1649A StarlinerAircraft of comparable role, configuration and eraBoeing 377Douglas DC-4EDouglas DC-6Douglas DC-7Bristol BritanniaRelated listsList of Lockheed aircraftList of models of the Lockheed ConstellationList of military aircraft of the United StatesList of military aircraft of the United States (naval)