Designing the Lockheed L-1011 to Meet Airline Needs Beyond 1970

The Lockheed 1011 Jet Transport is designed as a “next generation” aircraft to fill an airline need for a profit-making vehice that will meet the challenges of airline travel during the 1970's and beyond. All forecasts made of this period indicate that todays' commercial transport airplanes will be deficient in payload capability, passenger appeal, airport compatibility, operating costs, and community acceptance, and cannot efficiently meet the demands predicted for air travel growth in the 1970 decade.

To provide significant improvements over the present well-advanced jet transports required rigorous evaluation of present and future commercial airline operations. Extensive parametric and design trade-off studies in early stages of the design development produced significant advancements in technology and design for the L-1011. Also featured in the L-1011 are many design concepts developed in consultation with the airlines. These design concepts were adopted only after their effects on airline operations and economics were thoroughly examined and found suitable to meet airline needs beyond 1970 with consideration for growth and variations to suit the ever-expanding and variable air transport market.