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NEWS & INFORMATION

Final Take-Off

Exactly 2 years ago, CS-TEB flew towards Amman where she remains in storage. That day, an era of 27 years of L-1011 operations in Portugal, was ended.

When this site was launched in January 2000, CS-TEB was the only L-1011 flying in Portugal after TAP phased-out the type in 1997. Eventually the number of L-1011s in the Portuguese Civil Aviation Registry grew up to 4 units. The L-1011 also had a second life in Portugal in the charter role which lasted almost 13 years! Air Luxor, euroAtlantic, LUZair and YES were the airlines that made extensive use of the type.

Although CS-TEB could be made airworthy again, the fact is that its operation would be economically unsustainable, specially after the last wing inspection regime AD was issued. Today, the only way to remember the glorious days of this machine is through photographs... I still remember the first photo of CS-TEB I took. It was during a heavy thunderstorm, on a wednesday, 3rd of May 2000.

CS-TEB @ LIS © André Oliveira

As shown in the "Farewell L-1011" post, my last pictures of her were taken the same day she departed for storage. Unfortunatelly I couldn't see the take-off. However, that unique moment was captured by Pedro Carvalho who originally shared the following photos in "Aviação Portugal" community.

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB being towed to a new stand © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB @ final stand before departure © Pedro Carvalho 

CS-TEB start-up engine #3 © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB start-up engine #1 © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB start-up engine #1 © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB taxi to rwy 03 © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB taxi to rwy 03 © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB final take-off © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB final take-off © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB lift-off © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB up, up and away © Pedro Carvalho

CS-TEB goodbye... © Pedro Carvalho

A tribute to this aircraft was made by my friend and Air Navigation instructor Francisco Oliveira, who was also a Flight Engineer with TAP and later with euroAtlantic airways since the early days of this airline as Air Madeira.


I would like to thank both Pedro Carvalho and Francisco Oliveira for these beautiful pictures.

You can learn more about CS-TEB here.