Fly Past

April 2018 FLYPAST 73

A

63-year-old veteran is easily
the most spectacular aircraft
inside the maintenance hangar
of Switzerland’s national carrier
Swiss at Zurich’s Kloten Airport.
State-of-the-art airliners of all sizes
and sleek, globe-trotting corporate
jets don’t turn heads like Lockheed
L-1049F Super Constellation HB-RSC
Star of Switzerland.
Since 2004, this shapely,
triple-tailed airliner has been
operated by the Swiss Super
Constellation Flyers Association
(SCFA). Its 3,000-plus members
believe Sierra-Charlie is the most
beautiful aircraft in the world. The
association has a Permit to Fly with
up to 35 passengers – but each
would-be flyer must have been a

member for at least a year.

Now in its seventh decade, Star of

Switzerland is inevitably suffering

from corrosion and wear and

tear. In 2017 these two elements

conspired to ground the ‘Connie’

for the entire season.

High-speed taxi trials and tests

to try out newly manufactured

wheel centres were held during

the spring. However, progress was

halted when a fire broke out. It was

quickly tackled by the airport’s fire

crews, but the brakes, hydraulic

systems and tyres were damaged

by the flames.

The engineering team decided

to put this major period of down

time to good use by inspecting the

airframe in great detail to see what

other work could be carried out

simultaneously.

Sierra-Charlie was due a spell of

tender loving care after working

hard on the European airshow

circuit. No area of the big airliner

has been overlooked; Star of

Switzerland will emerge from this

process in exceptional condition.

Final adjustments

Several link rods, which stabilise

the massive flaps when extended,

were found to have extensive

corrosion. These had to be

manufactured from new as there

were no spare parts to be found

anywhere. The replacement parts

have been installed over the last

couple of months.

New tyres, brakes and braking

systems will have been fitted by

the time FlyPast goes to press.

One of the 3,250hp (2,424kW)

Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone

radials has been removed for

maintenance. A zero-hour Duplex-

Cyclone is waiting as a back-up.

Detailed inspections of the work

have been carried out by two

specialist aircraft maintenance

companies to ensure that everything

meets operating standards. A list of

additional parts that are required

has also been drawn up.

The final adjustments and sign-

off by the Swiss federal office of

civil aviation, the Bundesamt für

Zivilluftfahrt, are scheduled for the

spring.

“3,000-plus members believe that Sierra-Charlie is the most beautiful aircraft

in the world. The association has a Permit to Fly with up to 35 passengers – but

each would-be fl yer must have been a member for at least a year”