Warbird Information Exchange

Why Lufthansa Shelled Out $163 Million to Restore an Iconic ’50s Airliner—and Then Suddenly Pulled the Plug

https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/classic-airliners-163-million-restoration-different-fates-2920448/

Does anyone the real reason or was it just cost of the project?
was safety an issue?

I heard that some of the people working on the project were milking the project for all it was worth.
Such a shame that all of these resources were squandered. Essentially stolen.
I believe the aircraft have been cut up for transport making them incapable of ever being airworthy.

They spent a LOT of money. A friend who's shop was originally contracted to rebuild the engine nacelles (100% stainless, btw) had that portion of the project taken away from him some time into his work. Instead of doing an IRAN and cosmetic repairs on the nacelles, what they really wanted were <essentially> factory new nacelles. That costs a lot of money.

I wonder how many times that pattern was repeated?

That said, it is hard to believe they spent $163M unless they were just burning stacks of $100 bills.

I’ve dealt with the German authorities before on supplying parts. If you don’t have original documentation, or manufacturing authority from the original supplier, you must provide up to date, current engineering and testing data before you can import the parts. I suspect that Lufthansa ran into a huge bureaucratic buzzsaw that slowed the project considerably and drove costs to a point that they had to pull the plug.

I'm not doubting what Cvairworks says above, but the general buzz is that this project was a good living for those working on it and it was dragged out as long as possible. Even with the above conditions, it's hard to imagine the costs reaching the extent that they did. It all smells very much of poor oversight from HQ and the workforce taking advantage of the situation. Happy to be proved wrong on this, but this seems to be a widely held opinion.

I agree with DH and Lysander above, it sounds like the whole project was taken as an opportunity by some. Great pay, lots of overtime, per-diem, new trucks, hotels, expense accounts, re-working things, etc. They milked it for all it was worth and didn't want the gravy train to end. Real shame.

Pigs get fat, but hogs get slaughtered.

Such a shame. Would've loved to hop a ride on that one plane, but alas. I'll have to save my money for some other plane.

Heard from people working there that perfectly airworthy parts were made & then damaged or destroyed so they would have to start over... multiple times. Also mentioned that the Germans on the project dragged it out as they were on the hook for redundancy when they got back to Germany.

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A true shame, however they were trying to bring the aircraft up to modern standards so they could put it onto the AOC and charge people to fly on the aircraft. The biggest issue was putting a glass cockpit into a steam driven aircraft, and then putting a commercial interior in as well. Not to mention bringing everything back to "new or better than new"

It just kills me thinking what $163M devoted to restoring classic aircraft could have done if that kind of money had been well-managed, and if people hadn't taken advantage of such loose oversight. Thanks to them, corporations won't be making appropriations like this in the name of aircraft restoration again.

This video gives some insight in to the depth of work already accomplished.
They were so close.
Such a shame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjXDWhYz9UU

Andy

Just to compare!

What is the estimated final tally on Doc? Anyone knows?

My WAG, based on some existing numbers, is $10 million. But of course that was to produce an experimental, not a certificated transport-category aircraft.

How much money is Rod Lewis spending on his Connie?

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

A world of difference. Rod Lewis is spending Rod Lewis’ money. Lufthansa were spending their shareholders’ money.