Fixing the Electra

Ever since Lockheed Aircraft Corp. announced the cause of two crashes by its turboprop Electras (TIME, May 23), the big question has been: Who will pay to have the planes fixed? This week Lockheed was ready to sign contracts with Electra-equipped U.S. airlines obligating Lockheed to pay all direct modification costs, which it estimates will total $25 million. The lines, arguing successfully that they have already paid a high price in lost revenues and increased operating costs, will pay only minor expenses, such as flying the planes to Lockheed's Burbank, Calif, headquarters and test flights of the modified plane.

The modifications will consist of adding new strength to the engine nacelles, whose weakness was the plane's basic flaw, and to the wings. Lockheed will add strengthening attachments to the mount that supports the engine and to the structure that holds the mount to the wing. The wing will get new, tougher planks (lengthwise strips) and be otherwise stiffened by new bracing. The fixes will make the nacelles and wings "fail-safe," i.e., prevent the failure of any part from affecting the whole wing structure. American Airlines, which will sign the first contract, expects modifications of its fleet of 34 Electras to begin in November, be completely finished by July 1961.

Lockheed expects to have its first Electras completely modified by December; when they are ready, it will ask the Federal Aviation Agency to give final approval to the fixes. After FAA gives recertification, the airlines will be free to increase the cruising speed of their modified Electras from their present restricted 329 m.p.h. at 15,000 ft. to their original speed of about 400 m.p.h. By December 1961, Lockheed hopes to have all the Electras fixed.

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