Hi guys,

Looking forward to this aircraft coming out, but I do have some reservations/inaccuraces that may be incoming.

I worked on the L1011-500 for over 6 years and with some of your previews I feel that you may have got some things wrong. For example on all the aircraft I worked on there was no  downstairs lounges. certainly on the aircraft with BA and PanAm. While it was 40 years ago I worked them the -500 did not have anything other than cargo space below the floors.

Now I only worked these two airlines so  that does not mean to say that other airlines had this option, but I would say unlikely.

The -1,-50 and the-200 all had galleys below the main deck but the 500 did not also I'm unsure but i dont think any passengers were ever allowed to use any lower access doors that looks like may be simulated. Apart from a few colour issues regarding the extreme end of the exhaust duct ,never ever saw a bronze looking one of the screw heads around the thrust reverse panels it looks very good.

As this was my very first approval back in the day the Tristar was my first approval ,so has a special place in my heart. I sincerely hope that it works well for inibuilds I just hope that you make it as accurate  as I remember. There were a few ghost stories back in the day about those galleys but then thats another story.

Hi Captain,

I don’t know if you saw my post about the beacon lights but I thought maybe you could verify being as former F/E and I’m you have done your share of walk arounds, to my knowledge the -500 variant did not have the rotating beacon lights, they flashed or strobed rather? 

I'm not sure the flight model is correct either. The deck angle on final at flaps 33 is much higher; more like 5 degrees nose up.

 

https://www.pprune.org/tech-log/9509-tristar-flare.html

Edited March 26Mar 26 by Leftseat

On 3/25/2026 at 2:05 PM, mazelda said:

Hi guys,

Looking forward to this aircraft coming out, but I do have some reservations/inaccuraces that may be incoming.

I worked on the L1011-500 for over 6 years and with some of your previews I feel that you may have got some things wrong. For example on all the aircraft I worked on there was no  downstairs lounges. certainly on the aircraft with BA and PanAm. While it was 40 years ago I worked them the -500 did not have anything other than cargo space below the floors.

Now I only worked these two airlines so  that does not mean to say that other airlines had this option, but I would say unlikely.

The -1,-50 and the-200 all had galleys below the main deck but the 500 did not also I'm unsure but i dont think any passengers were ever allowed to use any lower access doors that looks like may be simulated. Apart from a few colour issues regarding the extreme end of the exhaust duct ,never ever saw a bronze looking one of the screw heads around the thrust reverse panels it looks very good.

As this was my very first approval back in the day the Tristar was my first approval ,so has a special place in my heart. I sincerely hope that it works well for inibuilds I just hope that you make it as accurate  as I remember. There were a few ghost stories back in the day about those galleys but then thats another story.

Just to address the above. It will be best to approach this model with the understanding that its a bit of a "hybrid" of the L1011 variants.  
As mentioned in the preview videos and dev updates, we have taken liberties with certain features/traits of the Tristar to give options to a wide cross-section of users and allow it's many unique qualities to shine through. It should not be seen as a 1:1 rendition of any particular serial number.

Knowing that we hope it will conjure up many great memories of your time with the aircraft even if a fastener or two is not oriented the correct way round 😉 

Hopefully there will be enough interest to have more accurate interiors when and if the other models are made. If I researched correctly, only the PSA two L-1011's have the lower lounge. I get why you decided on a hybrid but I hope the other models will be more representative of the actual models, displays, gauges, MCP, interior, wings, etc.  

I'm a long time L-1011 fan who's been waiting decades for a model like your about to release for flight simulator. 

On 3/26/2026 at 5:17 PM, IniSteve said:

Just to address the above. It will be best to approach this model with the understanding that its a bit of a "hybrid" of the L1011 variants.  
As mentioned in the preview videos and dev updates, we have taken liberties with certain features/traits of the Tristar to give options to a wide cross-section of users and allow it's many unique qualities to shine through. It should not be seen as a 1:1 rendition of any particular serial number.

Knowing that we hope it will conjure up many great memories of your time with the aircraft even if a fastener or two is not oriented the correct way round 😉 

That's a bit of a strange approach. I always thought, this will be as real as it gets? A mishmash of different models is not what I expected and seems as you kneel before the casual simmers, fotgetting about the hardcore ones. I for myself am disappointed. Hoipefully the flight model and flight dynamics are not hybrid too. Anyway I know will think about a purchase twice.

I definitely am one who would appreciate seeing Inibuilds flesh out the other variants of the L1011 alongside the -500. So that we could have historically accurate liveries applied to their historically accurate variants. As I only like to fly historic routes, I'd also like to see some sort of a tag on each livery in the livery manager with 'historic' or 'fictional' to show which liveries were not actually historically used on the -500. Would save me some research, but its not a major deal.

The earlier variants of the L1011 though, would definitely be a day one purchase from me!

On 3/25/2026 at 10:05 AM, mazelda said:

I worked on the L1011-500 for over 6 years

Hello Mazelda, It's always great to have a real world Tristar crew member in the forums. 

I have been trying to get the real flows for takeoff and descent for the Tristar but I have found much conflicting information. 

What I have been able to piece together is as follows for a 10 degree flap takeoff.

After rotation pitch is set to V2 + 10 (max 17 degrees) until 1000' agl

At 1000' the nose is lowered to accelerate, flaps set to 4 at V2+20 and flaps commanded full up at V2+60. 

When flaps are fully retracted, climb power is set and climb pitch is set for V2+70 until 3000 agl. 

After 3000 agl, pitch is set for 250 kts until 10K, then climb out at 320 kts to cruise

For descent, the throttle is closed, descent is at cruise mach until 350 kts, then 350 kts IAS until 10K, then 250 kts. 

 

Can you explain how you guys did your flows?

Thanks for any help you can give me. 

 

On 3/26/2026 at 5:17 PM, IniSteve said:

Just to address the above. It will be best to approach this model with the understanding that its a bit of a "hybrid" of the L1011 variants.  
As mentioned in the preview videos and dev updates, we have taken liberties with certain features/traits of the Tristar to give options to a wide cross-section of users and allow it's many unique qualities to shine through. It should not be seen as a 1:1 rendition of any particular serial number.

Knowing that we hope it will conjure up many great memories of your time with the aircraft even if a fastener or two is not oriented the correct way round 😉 

Hi there,
why did'nt you model the tape engine gauges? Several airlines used them also on the -500 like LTU, TWA, Saudia and more. Now you have to fly certain liveries with unrealistic avionics. 

On 3/31/2026 at 6:17 PM, Bodo_Mueller said:

Hi there,
why did'nt you model the tape engine gauges? Several airlines used them also on the -500 like LTU, TWA, Saudia and more. Now you have to fly certain liveries with unrealistic avionics. 

Simply put, the reference aircraft we had access to had the gauges you see in sim. 

I know from personal knowledge that RW crews have provided Ini with lists of possible inaccurate modeling. Let's give them a chance to work through them towards update 1.

On 3/25/2026 at 4:05 PM, mazelda said:

Hi guys,

Looking forward to this aircraft coming out, but I do have some reservations/inaccuraces that may be incoming.

I worked on the L1011-500 for over 6 years and with some of your previews I feel that you may have got some things wrong. For example on all the aircraft I worked on there was no  downstairs lounges. certainly on the aircraft with BA and PanAm. While it was 40 years ago I worked them the -500 did not have anything other than cargo space below the floors.

Now I only worked these two airlines so  that does not mean to say that other airlines had this option, but I would say unlikely.

The -1,-50 and the-200 all had galleys below the main deck but the 500 did not also I'm unsure but i dont think any passengers were ever allowed to use any lower access doors that looks like may be simulated. Apart from a few colour issues regarding the extreme end of the exhaust duct ,never ever saw a bronze looking one of the screw heads around the thrust reverse panels it looks very good.

As this was my very first approval back in the day the Tristar was my first approval ,so has a special place in my heart. I sincerely hope that it works well for inibuilds I just hope that you make it as accurate  as I remember. There were a few ghost stories back in the day about those galleys but then thats another story.

 

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Thanks for sharing your insights, especially given your extensive experience with the L1011-500. It’s great to hear from someone with hands-on knowledge of these aircraft, and I totally get why the accuracy of details is so important to you.

You’ve raised some really good points about the downstairs lounges and the lower deck space. I hadn’t realized that the -500 variants didn’t have lounges, and it makes sense that the cargo-only space would be more accurate for those versions. It’s good to clarify these kinds of details because, as you said, different airlines could have had different configurations, and sometimes even small inaccuracies can slip in.

As for the lower access doors, I also wasn't aware that passengers never used those. It’s definitely something to watch out for in future previews and updates. Thanks for pointing that out!

I agree, the color of the exhaust duct and other minor details like the screw heads can make or break the realism in a model, so it's great to hear that, overall, the Tristar is still holding up well in terms of visual fidelity. I’m sure many others who have worked with or flown on these aircraft share your sentiment about wanting it to be as accurate as possible.