Skip Miller
Final Approach
Some of you know that the former TWA terminal at JFK has been converted to a hotel, named the TWA Hotel. We went there back in February to have drinks and dinner with friends who were in transit. They have done an excellent job of converting the Eero Saarinen designed building from airport terminal into a hotel.
They also have restored (but not to flying condition) a Lockheed L-1649A Constellation, which flew for TWA but was quickly made obsolete by the Boeing 707. Below is a link to the history of this great plane:
https://www.twahotel.com/connie-airplane/connies-history
She is now a cocktail lounge for the hotel. She looks great out on the tarmac, sitting high on her long nose strut!
We went in for a drink. Although the cockpit was not open for access, one can stick a head in and take a photo or two (see attached). Imagine blasting across the North Atlantic with that panel! OK, it wasn't that bad. The flight engineer got most of the instruments, and the Navigator's station (not pictured - sorry!) was just behind the cockpit at the door where the pax entered.
I think Tom Downey @Tom-D has some time in type...
-Skip Miller
They also have restored (but not to flying condition) a Lockheed L-1649A Constellation, which flew for TWA but was quickly made obsolete by the Boeing 707. Below is a link to the history of this great plane:
https://www.twahotel.com/connie-airplane/connies-history
She is now a cocktail lounge for the hotel. She looks great out on the tarmac, sitting high on her long nose strut!
We went in for a drink. Although the cockpit was not open for access, one can stick a head in and take a photo or two (see attached). Imagine blasting across the North Atlantic with that panel! OK, it wasn't that bad. The flight engineer got most of the instruments, and the Navigator's station (not pictured - sorry!) was just behind the cockpit at the door where the pax entered.
I think Tom Downey @Tom-D has some time in type...
-Skip Miller