Lockheed L-188 Electra

30 Nov 2025 · © Unknown

Features Cathay Pacific's iconic green and white 1960s/1970s livery with a visible 'Electra' badge. Rare image of the model in Asian airline service, most Electras served in the US and Australia.

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Aircraft

L-188 Electra L188

Cathay Pacific (retro classic green livery)

Airline

Cathay Pacific

CPA / CX

Manufacturer

Lockheed

Insights

Aviation History

The L-188 Electra was Lockheed's first large turboprop airliner, an important transitional model between piston and pure jet airliners. Cathay Pacific was one of only a handful of Asian carriers to operate the Electra. Its legacy is partly overshadowed by early accidents and its eventual conversion to freighters.

Fleet Rarity

Very rare—no L-188 Electra passenger aircraft remain in regular service as of the 2020s; only cargo examples linger on in increasingly small numbers.

Record Flights

Frequently operated the classic long overwater routes in Asia-Pacific, including challenging operations at the famous Kai Tak Airport.

Safety & Events

The Electra series had several high-profile early structural failures in U.S. service, leading to extensive modifications. Cathay Pacific’s Electras were free of such events, noted for reliable regional and trunk operations.

Future Outlook

This airframe is almost certainly withdrawn from use, scrapped or preserved as a museum piece if surviving.

Specifications

Allison 501-D13 turboprop

Engine

30.18 m

Wingspan

31.85 m

Length

3,450 km

Range

600 km/h

Speed

98 passengers (typical)

Capacity

52,800 kg

MTOW

10.36 m

Height

4 x 3,750 shp (2,800 kW) each

Thrust

Approx. 93 dB (older generation, pre-ICAO noise standards)

Noise

Registration not visible; year and location are estimated from context.