Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! Head to www.bespokepost.com/jimmysworld20 and use code JIMMYSWORLD20 to grab your "box of awesome" and get 20% off your first box
You should contact Lockheed directly. They may be interested in assisting with this as a project from a public relations standpoint. Their fleet support line might be able to direct you better.
I do not think you understand to get the plane actually flying assuming that they do not find anything else wrong can source the engines etc there is no such thing as a hush kit for the engines even if they could somehow find them. |It is illegal to even turn on the engines though of course real world the police are not going to turn up but if for example they took it on one flight that would equal massive fines and the pilot would probably lose their license and hence career. Hush kits are expensive and a set of S/H ones would cost upwards of $250k each except they do not exist so Lockhead would have to design build fit a brand new set and get them certified. Absolutely zero idea how much this would cost especially as there is no market for them but potentially 10s of millions. Younger versions of the plane are still flyable so it might be they swapped engines in the later designs but if they are backwardly compatible no idea. Note a less older flyable Jetstar will set you back a mere half a million to give you some idea with this aircraft you are paying for the name and it is one of three so not exactly one of a kind.
Yup. While totally different aircrafts, planesavers did a DC3 for peanuts compared to what he was quoted for this. He should call up Mikey Mcbrian and get a quote from him!
Yeah we can fix it for 500 grand for your 800 grand plane,but it we can fix it starting at 5.5 million no fixed price...I will ring you every week telling you another part the plane needs that has to come from.mars at 1 million a spark plug...this guy would sell you a car for 5 grand with no wheels...but you can get the wheels for an extra 20 grand ...watching this...I bet Jimmy had a drink that nite
@@shanancovacevich4303 I don’t think this is on the compliance people, this one is on Jimmy. While mechanics aren’t cheap, he should have seen this coming before he decided to throw down $234k on it.. especially as a mechanic himself.
I'd suggest making the plane into a museum/attraction piece. Work out a deal with that museum in TN that has the original engines, repaint the fuselage and address other cosmetic issues to make the plane look presentable again. No need to go further than that, it's a pipe-dream in itself to think the plane could ever be realistically flown again. At least it could live on as a museum attraction or similar.
Agreed. Many have suggested the same thing . Personally ...I would love to see it flying again . But ..if that not possible , it would make a fine attraction for Elvis fans .
The original engines would violate noise regulations. So if it had its original engines it would never be allowed to fly, they need to buy modern replacements
Hell I think the Elvis plane being what it is and who he was, you should petition big brother aviation boards to make an exception to fully restore this priceless artifact. Not only for Elvis but for the plane that it is. I'm sure there has to be some sort of loophole, big brother always leaves them in the cracks somewhere. Maybe an experimental category or for shows. Don't let this beautiful plane disappear.
The last known flying JetStar was retrofitted with Garrett TFE731 engines in order to keep it within the noise requirements, so that's always an option if you decide to splurge a bit on this plane lol.
@@arklainquirkBecause they specialize in Aircraft Interiors, lol. If He was serious, He would not have picked these guys to do that kind of rebuild work on this or any plane.
There are plenty still flying around non are Jetstars and the 731 Jetstars ( of Jetstar I) were a retrofit mod done by Garrett which who knows who they have been bought out by today. JS II were production line aircraft done by Lockheed (you can ID those by the "dagger" between the engines
@@arklainquirk I think you would lose a lot of value as a retrofit or two and it's no longer Elvis's plane. It's like a classic old car that sells for a hundred thousand but if the numbers don't match you'd be lucky to get 20.
He already said his plan was never to make it fly. His plan was to take the wings off, put it on a trailer, and drive it around to airshows thinking he could charge money for people to walk through it. He literally could have offered $20k for it and they would have accepted. He was being brain dead offering $230K. But also, he got the auction company to finance it to him. So he can stop paying and they will have to repossess it. He can discharge it in bankruptcy. He is not smart for paying more than scrap value.
The contrast between these cost estimates and the $300 I'm trying to scrape together to replace my SUV fuel pump is pretty phenomenal. I couldn't even imagine that kind of money for a non-essential expense like a vintage, private jet.
I can relate. I’m stressing over spending $6K to buy an insulated wall tent to live in for a year or two. I’d like to buy an insulated yurt for $20K~$30K and have been thinking yurts are really nice, but are simply a tent for rich people. I’m obviously not doing anything right financially to be worried about spending money on a wall tent or yurt to live in.
@@rez372 The man is struggling to buy a $300 fuel pump(which is crazy for a fuel pump to begin with), how do you think he's gonna just buy a new car because of the sudden gas hike? What a stupid comment.
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. Tjhey have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
I just think it's insane they are not legally required to tell you that due to noise regulations that this plane will never fly regardless of condition when they sell it. That just seems unbelievable like selling a condemned house and not disclosing it or something. Wild!
Everyone in the industry knows about the noise compliance. That is why many older planes were phased out of the airlines. Those airplanes tend to go to other countries that don’t have those rules.
Thats what i was thinking. Restore it to like an Elvis museum piece where people could pay to get the elvis exerience of luxury back then. So restore the inside exactly how it would have looked back then. Restore cockpit, people will pay to take pics etc. Could have a wax life sized copy of Elvis sitting at the controls. People would pay to take a pic as his co pilot
Why not instead of putting two Jets on there they just put two jet engines on there I mean it should still fly was only two of them and the noise level will be lower putting four jet engines on that thing it's just Overkill
good idea, taking in consideration that lights, microwave, tv and other stuff works just fine, stuff the guests would use.... little bit of DIV paint, few pillows and blankets and you're good to go.... + figure out how the toilet works.... perfect Elvis's time capsule that real fans would pay good money to experience 👌
AIR BNB! Imagine if you trailered it to Vegas and refurbished it there, You'd be booked for months ahead forever. "The Package" 📦 Married by an Elvis impersonator in a Nevada 💒💍 Chapel... Tell the World 🌎 ! You gotta recoup nearly 1/4 Million then it's pure profit 🤞🙏😎
For most people who are considering parting with $200K+ to buy something unknown with thoughts of restoration, a bit of a sanity check prior would be mandatory. My guess is that Jimmy never really every thought this was a potential flier and had other plans all along - he can't possibly be that naive. Makes for a great story though and I'm really enjoying it. Peace and love from Aussie land - Dave
He's a complete nut job day dreamer who lacks common sense. That Jet will NEVER FLY AGAIN, owed to an advanced aged air frame that no doubt is riddled with cracks, rust, etc, that make it totally and completely impossible to repair or restore. He might as well start a foundation to Raise The Titanic! Both are on the same level....i.e. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, EVER!
I thought those two guys were relatively clueless. In a few seconds, I found an engine upgrade kit that would make it noise and fuel compliant. And I don't have a dad in the business or a fancy door logo.
You guys gotta understand something when it comes to aircraft. FAA compliant and flipping a switch are two different things. Back in 1992 when I worked at an auto parts store, a rebuilt GM 65 amp alternator was $30. That same GM alternator for a piper cub was $450 at the time. Why? FAA stamp on it.
The worst part in all this is what the auction company did to Jimmy. They supposedly had the "phone bidder" run up the bidding, then the bidder backed out of the sale. They sold it to Jimmy at his last bid, which worked out to 234k. That plane is worth 50 to 100k on a good day. I hope his RUclips revenue will pay for this debacle!
That's 100% true, the metrics outsiders use for adsense revenue are misleading. Bigger name RUclipsrs are estimated to make millions, but the reality is they're maybe making $500k on a good year. A RUclipsr could have a million subs and average 100k views per video and not even clear six figures. A huge factor is the _type_ of ads they put on your videos. Movie trailers and big name products pay the most, but they only advertise on the safest videos.
From what I've heard from a YTer friend it basically boils down to about $1/1,000 views. So hes made about $2,500 from his elvis plane videos in the last month
Lets call Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. They can probably do this project at a fraction of the budget while also adding submarine features to the plane.
like the shirt said - 'what can possibly go wrong' some things of course will go wrong but having looked at the engine spec, Garrett TFE731s, 11,000+ were built, later versions -05 & -06 were modernised to keep within noise restrictions, replacing older noisy engines, they run leaner, quieter etc etc - so personally i feel with a few modifications, as long as the airframe still has enough life left in it (which i'm sure it has) then i don't see why not - making her airworthy is one thing, keeping her airworthy is another
@@patchmack4469 as long as the newer engines were certified for that airframe it would work legally. otherwise he could be stuck with an experimental aircraft classification
Hi Jimmy England back again, another work around on the Engines is to re Engine them with the TFE 731 engines which you can also go on one of the various Engine maintenance programmes that are for the Honeywell/Garrett TFE-731 engines. These are very user friendly and help with maintenance. Another option is to look into a possible Lend/Lease agreement for the Engines, if it is available to a Private owner. Also to find the JT12 is going to be a nightmare plus the support you will need may cause problems where the TFE-731 is also a more efficient engine to operate and widely available with a lot of support for them in the USA and other parts of the world. As I quoted in my last message $4 to $6 million In honesty after listening to the very basic survey report there is a lot to do and is dependant on if Nothing is wrong and in need of major repair work. I think if you find items in poor condition you might need to look at another $2 million as a working fund to see this all the way to Flying so $8000,000. If I was advising you I would look into the TFE-731 STC modification it may in the long run save you money
@@egypthobby Agreed but with the TFE-731 leases and say the MSP on the engines you are looking at ease of running plus if you are Tech on an Engine MSP find a replacement loner while yours is in the shop I know the Owners of the Jet-star 731 we looked after here in the early 2000's had some good words to say about MSP and costs of running
Aren't there some options that can mount one "fater" engine on each side. The "fater" engines are less noisey than the slinder engines. And I think more efficient. This is an interesting problem for sure. There must be even more interesting solutions for this problem.
@@walterwjr947 Yes Walter Jr, this is the TFE-731 Engine STC that the Jet Star went through, retrofitting the TFE -731for the Older the JT12 Engines. Sadly the JT12 engines were not cutting it on fuel consumption and now the older Turbo jets are very noisy and do not meet a lot of the World wide noise pollution limits. So you either add a special stage 2 Hush Kit like on Gulfstream's 2 & 3, BAC 1-11 or find a different engine as they did on the Jet-Star 731 that are flying
What has troubled me from the start was the "auction." I truly believe you were taken in a big way. I would go back to the auction house and demand they provide proof there was a real "bidder" on the phone in the first place. You should have been able to get this paper weight with working TV and microwave for less than $10,000, and I put it that high only because of the intrinsic value of it briefly being a plane in which Elvis Presley flew. Otherwise, for examples, when you finally got to make your first inspection it was clear anything of true value had been stripped (stolen?) from the plane, including ENGINES, the most expensive parts of the cockpit panel and even the skyphone in the main cabin. Elvis' real plane is on display in Memphis. Forget about this hunk of (decaying) junk.
I think you should have gotten a second opinion before you chopped it up. Probably could not be brought up to todays standards, but here are plenty of historic airplanes out there that don't meet today's standards and are allowed to fly for shows.
Jimmy, sadly, the last known operational JetStar was retired in December of 2019. The owner got rid of the Pratt & Whitney JT12A engines becasue of the hush-kit issue and obtained permission from the FAA to re-engine the aircraft with Garrett TFE731's. The aircraft was donated to the Marietta Aviation History and Technology Center which will have two JetStars on display for the public.
Buying this plane was a stupid decision that he made to begin with. My suggestion is to sell it to the same museum that has the original engines and suggest that they install (basically glue) the engines on the aircraft and get some of his money back. If he can convince them to do so and get couple of hundreds of thousands of dollars or whatever amount from them that'll be the best bet he'll get. I'm only trying to think of a way to minimize the damage that he has done to himself. Damn it he should've had these guys inspect the aircraft before he placed the bet or at least did some research and probably wouldn't buy it if he knew about the government noise regulation, what a dumb thing to do.
@@MrUNCLESAM84 Nah, Jimmy's dumb like a fox! He'll milk this junker for all the You Tube videos he can and end up with a profit. There are still enough Elvis fans around to make it pay.
This is history. Just make it visitable for the fans. Clean it, paint it, perfectly restore the interior and play non stop Elvis music, maybe some drinks to serve. Good luck bro.
there has to be a 'never say never' there is potential, just some folk are better with there money and don't gamble - is this a gamble, well maybe partly, but there is much potential, would certainly make the news, there are still huge numbers of fans, sure folk would pay to step aboard, and fly in her, Vagas promotions, dear god, there's a billion and one things you could do, some will need money throwing at it, but sure dividends will pay out by the bucket load only to be thrown back through the engine noise converters - it's risky and it's fun, just not for some of us, so why watch it hehe - i love it, see where it goes - its a 50/50, sink or swim, we'll either laugh or cry or laugh more
If it makes you feel better, Elvis originally paid $840,000 for this bird in 1962. Adjusted for inflation that's $8,321,284 in today's dollars. So hey, you're still ahead!
It’s a 1962 model. It was bought 7 months before he died in 1976. His personal pilot has stated it might have been acquired by one of his managers to be used as a corporate jet. He says Elvis never flew in it… and may not have even knew it existed.
Yes, I know it's a 1962 model (as I originally stated). The article I linked has all the details on it. Priscilla and several of Elvis' friends say he bought it with his dad and she was there at the auction to help sell it. And the article also says they don't know if Elvis ever flew in it. The fact remains that it's still one of his planes. Not sure what point you're trying to make.
It's obviously a monumental amount of work and money for any one individual to undertake. I'm curious if historical orgs (flying or not) would be willing to pitch in to make this floor worthy. Maybe fly worthy comes after that if enough interest is generated and someone can magically summon engines out of their wizard hat.
It would take an obscene amount of money to get it airworthy - not to mention the corrosion yet to be found - and then the FAA would probably find a way to keep it on the ground
Hi Jim, I once travelled all the way to Memphis to visit Graceland (I live in Newcastle Australia). Loved the USA, the people and Graceland. Did notice that the Americans can use entrepreneurial skills to make a dollar out of anything. Good on them. Clearly this aircraft will never fly again (sad). But you have outlaid 234000 dollars and need to recoup. I suggest having the aircraft painted in its Elvis colours, mock engines put on it, tidy up the inside and station it near Memphis. $10 per head to get a look inside, $50 to have a reheated burger using Elvis's microwave, $50 to see a video on his TV. It's a goldmine!
I am A&P mechanic (aircraft mechanic) and love the idea of this plane flying again. If I lived closer to you, I would want to volunteer my time to restoring this rare aircraft. Maybe there are others like me with the know how and skills that feel the same.
I’m an avionics tech I was watching a video prior to this one on this craft and seen the flight deck and instantly started to draw up ideas on how to modernize the cockpit
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. They have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
@@jroyablacksmith I don't know how much modernizing should be done outside of legality and flight issues. I hope he keeps it as original as possible. I hope he even finds pics of the Elvis interior and remakes it back to Elvis condition. That's what makes this hold value in any sort of way after all. This isn't about a plane. It's about a time piece. If he wanted to simply buy any jet.. this wouldn't be the one.
@@shawnleider he's over his head because that fossil of an airplane will never meet the requirements for certification due to the advanced aged air frame alone that no doubt is riddle with cracks and rust. He would need an entirely new air frame which is the same as saying he would need to buy a brand new jet not to mention the Avonics are gutted and would require complete replacement that would cost way more than they paid for the pile of junk! So yeah, the idiot is indeed way over his head which is the reason he decided to CUT UP THE PIECE OF JUNK LIKE THE SCRAP METAL THAT IT IS! What a FRICKIN PIPE DREAM!
Jimmy, that is insane! Even if money was no object, would it be worth it to repair and put in the air again? Perhaps you could turn the hull into an AirBNB and rent it to folks for overnight stays?
From the moment I saw the auction, I suspected that's the only thing it could be. Old jets need hush kits, which go into the millions alone. Plus is needs 4 rare engines. The issue is if he'd run into legal problems from Elvis' estate for even mentioning the name Elvis for a BNB.
Garrett TFE731 engine (from Wikipedia): "The TFE731-3 was developed for use in the Lockheed JetStar re-engining program, and subsequent versions of it have been used on a number of aircraft, including the Learjet 55."
Definitely! There has to be a way of converting it into a 731 Jetstar. Lockheed has already done all the research & figured it out with the "731 JetStar modification program". The Jetstar IIs that Lockheed produced after that were basically a Jetstar-731 from the ground up.
@@whawaii NO way It takes more than the 731s wing spar upgrade for one thing. As I said I know, I was at Airesearch LAX the facility that did the conversion.
That's a steal. Buy it and it can be a donor plane. Move the engines over, etc. Still, 10 grand an hour to run. That's as much as my Bonanza costs for the hanger, annual, insurance, and upkeep for a year.
Hey Jimmy, it seems that it wouldn´t be imposible to reinstall a set of engines able to make it flyable again. I found a reference of 1 of these planes pictured at the 1986 National Business Aviation Association show, Long Beach Airport, California, with a couple of CF34-1A installed. There are also references mounting 4 x Garrett TFE-731-1. Check w/the guys in this video about the odds to do such engines swap, even though they will not be the originals, they may make her fly again. But I guess you have plans of your own, otherwise, you´d never buy this one.
@@strickoauIs not to argue, but... are you serious? At the beginning, the guy stated, very clearly, that they know old aircrafts and they're not newbies at restore them. I have no clue where did you get the idea that they're interior designers... unless you posted your comment in the wrong video.
@@joewalla8438 Because the moment you put new engines on a plane that wasn't originally designed for them, it's an experimental build. Tons of money to get it certified and cleared for passenger readiness.
You dont get it. This plane with NEVER be certified to fly, much less actually fly. Jimmy knows this. This is all a clickbait show now try to get his money back.
Jimmy's mom didn't raise no fool. I'm sure he's known all along that this plane was destined for some other purpose. It's fun to watch Jimmy at work, and I'll bet good money he comes up with something great for this historic aircraft.
Agreed. I’ve been curious as to what his plans all along have been though. Cost of transport? Storage fees? Who’s already in discussion of next ownership? He be a fool to move it unless he knew he was keeping it.
@@marauding4life Parking alone for a large private jet is astronomical. Prices can vary wildly from airport to airport, but not cheap unless he has a place set aside for it.
I was doing some welding out in Roswell about 10 years ago. I flew out of that airport and I think I remember seeing it sitting off to the side. It’s pretty cool that I saw it , not knowing it’s history. My grandpa was an A&P and I got to help him do some work on a plane Jerry Reed had many moons ago.
There has to be a way of converting it into a 731 Jetstar. Lockheed had already done all the research & figured it out with the "731 JetStar modification program". This was implemented on some of the original JT12 Jetstars. The Jetstar IIs that Lockheed produced after that were basically a Jetstar-731 from the ground up.
Those 4 engines are available in Mexico at an aircraft graveyard. N430MB was the tail number at one point and it was sold to a company I believe in California and was decommissioned about 8 years ago. If you research that tail number and follow the trail to the exact location it’s at now you might be able to get ahold of those engines.
@@S0l0X I’m not quite sure but I know the aircraft was decommissioned fairly recently (in the past 10 years) so that would be probably some of the most decent engines if they are in fact still on the aircraft. My best guess for Pratt and Whitney Dash 8 engines that are salvageable but in need of major service would probably be between 100 and 200k a piece (x4).
Before I retired I was an aircraft engineer, I was a technical rep on a maintenance check being carried out on one of our 747-200’s by a contract company. Apart from the normal check stuff being carried out that was costing a fortune we had an autopilot defect to be investigated. Eventually the fault was traced to internal wiring inside the tail plane hydraulic screw jack assembly, this is the unit that moves the whole tail plane to trim the aircraft, being a 747 it’s quite a large unit. But a replacement reconditioned unit was $247,000 now consider this was way back around 1995, so it was a considerable amount of money. When I phoned our engineering director to give him the news so he could make the decision to buy it or not (we had no choice, it had to be repaired and tested in an approved workshop) I thought he’d had a heart attack, the phone went very quiet for a long time. Needless to say we bought it, the old one was sent away for repair so it could be sold. Aircraft parts and repairs always cost an awful lot of money, it’s like telephone number figures. And that estimate will only get bigger and bigger as more problems are found. An aircraft parked up for 40 years without proper parking maintenance is never going to be in good condition, so there’ll be plenty of hidden evils with corroded and damaged parts adding to the bill.
Jimmy is a genius. This isn’t about the plane, it’s about the content. How many videos will be made about this plane? the adds, views, the community support. He will double his investment. This channel is not about the aircraft, it is about the entertainment. It’s about YOU! I’m here for it.
It better be, because that plane will never fly again. A rebuild would probably be more like twice the estimated price. Finding the engines is probably impossible, plus there has to be irreparable structural damage, and if nothing else killed it - noise abatement does. No one is going to certify a one off hush kit. If someone put all the work in to actually rebuild it, the chances of getting a provisional air worthiness certificate is doubtful. No inspector would sign off. You actually would be allowed to start it, you just couldn't power it up. Plan B - scrap yard (which is where it was). Caveat Emptor, Elvis isn't a big enough draw to make that an attraction and it wasn't the JetStar he used; that one is at Graceland. This one was for the B Team.
All the more reason to make it a Simulator Attraction no strict rules on restoration or paint job or costly structural repairs. All about the entertainment with NO FAA restrictions. Graceland could be a great parking place for it. They maintain it and you get your share of profits. Like an amusement park ride. And no expensive insurance for flight.
2.8 million views on the 4-5 videos so far.,,,, at a high rate of $10 per cpm that equals $28,000 he made so far. Long way to go. But it is possible. Scrap metal he might get another $50k
Yes this! Especially if you could get some more Elvis stuff to go on display in the hanger with it. Maybe one of his cars, all set up like they had just dropped him off to the plane.
2 options in my opinion. 1. Get a quote from the company who makes the hush kits to design, engineer and certify a solution for those motors 2. Retrofit a similar business jet motor. Option 1 definitely preferred.
There was never any doubt this was not a return to service option. I am sure the auction docs specified this. Jimmy is no fool he is in this to make $$$ and I am sure he has a plan for it.
Why? He made no effort to do any research into anything he literally bought this over price piece of scrap metal because he couldn't be bothered to do any research and didn't think that painting with his heart and not his head would be a bad idea.
Curious to see what’s going to happen with this plane. He had to know about most of this before he even begin bidding on it. Curious of what he’s got planned.
Something tells me Jimmy knew all of this before the auction......He just played dumb to make a video...click bait....Funny Jimmy was commenting "Wanna bet?" in the other previous pre-purchase video when other comments said that plane would never fly again.....Not sure if this can be done as an experimental, but there is a reason nobody wanted that aircraft. If this thing gets turned into a diner or AIRbnb, I would assume that was the plan the entire time and these "how much will it cost" videos are just for entertainment, Jimmy had no plans of flying that plane....Who doesn't research that stuff before a 236k buy of a aircraft sitting in a field for 40 years....Love jimmy but you played me...
@@fredhinck9685 Yeah, this plane was for for click bait views. Not to actually try to get flying. Every title is going to have "Elvis Presley's Private Jet......" in it.
I suspect Jimmy knew the end game for this beast in advance of even bidding. Cool topic, bound to get some views... The obsolete engine type makes for an Expensive project, especially when 4 are needed. He knows this.
@@fknsl1 The whole channel revolves around stupid aircraft clickbait videos. He obviously bought it just to make money doing a series of clickbait videos, not make it fly. Not sure how he planned to get his $225K back.
Ok: Do a Nice Cosmetic Restoration inside and out, Paint it, have some mock Engines made and installed, Buy the House Next 2 Graceland or in the General Aria, and Give tours to the people that go to Graceland maybe give people a 50% discount that have there ticket Stub from there tour at Graceland, Or Just Make it a Bed and "Elvis" Bed & Breakfast after the Cosmetic Restoration Or..... Just make a Crap tun of Moneys from doing Mutable YT Videos until you pay for the Perches price and Put That Baby in Your Hanger for The Awesomeness that it is !!!!!!! Sweet !!!!!!!! ------I Still See the Elvis Glass at Half Full Instead of Empty !!!!!! .... Hell Yeah !! Lets Do this !!! :))💃((: Nice !!!!!!
Ask around aircraft museums who could restore the external and internal condition where people can go and perhaps see inside the aircraft as an attraction. I think that this way would mean that many people can enjoy it as well, plus the aircraft would be kept indoors and protected from the elements. Either that, or you can see about modifying the aircraft for different engines that meet regulations, I'm guessing that would leave you being carried away on a stretcher with oxygen mask after seeing the price of that option.
Well Jimmy, I almost never have any new ideas as I'm older than some rocks. While watching the two guys look at Elvis's jet and I can't imagine what it'll cost to get it in the air, I actually gave birth to an idea. I think you could let everyone who was or is a fan of Elvis kick in donations. Eh?? Now my head hurts...
Yep even if it doesnt fly brought up to museum spec. But thinking re engine or someone that really knows i get iffy vibes. Those 2 condemned the electronics without even realising jimmy had it powered up.
I'm in agreement with Mr Tracy Thorn. Elvis's fan base would love to pay for a chance to do a walk through and experience what was considered top shelf technology for the day and the bragging rights to being on Elvis's private jet. It would be an excellent addition to the Graceland tour. $$$
This thing has to fly again !!! Make a hush kit for it. Maybe modifications can be made to run different engines. I’m not sure but hopefully some people reach out to provide some solutions. Imagine this thing featured at an air show. I would come over from Australia to watch it take off and land.
I'm a car guy. I want to say I'm blown away by this channel. Blown away with Jimmy and his videos . And reading everyones comments is great. Everyone on here is so well educated and the knowledge you all share is top notch. This is really neat peaking into aviation. God bless
I really like Jimmy's Channel now. His knowledge of airplanes and stuff about aviation is very fascinating. I been big into airplanes since I was a child.
Hey 👋 Jimmy Love your Channel 👍 ok I have 2 options for you. Option 1. Since it's costing you $5.7 Million and there's a big chance that you won't find ALL 4 Engines Why don't you Replace all 4 Engines with Newer Style Engines that meets today's requirements 🤔 ? Or Option # 2. Leave the plane as is and turn it into a Museum and Charge people like $5 to $10 a person to go inside and look at it and take pictures or I just thought of a 3rd Option you can sell it to a Museum that buys old famous vintage stuff 🤔 ? Just a thought 🙂 good luck with the plane and stay safe you 🙏 and your family 🙏
I heard AirBNB offers up to $100k to turn unique items/places into rentals. Maybe turn the jet into an AirBNB so people can experience what it was like to be Elvis
At one time, Lockheed was refurbishing this model. They did away with the four ramjet engines and went with two more fuel efficient turbo fan jet engines. And they did away with the built-in fuel wing tanks. You might check with them.
They were JT 12 engines. The only place you’re going to get engines or parts is Erickson. They bought up all the JT12’s and parts years ago for the JFTD12 on the crane. You’ll have to get the turbo fan engine swap if you wanted to start it
TFE731s would be a great match for that plane, and maybe doing a modern glass avionics suite from Collins or Honeywell. Primus Apex because the 731s and their proprietary FADEC are all made by Honeywell which is owned by Boeing. Lots of L39 owners are doing 731 swaps. If you want more power, maybe a CF34 like on the Challenger, or maybe a pair of Rolls AE3007s like on the Citation X. I'd say gut the whole cockpit and put in a glass system if you want it flyable.
What is so shocking about this whole deal is Jimmy the PUTTS was so caught up in the Elvis moment he was 100% blinded to the actual reality of his situation . Had he been able to step back and look at the from a more realistic perspective he would have been able to see the old JetStar for what it was 100% SCRAP from the get go . this whole business about having people come out and look at it is just silly . Now had the JetStar been stored indoor safely well then you might have had something to talk about .In fact I can't believe he is still talking about the Elvis jet at all in the first place . and that's how Jimmy earned the nic name Jimmy the PUTTS .
Personally I think your best bet is to try and pull off a museum quality static restoration. I hate seeing a fine aircraft permanently grounded, but it would be better than letting nature take it back.
BMW restored Elvis's 507 to concourse condition. They had to completely disassemble it at their own facility. There is a detailed video on it. Likewise, I think taking this back to the factory would be the way to go here.
Are there alternative engines available that would meet the requirements? I also agree with Greg Simonich's comment about approaching Lockheed directly, the PR value would be immense. If it were to fly again I'm sure it could earn money on the airshow circuit.
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. Tjhey have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
The original JetStar was modified to the JetStar || within replacing original engine to more efficient Garrett TFE731 (now Honywell) and these engines are still in production.
I think he already knows what he's going to do with the aircraft, otherwise he wouldn't have bid on it. This is just a fun "what if" thought experiment that makes for good content. What I would do is get it looking good, fix and replace everything cosmetically. Get everything inside refurbished and in working order. Then donate it to Graceland, put it with the kings other two planes. Make it a neat time capsule of Americana everyone could enjoy.
Museum piece! Don’t trash it! Get it to the point where it doesn’t leak, looks good, and roll it into an exhibit! Those are rare airplanes and would be great as an aviation history piece somewhere.
This is that. ..". I'm going to price this BS so high that if this fool will pay it, we'll do it." Ffs, this is priced out so vague and outrageous, one could mistake it for a house bill or an omnibus package.
I was wondering the same thing. Here in Maine the flying service on Moosehead Lake, years ago, found a set of original WW2 amphibious floats for the DC3. They brought them back and mounted them and wanted to fly commercial charter from Boston to Moosehead. BUT, they could not find any original struts for the floats and had to manufacture them. Because of that the FAA would only give them an experimental classification for the plane, which then prevented it from being used for charter. I remember flying down to Greenville airport and walking around it. It was a beast. When it landed on the lake it was a sight to behold.
I hear that Elvis weddings are really popular in Vegas. Might as well name the ship, "Fly by Night" and make it a wedding chapel! What could possibly go wrong?!
I know nothing about planes, but would it be possible to fit later engines to it, ones that comply to the noise requirements? I understand that the frame would need to be modified to mount them, but I'd assume the right people could do that. Perhaps 2 engines could be used instead of 4. Just a thought
The plane new from what it was was $850k (todays money is $4.4 million) Can you modify and run different engines? Whoever took control of the plane, and knowing it was Elvis's plane, to let it sit in the open , not enclosed or covered is a travesty.
Jimmy isn't a fool. While he may not have known exactly what it could cost to get this plane flying etc. I'd have guessed millions. The video/ process was needed to confirm the costs not just to Jimmy but to anyone that thinks this would just 'buff out'. I think Jimmy has always had 'plan b' in mind. And I can't wait to see what he has planned for it.
Can you not swap the engines with different ones? Or as they were saying there were different sub(?)models of the type of plane could they repurpose those wings / engines to fit this plane?
@@Wrath0fG0d2003 I don't think you can it would have to get a type certificate and it can't if the engines are vastly different than what the manufacturer put in it. There is absolutely no way that plane will ever fly again IMO
@@johncherish7610 well that sucks... But I'd the auctioneers presented it in that manner and he didn't know that sucks. I'm guessing he has a great idea. :)
There are always solutions. Here are a couple ideas. 1. Custom hush kits. Someone will make them for you. Price unknown 2. Different engines. They can be close but not exact to still be "Elvis's plane" 3. And finally, surely for a plane this famous, a crowd-funding effort could cover the $6MM needed to get this whole thing to not only fly, but become a living, breathing museum piece.
I should add #4, which may have already been added to other comments: There are MANY restore organizations that would love to help you bring this old girl back to life.
So the question is, could the plane be retrofitted with Modern engines that would also meet the noise requirement? Also, would the fact that the aircraft met requirements when it was produced make any difference? Grandfathered in by date of manufacture
I was thinking the same thing however who knows how much additional cost it would be to put more modern engines on the aircraft. I don’t think grandfathering works in the aviation industry. Aircraft engine manufacturers develop hush kits to help bring the noise down. A good example of this was the JT8D engines on DC-9s and old 737-200s. Since this aircraft was produced so long ago and probably not that many were sold, hush kits were probably never developed for them. It’s a shame it can’t be flown again, but restoration and possibly a sale to Graceland for static display may be an option….
@@justinh2694 Piece of cake. Just throw, let's say, another $3 M at it. BTW, how much do you suppose the aircraft's annual insurance policy (no doubt another mandatory requirement) would run? Cha-Ching!
Before cutting it into pieces: How about you check to put two modern engines (not four old jetstar ones) on them and you put glass cockpit instruments in it? This way you bypass most AD's, no noise certification issues, no need to find 4 old engines in a museum for 2.2mln and you save on flight testing, cabling, rods, other avionics equipment needed etc. Half of this list not even needed maybe. Yes its not as authentic but that wouldnt be the case anyway and this way has higher chance to succeed.
This was interesting and it puts to rest any thoughts of returning it to flight. Some sort of Elvis tourist attraction seems the best chance at recovering what you've spent. Well, that and the youtube income from this series. You're a crazy man, Jimmy! 🙃
No, Jimmy is not a crazy person! He is just as strong in love with AirCrafts than I personally am into them. If that mindset is regarded as madness then I don't want to be cured 😀
Jimmy, I think your plane (Elvis's plane) is also featured (one like it) in James Bond 'Goldfinger' movie from 1964. I told my wife that's Jimmy's plane. I believe you will do the right thing and share this memory with many others. The question is, where? Best to you! David and Leslie
In another video, they cut the wings off and put the fuselage on a truck chassis, so they will be able to drive it on the road. I don't agree with what he did with it. I think he should have restored the interior and exterior cosmetically for the purpose of displaying it, which would have been way cheaper than putting it back in flying condition and then parked it where people could view it and possibly tour the inside for a fee.
I think the actor Michael Dorn from Star Trek TNG had a Jetstar. He may be able to get you leads on sources, hush kits, etc. Later versions flew Garrett TFE731-3 engines that I think do have hush kits available.
Static display, that's what I always though you'd do with it, open it to the public in some way and atleast be able to use the money gained as storage fees and light restoration.
Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video! Head to www.bespokepost.com/jimmysworld20 and use code JIMMYSWORLD20 to grab your "box of awesome" and get 20% off your first box
👍
Try contacting Lockhead Martin, maybe they could help or even retrofit more modern engines that meet the noise requirements.
Fabricate hush kits. 😯 But, first, corrosion is definitely the deal breaker whether The King flies or remains grounded for Elvis fans.
Find a replica or as close to it as possible and refit everything into that.
Or seal it and have it as a backyard bar...
Sell it to whislin deisel and see if heavy d can mske it fly/glide one more time🤣🤣
You should contact Lockheed directly. They may be interested in assisting with this as a project from a public relations standpoint. Their fleet support line might be able to direct you better.
Today Lockheed Martin's business is quite different from the olden days. I would be surprised if they helped at all.
I doubt they would care. They don’t target the civilian market
They have better things to do, like putting death rays on the moon.
I do not think you understand to get the plane actually flying assuming that they do not find anything else wrong can source the engines etc there is no such thing as a hush kit for the engines even if they could somehow find them. |It is illegal to even turn on the engines though of course real world the police are not going to turn up but if for example they took it on one flight that would equal massive fines and the pilot would probably lose their license and hence career.
Hush kits are expensive and a set of S/H ones would cost upwards of $250k each except they do not exist so Lockhead would have to design build fit a brand new set and get them certified. Absolutely zero idea how much this would cost especially as there is no market for them but potentially 10s of millions.
Younger versions of the plane are still flyable so it might be they swapped engines in the later designs but if they are backwardly compatible no idea. Note a less older flyable Jetstar will set you back a mere half a million to give you some idea with this aircraft you are paying for the name and it is one of three so not exactly one of a kind.
That is a blinder of an idea.
Of course they will
He gave you his “I don’t want this job” price.😂
Who would
Yup. While totally different aircrafts, planesavers did a DC3 for peanuts compared to what he was quoted for this. He should call up Mikey Mcbrian and get a quote from him!
Sounds more like the "throw it away and buy a new one" price.
Yeah we can fix it for 500 grand for your 800 grand plane,but it we can fix it starting at 5.5 million no fixed price...I will ring you every week telling you another part the plane needs that has to come from.mars at 1 million a spark plug...this guy would sell you a car for 5 grand with no wheels...but you can get the wheels for an extra 20 grand
...watching this...I bet Jimmy had a drink that nite
@@shanancovacevich4303 I don’t think this is on the compliance people, this one is on Jimmy. While mechanics aren’t cheap, he should have seen this coming before he decided to throw down $234k on it.. especially as a mechanic himself.
I'd suggest making the plane into a museum/attraction piece. Work out a deal with that museum in TN that has the original engines, repaint the fuselage and address other cosmetic issues to make the plane look presentable again. No need to go further than that, it's a pipe-dream in itself to think the plane could ever be realistically flown again. At least it could live on as a museum attraction or similar.
Agreed. Many have suggested the same thing . Personally ...I would love to see it flying again . But ..if that not possible , it would make a fine attraction for Elvis fans .
Graceland already has two planes on display.
The original engines would violate noise regulations. So if it had its original engines it would never be allowed to fly, they need to buy modern replacements
That will work.
Best idea yet
Hell I think the Elvis plane being what it is and who he was, you should petition big brother aviation boards to make an exception to fully restore this priceless artifact. Not only for Elvis but for the plane that it is. I'm sure there has to be some sort of loophole, big brother always leaves them in the cracks somewhere. Maybe an experimental category or for shows. Don't let this beautiful plane disappear.
The last known flying JetStar was retrofitted with Garrett TFE731 engines in order to keep it within the noise requirements, so that's always an option if you decide to splurge a bit on this plane lol.
@@arklainquirk SHOCK VALUE.
@@arklainquirkBecause they specialize in Aircraft Interiors, lol. If He was serious, He would not have picked these guys to do that kind of rebuild work on this or any plane.
@@arklainquirk the original engines for this plane is in a museum in TN
There are plenty still flying around non are Jetstars and the 731 Jetstars ( of Jetstar I) were a retrofit mod done by Garrett which who knows who they have been bought out by today. JS II were production line aircraft done by Lockheed (you can ID those by the "dagger" between the engines
@@arklainquirk I think you would lose a lot of value as a retrofit or two and it's no longer Elvis's plane. It's like a classic old car that sells for a hundred thousand but if the numbers don't match you'd be lucky to get 20.
A sympathetic cosmetic restoration, an ordained Elvis impersonator, and you've got yourself a bespoke wedding chapel like no other.
Or rent it out overnight to Elvis fans but make it handicap accessible to accommodate their cans and walkers.
Thought they started to go after Elvis impersonators due to trademark infringement.
@@jimarcher5255 lmfao.
Find a tourist spot, use it for a B and B. Why couldn't it be fitted with a quieter motor and then sell the original motors to a aviation museum.
or a brothel
I’m sure jimmy has had a plan from the start. Can’t wait to hear what the real plan is. He knew that plane prob wouldn’t fly again.
I'm thinking take the wings off and make it a bus.
A permanent, rolling OSHKOSH promotional vehicle.
He already said his plan was never to make it fly. His plan was to take the wings off, put it on a trailer, and drive it around to airshows thinking he could charge money for people to walk through it.
He literally could have offered $20k for it and they would have accepted. He was being brain dead offering $230K. But also, he got the auction company to finance it to him. So he can stop paying and they will have to repossess it. He can discharge it in bankruptcy. He is not smart for paying more than scrap value.
The microwave works, isn't that worth it lol
The contrast between these cost estimates and the $300 I'm trying to scrape together to replace my SUV fuel pump is pretty phenomenal. I couldn't even imagine that kind of money for a non-essential expense like a vintage, private jet.
I can relate. I’m stressing over spending $6K to buy an insulated wall tent to live in for a year or two. I’d like to buy an insulated yurt for $20K~$30K and have been thinking yurts are really nice, but are simply a tent for rich people. I’m obviously not doing anything right financially to be worried about spending money on a wall tent or yurt to live in.
Maybe dont drive a suv when gas is at its peak might be a good start xD
@@rez372 The man is struggling to buy a $300 fuel pump(which is crazy for a fuel pump to begin with), how do you think he's gonna just buy a new car because of the sudden gas hike? What a stupid comment.
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. Tjhey have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
Check out your local u-pull car salvage yard, that's what I do.
I just think it's insane they are not legally required to tell you that due to noise regulations that this plane will never fly regardless of condition when they sell it. That just seems unbelievable like selling a condemned house and not disclosing it or something. Wild!
Those ADs are public information in anyone buying an aircraft of this cost would look it up
@@trxcummins7388 Well, not the ADs in this case. I guess it can be made airworthy and still not be allowed to fly because of the noise
@@trxcummins7388 so then he probably knew all this before he bought it?
Everyone in the industry knows about the noise compliance. That is why many older planes were phased out of the airlines. Those airplanes tend to go to other countries that don’t have those rules.
Maybe they can use different engines. And avionics.
It would be nice to see it restored to non-flying, museum condition. Still expensive but it preserves a unique aeroplane with a unique history.
Most likely the outcome. There’s a reason it sat there.
Thats what i was thinking. Restore it to like an Elvis museum piece where people could pay to get the elvis exerience of luxury back then. So restore the inside exactly how it would have looked back then. Restore cockpit, people will pay to take pics etc. Could have a wax life sized copy of Elvis sitting at the controls. People would pay to take a pic as his co pilot
Why not instead of putting two Jets on there they just put two jet engines on there I mean it should still fly was only two of them and the noise level will be lower putting four jet engines on that thing it's just Overkill
Two brand new jet engine models
Just turn it into an airbnb and I can put it on my bucket list. Huge Elvis fan here 🙂
What I was thinking too. Make it an Area 51 AirBNB. Probably cost another $200k
good idea, taking in consideration that lights, microwave, tv and other stuff works just fine, stuff the guests would use.... little bit of DIV paint, few pillows and blankets and you're good to go.... + figure out how the toilet works.... perfect Elvis's time capsule that real fans would pay good money to experience 👌
You to can share VD's with The KIng!
Would be so cool to turn the cockpit into a flight simulator as well.
AIR BNB! Imagine if you trailered it to Vegas and refurbished it there, You'd be booked for months ahead forever. "The Package" 📦 Married by an Elvis impersonator in a Nevada 💒💍 Chapel... Tell the World 🌎 ! You gotta recoup nearly 1/4 Million then it's pure profit 🤞🙏😎
For most people who are considering parting with $200K+ to buy something unknown with thoughts of restoration, a bit of a sanity check prior would be mandatory. My guess is that Jimmy never really every thought this was a potential flier and had other plans all along - he can't possibly be that naive. Makes for a great story though and I'm really enjoying it. Peace and love from Aussie land - Dave
He's a complete nut job day dreamer who lacks common sense. That Jet will NEVER FLY AGAIN, owed to an advanced aged air frame that no doubt is riddled with cracks, rust, etc, that make it totally and completely impossible to repair or restore. He might as well start a foundation to Raise The Titanic! Both are on the same level....i.e. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, EVER!
I like how they said it’d be a miracle if any of the electrical worked when u just did a video proving some of it still works 😂
I’m guessing this was filmed first, because jimmy said “and we haven’t even started it up yet”!
That company is not going to put their name on it unless it is all new.
I thought those two guys were relatively clueless. In a few seconds, I found an engine upgrade kit that would make it noise and fuel compliant. And I don't have a dad in the business or a fancy door logo.
You guys gotta understand something when it comes to aircraft. FAA compliant and flipping a switch are two different things. Back in 1992 when I worked at an auto parts store, a rebuilt GM 65 amp alternator was $30. That same GM alternator for a piper cub was $450 at the time. Why? FAA stamp on it.
The worst part in all this is what the auction company did to Jimmy. They supposedly had the "phone bidder" run up the bidding, then the bidder backed out of the sale. They sold it to Jimmy at his last bid, which worked out to 234k. That plane is worth 50 to 100k on a good day. I hope his RUclips revenue will pay for this debacle!
With the amount of views he's getting, RUclips will not even be close to returning his revenue.
That's 100% true, the metrics outsiders use for adsense revenue are misleading. Bigger name RUclipsrs are estimated to make millions, but the reality is they're maybe making $500k on a good year.
A RUclipsr could have a million subs and average 100k views per video and not even clear six figures. A huge factor is the _type_ of ads they put on your videos. Movie trailers and big name products pay the most, but they only advertise on the safest videos.
Those mecums, literal are sperm,if You know spanish,LOL anyway good luck to jim
That plane would make a really cool camper/RV to rent out for weekenders and such
From what I've heard from a YTer friend it basically boils down to about $1/1,000 views. So hes made about $2,500 from his elvis plane videos in the last month
guess I better hit like and watch to the end so that Jimmy can afford the ride home after this 🤣
Lets call Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. They can probably do this project at a fraction of the budget while also adding submarine features to the plane.
"How hard can it be...?"
This thing would have been so far out of their wheelhouse it's not even funny.
I've seen some people do some dumb shit , But you sir take the cake.
That's part of the fun!
I believe that is the point of his adventures!
like the shirt said - 'what can possibly go wrong'
some things of course will go wrong
but having looked at the engine spec, Garrett TFE731s, 11,000+ were built, later versions -05 & -06 were modernised to keep within noise restrictions, replacing older noisy engines, they run leaner, quieter etc etc - so personally i feel with a few modifications, as long as the airframe still has enough life left in it (which i'm sure it has) then i don't see why not - making her airworthy is one thing, keeping her airworthy is another
@@patchmack4469 as long as the newer engines were certified for that airframe it would work legally. otherwise he could be stuck with an experimental aircraft classification
@@flyer617
I just wish that Jimmy would find a less expensive hobby! 🤷♂️
Hi Jimmy England back again, another work around on the Engines is to re Engine them with the TFE 731 engines which you can also go on one of the various Engine maintenance programmes that are for the Honeywell/Garrett TFE-731 engines. These are very user friendly and help with maintenance. Another option is to look into a possible Lend/Lease agreement for the Engines, if it is available to a Private owner. Also to find the JT12 is going to be a nightmare plus the support you will need may cause problems where the TFE-731 is also a more efficient engine to operate and widely available with a lot of support for them in the USA and other parts of the world. As I quoted in my last message $4 to $6 million In honesty after listening to the very basic survey report there is a lot to do and is dependant on if Nothing is wrong and in need of major repair work. I think if you find items in poor condition you might need to look at another $2 million as a working fund to see this all the way to Flying so $8000,000. If I was advising you I would look into the TFE-731 STC modification it may in the long run save you money
A lend lease is why it no longer has engines
@@egypthobby Agreed but with the TFE-731 leases and say the MSP on the engines you are looking at ease of running plus if you are Tech on an Engine MSP find a replacement loner while yours is in the shop I know the Owners of the Jet-star 731 we looked after here in the early 2000's had some good words to say about MSP and costs of running
Aren't there some options that can mount one "fater" engine on each side. The "fater" engines are less noisey than the slinder engines. And I think more efficient. This is an interesting problem for sure. There must be even more interesting solutions for this problem.
Very large paper weight jimmy what was Elvis’s favourite food walk in dining experience I will leave it with you 😂
@@walterwjr947 Yes Walter Jr, this is the TFE-731 Engine STC that the Jet Star went through, retrofitting the TFE -731for the Older the JT12 Engines. Sadly the JT12 engines were not cutting it on fuel consumption and now the older Turbo jets are very noisy and do not meet a lot of the World wide noise pollution limits. So you either add a special stage 2 Hush Kit like on Gulfstream's 2 & 3, BAC 1-11 or find a different engine as they did on the Jet-Star 731 that are flying
What has troubled me from the start was the "auction." I truly believe you were taken in a big way. I would go back to the auction house and demand they provide proof there was a real "bidder" on the phone in the first place. You should have been able to get this paper weight with working TV and microwave for less than $10,000, and I put it that high only because of the intrinsic value of it briefly being a plane in which Elvis Presley flew. Otherwise, for examples, when you finally got to make your first inspection it was clear anything of true value had been stripped (stolen?) from the plane, including ENGINES, the most expensive parts of the cockpit panel and even the skyphone in the main cabin. Elvis' real plane is on display in Memphis. Forget about this hunk of (decaying) junk.
there was obviously no phone bidder. plane should have been sold for scrap value
Totally re the auction house. They ran you ip.
There is a channel called rebuild rescue they were bidding on the plane as well
There are numerous videos of this plane on the internet. It's just that no one was dumb enough to buy it, untill now! 😂
@@RidingWithJay Rebuild Rescue didnt even place a bit on this plane, go watch the video. It was out of his price range before he put in a single bid.
I think you should have gotten a second opinion before you chopped it up. Probably could not be brought up to todays standards, but here are plenty of historic airplanes out there that don't meet today's standards and are allowed to fly for shows.
Jimmy, sadly, the last known operational JetStar was retired in December of 2019. The owner got rid of the Pratt & Whitney JT12A engines becasue of the hush-kit issue and obtained permission from the FAA to re-engine the aircraft with Garrett TFE731's. The aircraft was donated to the Marietta Aviation History and Technology Center which will have two JetStars on display for the public.
That does not mean that one couldn’t be brought back. Although I doubt this will be the one
Buying this plane was a stupid decision that he made to begin with.
My suggestion is to sell it to the same museum that has the original engines and suggest that they install (basically glue) the engines on the aircraft and get some of his money back.
If he can convince them to do so and get couple of hundreds of thousands of dollars or whatever amount from them that'll be the best bet he'll get. I'm only trying to think of a way to minimize the damage that he has done to himself.
Damn it he should've had these guys inspect the aircraft before he placed the bet or at least did some research and probably wouldn't buy it if he knew about the government noise regulation, what a dumb thing to do.
@@MrUNCLESAM84 Nah, Jimmy's dumb like a fox! He'll milk this junker for all the You Tube videos he can and end up with a profit. There are still enough Elvis fans around to make it pay.
They are both currently on display.
@@Cougracer67 I don't know about that but probably you're right, like I wouldn't give a 💩 about Elvis to be honest.
This is history. Just make it visitable for the fans. Clean it, paint it, perfectly restore the interior and play non stop Elvis music, maybe some drinks to serve. Good luck bro.
Now That's the ticket
I'd just stop making payments and let the bank repo it now.
😂
Very poor attitude on your part. He bought the thing, he should pay for it.
Very much doubt if any financial institution would lend money for a piece of scrap metal.
there has to be a 'never say never' there is potential, just some folk are better with there money and don't gamble - is this a gamble, well maybe partly, but there is much potential, would certainly make the news, there are still huge numbers of fans, sure folk would pay to step aboard, and fly in her, Vagas promotions, dear god, there's a billion and one things you could do, some will need money throwing at it, but sure dividends will pay out by the bucket load only to be thrown back through the engine noise converters - it's risky and it's fun, just not for some of us, so why watch it hehe - i love it, see where it goes - its a 50/50, sink or swim, we'll either laugh or cry or laugh more
Mecum unloaded this thing
If it makes you feel better, Elvis originally paid $840,000 for this bird in 1962. Adjusted for inflation that's $8,321,284 in today's dollars. So hey, you're still ahead!
It’s a 1962 model. It was bought 7 months before he died in 1976. His personal pilot has stated it might have been acquired by one of his managers to be used as a corporate jet. He says Elvis never flew in it… and may not have even knew it existed.
Yes, I know it's a 1962 model (as I originally stated). The article I linked has all the details on it. Priscilla and several of Elvis' friends say he bought it with his dad and she was there at the auction to help sell it. And the article also says they don't know if Elvis ever flew in it. The fact remains that it's still one of his planes. Not sure what point you're trying to make.
Honestly, as cool as it would be to see this plane in the air, I think it's destined to be a museum static display.
I think it needs to be an Airbnb
Fix it up ( Cosmetically ), then turn it into a museum static display piece.
It's obviously a monumental amount of work and money for any one individual to undertake. I'm curious if historical orgs (flying or not) would be willing to pitch in to make this floor worthy. Maybe fly worthy comes after that if enough interest is generated and someone can magically summon engines out of their wizard hat.
You could make extra dough by part-timing it as a wedding venue.
It would take an obscene amount of money to get it airworthy - not to mention the corrosion yet to be found - and then the FAA would probably find a way to keep it on the ground
Hi Jim, I once travelled all the way to Memphis to visit Graceland (I live in Newcastle Australia). Loved the USA, the people and Graceland. Did notice that the Americans can use entrepreneurial skills to make a dollar out of anything. Good on them. Clearly this aircraft will never fly again (sad). But you have outlaid 234000 dollars and need to recoup. I suggest having the aircraft painted in its Elvis colours, mock engines put on it, tidy up the inside and station it near Memphis. $10 per head to get a look inside, $50 to have a reheated burger using Elvis's microwave, $50 to see a video on his TV. It's a goldmine!
I am A&P mechanic (aircraft mechanic) and love the idea of this plane flying again. If I lived closer to you, I would want to volunteer my time to restoring this rare aircraft. Maybe there are others like me with the know how and skills that feel the same.
I’m an avionics tech I was watching a video prior to this one on this craft and seen the flight deck and instantly started to draw up ideas on how to modernize the cockpit
You are awesome!
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. They have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
I think that’s a wonderful idea!
@@jroyablacksmith I don't know how much modernizing should be done outside of legality and flight issues. I hope he keeps it as original as possible. I hope he even finds pics of the Elvis interior and remakes it back to Elvis condition. That's what makes this hold value in any sort of way after all. This isn't about a plane. It's about a time piece. If he wanted to simply buy any jet.. this wouldn't be the one.
This guy is way over his head with this one 😂 Banger content 🔥
How so? He said before he bought it that it would cost over 2 million to restore. So how is it over his head?
@@shawnleider he's over his head because that fossil of an airplane will never meet the requirements for certification due to the advanced aged air frame alone that no doubt is riddle with cracks and rust. He would need an entirely new air frame which is the same as saying he would need to buy a brand new jet not to mention the Avonics are gutted and would require complete replacement that would cost way more than they paid for the pile of junk! So yeah, the idiot is indeed way over his head which is the reason he decided to CUT UP THE PIECE OF JUNK LIKE THE SCRAP METAL THAT IT IS! What a FRICKIN PIPE DREAM!
Jimmy, that is insane! Even if money was no object, would it be worth it to repair and put in the air again? Perhaps you could turn the hull into an AirBNB and rent it to folks for overnight stays?
I agree
My thoughts as well 👍
Use the profits from an Elvis BnB to fund the 310! :)
From the moment I saw the auction, I suspected that's the only thing it could be. Old jets need hush kits, which go into the millions alone. Plus is needs 4 rare engines.
The issue is if he'd run into legal problems from Elvis' estate for even mentioning the name Elvis for a BNB.
@@krozareq I don’t think they would be that pathetic. In fact be happy it has a purpose. Very negative
And now I live in an Airplane, down by the river.... almost my favorite line
This makes owning a classic car seem like an absolute bargain. :-)
I was thinking how wonderful I felt about my Harley Davidson bill after watching this I almost floated off my couch😂
@@thegamereviewandreallifech1910 By far! I could restore all six of my cars for the price of a 2023 model.
i'm sure this is a dumb question, but could you use a different kind of engine? ones you can find that comply with the regulations?
Turn it into an Air BnB! People would pay to stay in something Elvis owned, and actually used.
Imagine sitting on the toilet that elvis did.....lol!
@@steveabq7913 Let's hope you have better luck using the toilet than he did.
@@steveabq7913 Elvis never set foot in this plane, much less sat butt in it.
@@warrendelay a guy can dream, tho....
@@dafox0427 peanut butter and banana sandwiches aren't my thing....
I would like to hear your wife’s real reaction to all this. 😂
Garrett TFE731 engine (from Wikipedia): "The TFE731-3 was developed for use in the Lockheed JetStar re-engining program, and subsequent versions of it have been used on a number of aircraft, including the Learjet 55."
Definitely! There has to be a way of converting it into a 731 Jetstar. Lockheed has already done all the research & figured it out with the "731 JetStar modification program". The Jetstar IIs that Lockheed produced after that were basically a Jetstar-731 from the ground up.
@@whawaii NO way It takes more than the 731s wing spar upgrade for one thing. As I said I know, I was at Airesearch LAX the facility that did the conversion.
There’s more chance of me flapping my arms and taking off, than this plane flying again. Stick a fork in it, it’s done.
There is an airworthy 1977 Jet Star listing out there for $495k Buy it and repaint and do the interior as the Elvis Jet.
I hope he sees this
Then it is a replica no deal
That's a steal. Buy it and it can be a donor plane. Move the engines over, etc.
Still, 10 grand an hour to run. That's as much as my Bonanza costs for the hanger, annual, insurance, and upkeep for a year.
Hey Jimmy, it seems that it wouldn´t be imposible to reinstall a set of engines able to make it flyable again. I found a reference of 1 of these planes pictured at the 1986 National Business Aviation Association show, Long Beach Airport, California, with a couple of CF34-1A installed. There are also references mounting 4 x Garrett TFE-731-1. Check w/the guys in this video about the odds to do such engines swap, even though they will not be the originals, they may make her fly again. But I guess you have plans of your own, otherwise, you´d never buy this one.
I wouldn't check with the guys in the video... They're interior designers not mechanics, anf obviously out for a quid
@@strickoauIs not to argue, but... are you serious? At the beginning, the guy stated, very clearly, that they know old aircrafts and they're not newbies at restore them. I have no clue where did you get the idea that they're interior designers... unless you posted your comment in the wrong video.
Good point. Why wouldn't Jimmy be able to install modern jet engines on that plane?
@@joewalla8438 Because the moment you put new engines on a plane that wasn't originally designed for them, it's an experimental build. Tons of money to get it certified and cleared for passenger readiness.
You dont get it. This plane with NEVER be certified to fly, much less actually fly. Jimmy knows this. This is all a clickbait show now try to get his money back.
Jimmy knew all this. He's teasing everyone, 😁
Jimmy's mom didn't raise no fool. I'm sure he's known all along that this plane was destined for some other purpose. It's fun to watch Jimmy at work, and I'll bet good money he comes up with something great for this historic aircraft.
Agreed. I’ve been curious as to what his plans all along have been though. Cost of transport? Storage fees? Who’s already in discussion of next ownership? He be a fool to move it unless he knew he was keeping it.
oh that 230k was a foool and his money. that jets worth like 35k.
@@marauding4life Parking alone for a large private jet is astronomical. Prices can vary wildly from airport to airport, but not cheap unless he has a place set aside for it.
That's wishful thinking, he didn't expect it to cost so much, and that without custom parts, it'd be illegal anyway, outside of engine swaps
I was doing some welding out in Roswell about 10 years ago. I flew out of that airport and I think I remember seeing it sitting off to the side. It’s pretty cool that I saw it , not knowing it’s history. My grandpa was an A&P and I got to help him do some work on a plane Jerry Reed had many moons ago.
This should also be promoted in music circles for full support!
Or turned into a studio for music makers who love elvis.
AOPA and other aviation groups.I would make a donation.
Paint it and repair esthetics in and out of the plane and sell it as a theme attraction on Elvis for a restaurant or a Mall.
There has to be a way of converting it into a 731 Jetstar. Lockheed had already done all the research & figured it out with the "731 JetStar modification program". This was implemented on some of the original JT12 Jetstars.
The Jetstar IIs that Lockheed produced after that were basically a Jetstar-731 from the ground up.
Those 4 engines are available in Mexico at an aircraft graveyard. N430MB was the tail number at one point and it was sold to a company I believe in California and was decommissioned about 8 years ago. If you research that tail number and follow the trail to the exact location it’s at now you might be able to get ahold of those engines.
How much would it be? All the engines?
I love you!!! ❤❤❤
@@S0l0X I’m not quite sure but I know the aircraft was decommissioned fairly recently (in the past 10 years) so that would be probably some of the most decent engines if they are in fact still on the aircraft. My best guess for Pratt and Whitney Dash 8 engines that are salvageable but in need of major service would probably be between 100 and 200k a piece (x4).
Excellent nugget 🍺 But did you see the end of the video? Those engines are a complete non starter, according to our beloved Government
Can different similiar engines be put on the plane or is the JT12 the only engines allowed to power that plane?
Before I retired I was an aircraft engineer, I was a technical rep on a maintenance check being carried out on one of our 747-200’s by a contract company. Apart from the normal check stuff being carried out that was costing a fortune we had an autopilot defect to be investigated. Eventually the fault was traced to internal wiring inside the tail plane hydraulic screw jack assembly, this is the unit that moves the whole tail plane to trim the aircraft, being a 747 it’s quite a large unit. But a replacement reconditioned unit was $247,000 now consider this was way back around 1995, so it was a considerable amount of money. When I phoned our engineering director to give him the news so he could make the decision to buy it or not (we had no choice, it had to be repaired and tested in an approved workshop) I thought he’d had a heart attack, the phone went very quiet for a long time. Needless to say we bought it, the old one was sent away for repair so it could be sold.
Aircraft parts and repairs always cost an awful lot of money, it’s like telephone number figures. And that estimate will only get bigger and bigger as more problems are found. An aircraft parked up for 40 years without proper parking maintenance is never going to be in good condition, so there’ll be plenty of hidden evils with corroded and damaged parts adding to the bill.
figure double the 5 million IMO you can almost buy a new one for that price. A Bombardier Learjet 75 costs $13.8m
the funny thing is after a full restore its not Elvis' plane anymore. its a totally different aircraft
Jimmy is a genius.
This isn’t about the plane, it’s about the content. How many videos will be made about this plane? the adds, views, the community support. He will double his investment. This channel is not about the aircraft, it is about the entertainment. It’s about YOU!
I’m here for it.
It better be, because that plane will never fly again. A rebuild would probably be more like twice the estimated price. Finding the engines is probably impossible, plus there has to be irreparable structural damage, and if nothing else killed it - noise abatement does. No one is going to certify a one off hush kit. If someone put all the work in to actually rebuild it, the chances of getting a provisional air worthiness certificate is doubtful. No inspector would sign off. You actually would be allowed to start it, you just couldn't power it up. Plan B - scrap yard (which is where it was). Caveat Emptor, Elvis isn't a big enough draw to make that an attraction and it wasn't the JetStar he used; that one is at Graceland. This one was for the B Team.
All the more reason to make it a Simulator Attraction no strict rules on restoration or paint job or costly structural repairs. All about the entertainment with NO FAA restrictions. Graceland could be a great parking place for it. They maintain it and you get your share of profits. Like an amusement park ride. And no expensive insurance for flight.
It should be about both bc it's sad to see them just drop it and not look for a solution
2.8 million views on the 4-5 videos so far.,,,, at a high rate of $10 per cpm that equals $28,000 he made so far. Long way to go. But it is possible. Scrap metal he might get another $50k
Yeah right, m unsubscribing now..
Jimmy that guy doesn't seem very confident...
Tiny house air B&B inside a vintage hanger would be awesome! Restore the exterior to live on as a historic item. Love following you jimmy!
Yes this! Especially if you could get some more Elvis stuff to go on display in the hanger with it. Maybe one of his cars, all set up like they had just dropped him off to the plane.
2 options in my opinion.
1. Get a quote from the company who makes the hush kits to design, engineer and certify a solution for those motors
2. Retrofit a similar business jet motor. Option 1 definitely preferred.
There was never any doubt this was not a return to service option. I am sure the auction docs specified this. Jimmy is no fool he is in this to make $$$ and I am sure he has a plan for it.
yup !
Plus the more we comment should help him recover the costs lol
How is he not a fool again?
I’ve never felt so sorry for someone in my life, poor Jimmy,that’s sad
Why? He made no effort to do any research into anything he literally bought this over price piece of scrap metal because he couldn't be bothered to do any research and didn't think that painting with his heart and not his head would be a bad idea.
Curious to see what’s going to happen with this plane. He had to know about most of this before he even begin bidding on it. Curious of what he’s got planned.
Question: Wouldn’t the noise regulation not apply since it’s from another era and therefore it’s grandfathered in?
Get together with Adam Savage and Colon Furze and make some jet engines from stuff from Home Depot. That would be a fun episode :-)
🤣
Colon Furze 🤣😅
Colon furze, something rectal about that.
Make 'em out of old turbochargers!
Something tells me Jimmy knew all of this before the auction......He just played dumb to make a video...click bait....Funny Jimmy was commenting "Wanna bet?" in the other previous pre-purchase video when other comments said that plane would never fly again.....Not sure if this can be done as an experimental, but there is a reason nobody wanted that aircraft. If this thing gets turned into a diner or AIRbnb, I would assume that was the plan the entire time and these "how much will it cost" videos are just for entertainment, Jimmy had no plans of flying that plane....Who doesn't research that stuff before a 236k buy of a aircraft sitting in a field for 40 years....Love jimmy but you played me...
I can't imagine that Jimmy really thought that aircraft could ever be made airworthy.
You can make a brick airworthy if you wanted. Just depends on how much money you're willing to throw into it.
Like was said before, it's about clicks and views, almost free money.
@@fredhinck9685 Yeah, this plane was for for click bait views. Not to actually try to get flying. Every title is going to have "Elvis Presley's Private Jet......" in it.
I suspect Jimmy knew the end game for this beast in advance of even bidding. Cool topic, bound to get some views...
The obsolete engine type makes for an Expensive project, especially when 4 are needed. He knows this.
@@fknsl1 The whole channel revolves around stupid aircraft clickbait videos. He obviously bought it just to make money doing a series of clickbait videos, not make it fly. Not sure how he planned to get his $225K back.
Great process to follow here. I’m not even into planes, but this is interesting to me.
Turn it into an Elvis Airplane Museum, where you could display items related to Elvis and his passion for aviation or something.
Apparently you are not aware that this was only one of his 4 Aircraft.
Jimmy is immensely calm for someone who just wasted a quarter of a million dollars
It was NEVER going to fly again.
He has other plans he is not a idiot
It’s all in fun!
@@thehooksetter9025 Fix it up enough to look decent, donate to a museum for the tax write off?
he's calm because he just saved 5.7 million dollars LOL!!!
Don't be cruel! Bring this plane back to life! Make it a lifetime challenge! One day you will make the dream come true! 😃💪✈
Ok:
Do a Nice Cosmetic Restoration inside and out, Paint it, have some mock Engines made and installed, Buy the House Next 2 Graceland or in the General Aria, and Give tours to the people that go to Graceland maybe give people a 50% discount that have there ticket Stub from there tour at Graceland, Or Just Make it a Bed and "Elvis" Bed & Breakfast after the Cosmetic Restoration Or..... Just make a Crap tun of Moneys from doing Mutable YT Videos until you pay for the Perches price and Put That Baby in Your Hanger for The Awesomeness that it is !!!!!!! Sweet !!!!!!!! ------I Still See the Elvis Glass at Half Full Instead of Empty !!!!!! .... Hell Yeah !! Lets Do this !!! :))💃((: Nice !!!!!!
Ask around aircraft museums who could restore the external and internal condition where people can go and perhaps see inside the aircraft as an attraction. I think that this way would mean that many people can enjoy it as well, plus the aircraft would be kept indoors and protected from the elements. Either that, or you can see about modifying the aircraft for different engines that meet regulations, I'm guessing that would leave you being carried away on a stretcher with oxygen mask after seeing the price of that option.
Well, I think buying different engines would probably be *much* cheaper than trying to hunt down originals.
Well Jimmy, I almost never have any new ideas as I'm older than some rocks. While watching the two guys look at Elvis's jet and I can't imagine what it'll cost to get it in the air, I actually gave birth to an idea. I think you could let everyone who was or is a fan of Elvis kick in donations. Eh?? Now my head hurts...
Exactly, Elvis today has more fans outside the US to be honest. Just Japan would get you started.
Yep even if it doesnt fly brought up to museum spec. But thinking re engine or someone that really knows i get iffy vibes. Those 2 condemned the electronics without even realising jimmy had it powered up.
I'm in agreement with Mr Tracy Thorn. Elvis's fan base would love to pay for a chance to do a walk through and experience what was considered top shelf technology for the day and the bragging rights to being on Elvis's private jet. It would be an excellent addition to the Graceland tour. $$$
That plane was in Graceland about 5 or 6 years ago. I wonder how they got it to Roswell?
This thing has to fly again !!! Make a hush kit for it. Maybe modifications can be made to run different engines. I’m not sure but hopefully some people reach out to provide some solutions. Imagine this thing featured at an air show. I would come over from Australia to watch it take off and land.
you can get the Honeywell TFE731 engines that are the successor model to the original ones for around 150K each
Boy you are WAY off
You cannot even get a hot section inspection done for that price
Move it to a cool spot in Vegas, do some paint and a bad ass new interior and make it a sweet Elvis air bnb.
I'm a car guy. I want to say I'm blown away by this channel. Blown away with Jimmy and his videos . And reading everyones comments is great. Everyone on here is so well educated and the knowledge you all share is top notch. This is really neat peaking into aviation. God bless
I really like Jimmy's Channel now. His knowledge of airplanes and stuff about aviation is very fascinating. I been big into airplanes since I was a child.
Literally no difference in car hobby and plane hobby meet someone with a train hobby
welcome to the brotherhood of aviation.
Everybody in the comments is a certified A&P mechanic and also an investment expert, too! Joking aside, I agree with you.
Hey 👋 Jimmy Love your Channel 👍 ok I have 2 options for you. Option 1. Since it's costing you $5.7 Million and there's a big chance that you won't find ALL 4 Engines Why don't you Replace all 4 Engines with Newer Style Engines that meets today's requirements 🤔 ? Or Option # 2. Leave the plane as is and turn it into a Museum and Charge people like $5 to $10 a person to go inside and look at it and take pictures or I just thought of a 3rd Option you can sell it to a Museum that buys old famous vintage stuff 🤔 ? Just a thought 🙂 good luck with the plane and stay safe you 🙏 and your family 🙏
I would love to see this as an Air BnB. I’d pay to spend the night in the kings jet!!!
I heard AirBNB offers up to $100k to turn unique items/places into rentals. Maybe turn the jet into an AirBNB so people can experience what it was like to be Elvis
At one time, Lockheed was refurbishing this model. They did away with the four ramjet engines and went with two more fuel efficient turbo fan jet engines.
And they did away with the built-in fuel wing tanks.
You might check with them.
These are the Garrett TFE731-1 turbofan engines
@Daniël Klijnsma, it would be cheaper to just turn it into a cool mancave loaded with Elvis memorabilia.
BAHAHAHA
Ramjets….they aren’t ramjets.
The aircraft uses turbojets.
Some were later re-engined with turbofan jets.
They were JT 12 engines. The only place you’re going to get engines or parts is Erickson.
They bought up all the JT12’s and parts years ago for the JFTD12 on the crane.
You’ll have to get the turbo fan engine swap if you wanted to start it
TFE731s would be a great match for that plane, and maybe doing a modern glass avionics suite from Collins or Honeywell. Primus Apex because the 731s and their proprietary FADEC are all made by Honeywell which is owned by Boeing. Lots of L39 owners are doing 731 swaps. If you want more power, maybe a CF34 like on the Challenger, or maybe a pair of Rolls AE3007s like on the Citation X. I'd say gut the whole cockpit and put in a glass system if you want it flyable.
What is so shocking about this whole deal is Jimmy the PUTTS was so caught up in the Elvis moment he was 100% blinded to the actual reality of his situation . Had he been able to step back and look at the from a more realistic perspective he would have been able to see the old JetStar for what it was 100% SCRAP from the get go . this whole business about having people come out and look at it is just silly . Now had the JetStar been stored indoor safely well then you might have had something to talk about .In fact I can't believe he is still talking about the Elvis jet at all in the first place . and that's how Jimmy earned the nic name Jimmy the PUTTS .
Personally I think your best bet is to try and pull off a museum quality static restoration. I hate seeing a fine aircraft permanently grounded, but it would be better than letting nature take it back.
In the words of Indiana Jones, "It belongs in a museum!"
BMW restored Elvis's 507 to concourse condition. They had to completely disassemble it at their own facility. There is a detailed video on it. Likewise, I think taking this back to the factory would be the way to go here.
Bahahaha numbers-and he begins considering creating an Airbnb 😂🤣😂-$125k or a Limo-$200k 😂🤣💰💰
Are there alternative engines available that would meet the requirements? I also agree with Greg Simonich's comment about approaching Lockheed directly, the PR value would be immense. If it were to fly again I'm sure it could earn money on the airshow circuit.
Lockheed doesn't tend to that civilian market nowadays.
They make money from goverment contracts.
Lockheed has no parts or support of that plane
JIMMY PETITION LOCKHEAD MARTIN TO HELP! 5.7 million dollars is not even 1/1000th of their capitol. Tjhey have a free cashflow of over 6 billion. They could easily take this on and develop a muffler system for this IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL! DO IT FOR ELVIS, LOCKHEAD AND MARTIN!!!
The original JetStar was modified to the JetStar || within replacing original engine to more efficient Garrett TFE731 (now Honywell) and these engines are still in production.
I think he already knows what he's going to do with the aircraft, otherwise he wouldn't have bid on it. This is just a fun "what if" thought experiment that makes for good content. What I would do is get it looking good, fix and replace everything cosmetically. Get everything inside refurbished and in working order. Then donate it to Graceland, put it with the kings other two planes. Make it a neat time capsule of Americana everyone could enjoy.
Always makes me chuckle watching you cringe at the costs and damages 😄😄. 😉 we all know you can do it Jimmy. Love the channel.
Museum piece! Don’t trash it! Get it to the point where it doesn’t leak, looks good, and roll it into an exhibit! Those are rare airplanes and would be great as an aviation history piece somewhere.
This is that. ..". I'm going to price this BS so high that if this fool will pay it, we'll do it." Ffs, this is priced out so vague and outrageous, one could mistake it for a house bill or an omnibus package.
Would it be possible in any world to mount different more modern engines of similar weight and output and call it experimental? :)
I was wondering the same thing. Here in Maine the flying service on Moosehead Lake, years ago, found a set of original WW2 amphibious floats for the DC3. They brought them back and mounted them and wanted to fly commercial charter from Boston to Moosehead. BUT, they could not find any original struts for the floats and had to manufacture them. Because of that the FAA would only give them an experimental classification for the plane, which then prevented it from being used for charter. I remember flying down to Greenville airport and walking around it. It was a beast. When it landed on the lake it was a sight to behold.
one simply can not choose to call a plane "experimental"
I hear that Elvis weddings are really popular in Vegas. Might as well name the ship, "Fly by Night" and make it a wedding chapel! What could possibly go wrong?!
Decorate it internally like a motel room and rent it out for the night at the wedding chapel! At least it would keep on rockin' !!!
I know nothing about planes, but would it be possible to fit later engines to it, ones that comply to the noise requirements? I understand that the frame would need to be modified to mount them, but I'd assume the right people could do that. Perhaps 2 engines could be used instead of 4. Just a thought
The plane new from what it was was $850k (todays money is $4.4 million) Can you modify and run different engines? Whoever took control of the plane, and knowing it was Elvis's plane, to let it sit in the open , not enclosed or covered is a travesty.
Jimmy isn't a fool. While he may not have known exactly what it could cost to get this plane flying etc. I'd have guessed millions. The video/ process was needed to confirm the costs not just to Jimmy but to anyone that thinks this would just 'buff out'. I think Jimmy has always had 'plan b' in mind. And I can't wait to see what he has planned for it.
Can you not swap the engines with different ones? Or as they were saying there were different sub(?)models of the type of plane could they repurpose those wings / engines to fit this plane?
@@Wrath0fG0d2003 I don't think you can it would have to get a type certificate and it can't if the engines are vastly different than what the manufacturer put in it. There is absolutely no way that plane will ever fly again IMO
@@johncherish7610 well that sucks... But I'd the auctioneers presented it in that manner and he didn't know that sucks. I'm guessing he has a great idea. :)
@@Wrath0fG0d2003 I was thinking the same.. there's gotta be a way to swap out engines.
How is he not a fool again?
There are always solutions. Here are a couple ideas.
1. Custom hush kits. Someone will make them for you. Price unknown
2. Different engines. They can be close but not exact to still be "Elvis's plane"
3. And finally, surely for a plane this famous, a crowd-funding effort could cover the $6MM needed to get this whole thing to not only fly, but become a living, breathing museum piece.
I should add #4, which may have already been added to other comments: There are MANY restore organizations that would love to help you bring this old girl back to life.
So the question is, could the plane be retrofitted with Modern engines that would also meet the noise requirement? Also, would the fact that the aircraft met requirements when it was produced make any difference? Grandfathered in by date of manufacture
I was thinking the same thing however who knows how much additional cost it would be to put more modern engines on the aircraft. I don’t think grandfathering works in the aviation industry. Aircraft engine manufacturers develop hush kits to help bring the noise down. A good example of this was the JT8D engines on DC-9s and old 737-200s. Since this aircraft was produced so long ago and probably not that many were sold, hush kits were probably never developed for them. It’s a shame it can’t be flown again, but restoration and possibly a sale to Graceland for static display may be an option….
@@justinh2694 Its a wreck, Jimmy is just toying with us. No chance this dinosaur takes flight again. Maybe a direct hit from a tornado?
@@justinh2694 Piece of cake. Just throw, let's say, another $3 M at it.
BTW, how much do you suppose the aircraft's annual insurance policy (no doubt another mandatory requirement) would run? Cha-Ching!
Before cutting it into pieces:
How about you check to put two modern engines (not four old jetstar ones) on them and you put glass cockpit instruments in it? This way you bypass most AD's, no noise certification issues, no need to find 4 old engines in a museum for 2.2mln and you save on flight testing, cabling, rods, other avionics equipment needed etc. Half of this list not even needed maybe. Yes its not as authentic but that wouldnt be the case anyway and this way has higher chance to succeed.
This was interesting and it puts to rest any thoughts of returning it to flight. Some sort of Elvis tourist attraction seems the best chance at recovering what you've spent. Well, that and the youtube income from this series. You're a crazy man, Jimmy! 🙃
No, Jimmy is not a crazy person! He is just as strong in love with AirCrafts than I personally am into them. If that mindset is regarded as madness then I don't want to be cured 😀
Those dudes don’t seem qualified.
As a retired USAF aircraft maintenance supervisor and holder of an A&P license since 1992, I would have to agree with you !
Exactly
They might be, but they did an extremely poor job displaying it on camera
Which ones.
@@b1bmsgt thank you sir
Jimmy, I think your plane (Elvis's plane) is also featured (one like it) in James Bond 'Goldfinger' movie from 1964. I told my wife that's Jimmy's plane. I believe you will do the right thing and share this memory with many others. The question is, where? Best to you! David and Leslie
In another video, they cut the wings off and put the fuselage on a truck chassis, so they will be able to drive it on the road. I don't agree with what he did with it. I think he should have restored the interior and exterior cosmetically for the purpose of displaying it, which would have been way cheaper than putting it back in flying condition and then parked it where people could view it and possibly tour the inside for a fee.
I think the actor Michael Dorn from Star Trek TNG had a Jetstar. He may be able to get you leads on sources, hush kits, etc. Later versions flew Garrett TFE731-3 engines that I think do have hush kits available.
He had a Sabreliner, but they both ran on the same P&W J60 engine.
731's are stage 3 compliant problem is you will never legally put those motors on the aircraft much less find the parts needed
@@peteranderson037 only a handful had pratts they stuffed a fan variant of the GE 610 straight pipe motor (cf400) in the 40 series on up
you could use some of the 310 parts, I am sure you can make it work
Static display, that's what I always though you'd do with it, open it to the public in some way and atleast be able to use the money gained as storage fees and light restoration.
Just my opinion but listening to these guys seemed like I'd get some other guys. One seemed like he's training the other. I'd def get with Lockheed
According to wiki the Garrett TFE731 was a modification made, if you choose to get it flying again, maybe it could be an option