Summary
- Elvis Presley’s private jet fleet included a Convair 880 and two Lockheed JetStars, with the Lisa Marie being one of the most well-known.
- The ex-Delta Air Lines jet underwent a complete overhaul before being flown by Elvis.
- Named after Elvis’s daughter, Lisa Marie, the aircraft is now on permanent display at Graceland.
After making millions from their careers, many celebrities acquire private jets to allow more exclusive travel for themselves, their families, and their colleagues. Like many celebrities, Elvis Presley loved to travel in style. He owned a few private jets, and the pride of his fleet was the Lisa Marie. Let us take a look at the jet and where it is now.
A complete overhaul
The Lisa Marie is a Convair 880, named after Elvis Presley’s daughter. It was one of 65 units manufactured between 1959 and 1962. According to ATDB.aero, Elvis’ Convair 880 was first delivered to Delta Air Lines in October 1961, with registration N8809E. The aircraft left Delta’s fleet in January 1974 and was purchased by Elvis in April 1975 for $250,000 ($1.4 million today).
After its delivery, the aircraft was re-registered with the personalized registration N880EP. Nicknamed the Hound Dog I and affectionately dubbed ‘The Pride of Elvis Presley Airways’ by the singer himself, this Flying Graceland had plenty to shout about. The rock star spent over $800,000 ($4.6 million) refurbishing the jet and adding personal touches.
Elvis’ gaudy decor was a noted hit with his friends and family, with a large contingent welcomed onboard for a special flight on Christmas Day in 1975. Elvis Australia outlined the eclectic design choices, saying,
“The plane was in a hangar at Meacham Field in Fort Worth, and for months Elvis took great pleasure in flying friends out to check on progress as the interior of the plane was refurbished to his very specific design requirements.
“Elvis wanted a seating area, a conference room, and a private bedroom on the plane (with space for an in-flight reading library). He picked fabrics, decided on color schemes, chose the on-board audiovisual system, and even OK’d the gold fixtures in the bathrooms (he counted heavily on some aesthetic input from Priscilla, too).”
The private jet was decorated with lush blues, greens, and gold. It also featured gold-plated belt buckles and accessories, suede sofas, leather-topped tables, a quadraphonic 8-track stereo system, and a sky-to-ground phone system, among other amenities. Elvis and his guests could enjoy true luxury at any time of the day with a master bedroom and a sitting room that could turn into a guest bedroom.
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A rock star’s personal choice
While the jet has a predominantly white livery, Elvis also added some personal touches to the exterior. The tail features the American flag, together with the singer’s famous Taking Care of Business (TCB) logo. According to the Graceland Blog, the customization took about seven months, with the Lisa Marie completing its first flight on November 27, 1975.
Photo: DreamArt123 | Shutterstock
It took Elvis to Las Vegas, where he was performing for about two weeks. However, one of the most memorable trips was when Elvis took his daughter Lisa Marie to Denver, Colorado. Having lived in Memphis, he realized that his daughter had never experienced a winter with real snow, so he took her to Denver to play in the snow before returning to Graceland soon after.
What happened to the Lisa Marie?
The Convair 880 went on display at Graceland in 1984 after it was handed over to Memphis-based OKC Partnership. The firm agreed with Elvis Presley Enterprises to put it on display in exchange for a percentage of ticket sales. About 30 years later, Elvis Presley Enterprises asked OKC Partnership to change the agreement and remove the aircraft for restoration.
The Lisa Marie received a fresh coat of paint in 2018 so that the public could experience what it was like on the legend’s personal jet during its heyday. A tour of the aircraft is included with a trip to the mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s a great place to marvel at the history of both the music and the aviation industries. The Convair 880 was a robust unit for its time, with the following specifications:
|
Capacity |
28 (after Elvis modified the plane) |
|---|---|
|
Range |
2,600 mi / 4,800 km |
|
Engines |
4 x General Electric CJ-805-3 Pod Mount Jets |
|
Length |
129 ft 4 in (39.42 m) |
|
Height |
36 ft 3.75 in (11.07 m) |
|
Wingspan |
120 ft 0 in (36.58 m) |
|
Cruising speed |
470–534.5 kn (870–990 km/h) |
|
Ceiling |
41,000 ft (12,000 m) |
|
Operating cost |
$404,000 (in 1976) |
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Elvis Presley’s other private jets
Presley bought another jetliner while waiting for Lisa Marie to hit the air. His Lockheed JetStar “Hound Dog II” was more expensive than the Convair 880, trading for $900,000 ($5.2 million today). However, the JetStar did not require significant modifications, although Elvis added some personal touches to the cabin. The Hound Dog II is also on display at Graceland.
Elvis bought another JetStar in 1976. This one differed from the other aircraft, featuring pink velvet seats and a striking red livery. The 1962 JetStar aircraft grabbed the headlines in early 2023 when it was put up for auction again, with Presley’s ex-wife Priscilla in attendance. It was sold for $234,000 to YouTuber James Webb of Jimmy’s World.
Webb tried to deploy the plane in the skies again, but after some research, determined that it would have been a mammoth task. Thus, he decided to convert it into an RV. While the YouTuber cut the fuselage and changed some exterior features, most of the cabin remained the same.
What are your thoughts about Elvis Presley’s Convair 880? What do you make of the overall features of the aircraft? Please let us know in the comments.
