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The BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111, BAC 1-11) is a retired early
jet airliner A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft). Airliners usually have twinjet, two or quadjet, four jet engines; trijet, three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Air ...
produced by the
British Aircraft Corporation The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric, English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane ...
(BAC). Conceived by
Hunting Aircraft Hunting Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer that produced light training aircraft and the initial design that would evolve into the BAC 1-11 jet airliner. Founded as Percival Aircraft Company in 1933, the company later moved to Luton ...
as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airliner with a
British United Airways British United Airways (BUA) was a private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline in the United Kingdom formed as a result of the merger of Airwork Services#Origins, Airwork Services and Hunting-Clan Air Transport ...
(BUA) order on 9 May 1961. The prototype conducted its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...
on 20 August 1963, and it was first delivered to BUA on 22 January 1965. The 119-seat, stretched 500 series was introduced in 1967. Total production amounted to 244 until 1982 in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
including 1982 to 1989 in
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
where nine Rombac One-Elevens were licence-built by
Romaero Romaero, formerly Intreprinderea de Reparații Material Aeronautic or IRMA ('Enterprise for the Repair of Aeronautical Material'), is a Romanian aerospace company, headquartered in the Băneasa neighborhood of Bucharest. In recent years, it has ...
. The
short haul In aviation, the flight length or flight distance refers to the distance of a flight. Aircraft do not necessarily follow the great-circle distance, but may opt for a longer route due to weather, traffic, to utilise a jet stream, or to refuel. Co ...
,
narrowbody aircraft A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than in width. In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with mult ...
was powered by aft-mounted
Rolls-Royce Spey The Rolls-Royce Spey (company designations RB.163 and RB.168 and RB.183) is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years. A co-development version of the ...
low-bypass turbofans, a configuration similar to the earlier
Sud Aviation Caravelle The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle is a French jet airliner produced by Sud Aviation. It was developed by SNCASE in the early 1950s, and made its maiden flight on May 27, 1955. It included some de Havilland designs and components developed for t ...
and later
Douglas DC-9 The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast, single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was initially produced as the Douglas DC-9 prior to August 1967, after which point the company had merged with McDonnell ...
. It competed with early
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton factory in Washington (state), Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the t ...
models and was used by British, US, and European airlines, including Romanian operators. It was replaced by the newer
Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first membe ...
and later 737 variants, as well as by the
Bombardier CRJ200 The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 (previously Canadair CRJ100 and CRJ200) are regional jets designed and manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace between 1991 and 2006, the first of the Bombardier CRJ family. The ''Canadair Regional Jet'' (CRJ) pr ...
regional jet.
Noise Noise is sound, chiefly unwanted, unintentional, or harmful sound considered unpleasant, loud, or disruptive to mental or hearing faculties. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrat ...
restrictions accelerated its transition to African carriers in the 1990s, and the last BAC One-Eleven was retired in 2019.


Development


Early development

In the 1950s, although the pioneering
de Havilland Comet The de Havilland DH.106 Comet is the world's first commercial jet airliner. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland in the United Kingdom, the Comet 1 prototype first flew in 1949. It features an aerodynamically clean design with four ...
had suffered disasters in service, strong passenger demand had been demonstrated for jet propulsion. Several manufacturers raced to release passenger jets, including those aimed at the short-haul market, such as the
Sud Aviation Caravelle The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle is a French jet airliner produced by Sud Aviation. It was developed by SNCASE in the early 1950s, and made its maiden flight on May 27, 1955. It included some de Havilland designs and components developed for t ...
. In July 1956,
British European Airways British European Airways (BEA), formally British European Airways Corporation, was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. BEA operated to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. The ...
published a paper calling for a "second generation" jet airliner to operate beside their existing
turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
designs. This led to a variety of designs from the British aerospace industry.
Hunting Aircraft Hunting Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer that produced light training aircraft and the initial design that would evolve into the BAC 1-11 jet airliner. Founded as Percival Aircraft Company in 1933, the company later moved to Luton ...
started design studies on a jet-powered replacement for the successful
Vickers Viscount The Vickers Viscount is a retired British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner. T ...
, developing the 30-seat Hunting 107. Around the same time, Vickers started a similar development of a 140-seat derivative of its
VC10 The Vickers VC10 is a retired mid-sized, narrow-body long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and first flown at Brooklands, Surrey, in 1962. The VC10 is often compared to th ...
project, the VC11. Many other aviation firms also produced designs. In 1960 Hunting, under British government pressure, merged with
Vickers-Armstrongs Vickers-Armstrongs Limited was a British engineering conglomerate formed by the merger of the assets of Vickers Limited and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Company in 1927. The majority of the company was nationalised in the 1960s and 1970s, w ...
,
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, and
English Electric The English Electric Company Limited (EE) was a British industrial manufacturer formed after World War I by amalgamating five businesses which, during the war, made munitions, armaments and aeroplanes. It initially specialised in industrial el ...
to form
British Aircraft Corporation The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric, English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane ...
(BAC). The new BAC decided that the Hunting project had merit, but that there would be little market for a 30-seat jet airliner. The design was reworked into the BAC 107, a 59-seat airliner powered by two
Bristol Siddeley Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd (BSEL) was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of t ...
BS75
turbofan A turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a combination of references to the preceding generation engine technology of the turbojet and the add ...
engines.Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, p. 68. BAC also continued development of the larger, 140-seat VC-11 development of the
Vickers VC10 The Vickers VC10 is a retired mid-sized, narrow-body long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and first flown at Brooklands, Surrey, in 1962. The VC10 is often compared to the larger Soviet Ily ...
which it had inherited.Andrews, C. F. and E. B. Morgan. ''Vickers Aircraft since 1908''. London: Putnam, 1988. , pp. 576–577. Other competing internal projects, such as the
Bristol Type 200 The Bristol Type 200 was a proposal for a short-range aircraft by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1956. Although it was designed in response to a specification issued by British European Airways (BEA), the Type 200 was larger than the airline' ...
, were quickly abandoned following absorption of Hunting into BAC. Market research showed the 59-seat BAC 107 was too small, and the design was reworked in 1961, with passenger capacity growing to 80 seats, and BS75s being discarded in favour of
Rolls-Royce Spey The Rolls-Royce Spey (company designations RB.163 and RB.168 and RB.183) is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years. A co-development version of the ...
s. The revised design was redesignated the BAC 111 (later known as the One-Eleven), with BAC abandoning the VC11 project to concentrate on the more promising One-Eleven. Unlike contemporary British airliners such as the
Hawker Siddeley Trident The Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident (originally the de Havilland DH.121 and briefly the Airco DH.121) is a British airliner produced by Hawker Siddeley. In 1957, de Havilland proposed its DH.121 trijet design to a British European Airways (BEA ...
, the One-Eleven was not designed specifically to meet the needs of the state-owned
British European Airways British European Airways (BEA), formally British European Airways Corporation, was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. BEA operated to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. The ...
or
British Overseas Airways Corporation British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the United Kingdom, British state-owned national airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II ...
, but on the needs of airlines around the world, and BAC expected orders for as many as 400.Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, pp. 70–71. On 9 May 1961 the One-Eleven was publicly launched when British United Airways placed the first order for ten One-Eleven 200s. On 20 October
Braniff International Airways Braniff Airways, Inc., operated as Braniff International Airways from 1948 until 1965, and then Braniff International from 1965 until the cessation of air operations, was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982 and continues to ...
in the United States ordered six.Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, p. 71.
Mohawk Airlines Mohawk Airlines was a local service carrier operating in the Mid-Atlantic states, Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, mainly in New York and Pennsylvania, from the mid-1940s until its acquisition by Allegheny Airlines in 1972. At its hei ...
sent representatives to Europe seeking out a new aircraft to bring them into the jet era, and on 24 July 1962 concluded an agreement for four One-Elevens. Orders followed from
Kuwait Airways Kuwait Airways (, ) is the flag carrier of Kuwait, with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport, Al Farwaniyah Governorate. It operates scheduled international services throughout the Middle East, to the Indian subcontine ...
for three, and
Central African Airways Central African Airways (CAA) was a supranational airline corporation serving as flag carrier for Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland (respectively the present day countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi), which were organised as ...
for two. Braniff subsequently doubled their order to 12, while Ireland's
Aer Lingus Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish , meaning "air fleet") is an Irish airline company which is the flag carrier of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 201 ...
ordered four.
Western Airlines Western Airlines was a major airline in the United States based in California, operating in the Western United States including Alaska and Hawaii, and western Canada, as well as to New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Miami and to Mex ...
ordered ten but later cancelled.
Bonanza Air Lines Bonanza Air Lines was a local service carrier, a US scheduled airline focused on smaller routes in the Western United States (and eventually Mexico) from 1949 until it merged with two other local service airlines to form Air West in 1968. Its he ...
also ordered three in 1962 but was stopped by the US
Civil Aeronautics Board The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1940 from a split of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services (including scheduled passe ...
(CAB), which claimed that subsidies would be needed to operate a jet on Bonanza's routes, an action claimed by some at the time to be
protectionism Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations ...
. The CAB also stopped
Frontier Airlines Frontier Airlines, Inc. is a major American ultra low-cost airline headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It operates flights to over 120 destinations in the United States, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, and employs more than 5,000 staff. ...
and
Ozark Air Lines Ozark Air Lines was a local service carrier (originally known as a feeder airline) in the United States that operated from 1950 until 1986, when it was purchased by Trans World Airlines (TWA). Ozark got a second chance to be an airline when t ...
from ordering One-Elevens, although allowing Ozark to order the similar Douglas DC-9 and Frontier to order
Boeing 727-100 The Boeing 727 is an American narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavier 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter flight lengths from smaller airp ...
s. The CAB had also unsuccessfully tried to block Mohawk's orders. In May 1963, BAC announced the One-Eleven 300 and 400. The new versions used the Mk. 511 version of the Spey with increased power, allowing more fuel upload and hence longer range. The difference between the 300 and 400 lay in the equipment and
avionics Avionics (a portmanteau of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the ...
, the 400 intended for sales in the United States and thus equipped with US instruments. On 17 July 1963,
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
ordered 15 aircraft, bringing the total to 60, plus options for 15.Willis ''Air International'' October 2006, p 64. American Airlines eventually bought 30 of the 400-series, making the airline the largest customer of One-Elevens.


Prototypes

The prototype (''G-ASHG'') rolled out of
Hurn Hurn is a village and civil parish in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole district of Dorset, England. It is situated between the River Stour and River Avon north-west of Christchurch and north-east of Bournemouth town centre. In 2001, t ...
assembly hall on 28 July 1963, at which point BAC had received orders for the type from a number of operators. On 20 August 1963, the prototype conducted its first flight, painted in BUA livery. The first flight had taken place almost a year before the Douglas DC-9, a rival American jetliner; BAC considered the One-Eleven to hold a technological edge. The One-Eleven's lead was of significant importance commercially, since, as shown by the Bonanza Air Lines case, US authorities could refuse to approve sales of foreign aircraft to domestic airlines where an American alternative existed (Bonanza ended up ordering and operating the DC-9). Test flying was conducted by Squadron Leader
Dave Glaser Squadron Leader Ernest Derek 'Dave' Glaser (20 April 1921 – 2001) was a British Royal Air Force officer of the Battle of Britain, and later a notable test pilot. Biography Glaser was the son of a former Royal Flying Corps officer and brought ...
. The One-Eleven prototype, flown by test pilot
Mike Lithgow Michael John Lithgow, OBE (30 August 1920 – 22 October 1963) was a British aviator and chief test pilot for Vickers Supermarine who became the holder of the World Absolute Air Speed Record in 1953 flying a Supermarine Swift. He died when th ...
, crashed on 22 October 1963 during stall testing, with the loss of all on board. The investigation led to the discovery of what became known as
deep stall In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack exceeds its critical value.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 486. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...
or superstall, a phenomenon caused by reduced airflow to the
tailplane A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabilizer, is a small lift (force), lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters ...
caused by the combined blanking effects of the wing and the aft-mounted engine
nacelle A nacelle ( ) is a streamlined container for aircraft parts such as Aircraft engine, engines, fuel or equipment. When attached entirely outside the airframe, it is sometimes called a pod, in which case it is attached with a Hardpoint#Pylon, pylo ...
s at high
angles of attack In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is mo ...
, which prevents recovery of normal (nose-down) flight.''Report on the Accident to B.A.C. One-Eleven G-ASHG at Cratt Hill, near Chicklade, Wiltshire on 22 October 1963'', Ministry of Aviation C.A.P. 219, 1965 To prevent such stalls, BAC designed and added devices known as
stick shaker Stick, sticks or the stick may refer to: Thin elongated objects * Twig or branch * Walking stick, a device to facilitate balancing while walking * Shepherd's crook * Shillelagh * Swagger stick * Digging stick * Swizzle stick, used to stir drinks ...
s and
stick pusher A stick pusher is a device installed in some fixed-wing aircraft to prevent the aircraft from entering an aerodynamic stall. Some large fixed-wing aircraft display poor post-stall handling characteristics or are vulnerable to deep stall. To preve ...
s to the One-Eleven's control system. It also redesigned the wing's
leading edge The leading edge is the part of the wing that first contacts the air;Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. alternatively it is the foremost edge of an airfoil sectio ...
to smooth airflow into the engines and over the tailplane. The specially modified aircraft used for testing this problem is now preserved at
Brooklands Museum Brooklands Museum is a motoring and aviation museum occupying part of the former Brooklands Motor Course in Weybridge, Surrey, England. Formally opened in 1991, the museum is operated by the independent Brooklands Museum Trust Ltd, a private l ...
. Despite the crash, testing continued and customer confidence remained high. American Airlines and Braniff took up their optional orders and placed more in February 1964. Further orders came from Mohawk, Philippine Airlines and German businessman Helmut Horten, who ordered the first executive modification of the aircraft. By the end of 1964, 13 aircraft had rolled off the production line. The One-Eleven was Type certificate, certified and the first handover, of ''G-ASJI'' to BUA, was on 22 January 1965. After several weeks of route-proving flights, the first revenue service flew on 9 April from Gatwick Airport, Gatwick to Genoa. Braniff took delivery of its first aircraft on 11 March, while Mohawk received its first on 15 May. Deliveries continued, and by the end of 1965 airlines had received 34 aircraft. Demand remained buoyant, with a second production line set up at Weybridgeproducing thirteen 1-11s between 1966 and 1970.


The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475

In 1967 a larger 119-seat version was introduced as the One-Eleven 500 (also known as Super One-Eleven). This "stretched" version was delayed for at least a year while its launch customer BEA assessed its requirements. This gave competing US aircraft (the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 737) the opportunity to compensate for the One-Eleven's early penetration of the US domestic market. The British aircraft's initial one-year advantage now turned into a one-year delay, and the stretched series 500 failed to sell in the US. The type saw service with Cayman Airways and Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) in the Caribbean with Cayman Airways operating the series 500 on scheduled services to Houston, Texas (IAH) and Miami, Florida (MIA), and LIAT flying its series 500s into San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU). Bahamasair also operated the stretched 500 model with service between Nassau (NAS) and Miami among other routes while Guatemalan carrier Aviateca operated its series 500 aircraft into both Miami and New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY). Costa Rican airline LACSA operated the series 500 as well on its services to Miami. Another air carrier which operated the series 500 into Miami was Belize Airways Ltd. Compared with earlier versions, the One-Eleven 500 was longer by 8 ft 4in (2.54 m) ahead of the wing and 5 ft 2in (1.57 m) behind it. The wing span was increased by 5 ft (1.5 m), and the latest Mk. 512 version of the Spey was used. The new version sold reasonably well across the world, particularly to European charter airlines. In 1971 it received an incremental upgrade to reduce Drag (physics), drag and reduce runway requirements. BEA/British Airways 500 series aircraft (denoted ''One-Eleven 510ED'') varied significantly from other One-Elevens, at BEA's request. The One-Eleven 510ED had a modified cockpit which incorporated instrumentation and avionics from or similar to that of the
Hawker Siddeley Trident The Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident (originally the de Havilland DH.121 and briefly the Airco DH.121) is a British airliner produced by Hawker Siddeley. In 1957, de Havilland proposed its DH.121 trijet design to a British European Airways (BEA ...
, for better commonality with the type. Their additional equipment included a more sophisticated autopilot, which allowed autoland in Instrument Landing System#CAT II, CAT II and included an autothrottle. The modifications went as far as reversing the "on" position of most switches to match that of the Trident; indeed, the 510ED was so different from other One-Elevens and 500 series aircraft that a different Pilot licensing in the United Kingdom, type rating was required to fly it. Having faced competition from US aircraft by 1966, by 1970 the One-Eleven also faced competition from newer, smaller aircraft such as the Fokker F28 Fellowship. The F28 was lighter, less complex, and cheaper. The One-Eleven 475 of 1970 was launched to compete with the F28. It combined the 400 fuselage with the higher power and larger wing of the 500 and was intended for hot and high as well as rough airfield operations; however only ten One-Eleven Mk 475s were sold with one airline being Faucett Peru which operated its series 475 aircraft on scheduled domestic services into several airports with unpaved gravel runways in Peru. In 1977, the One-Eleven 670, a quiet and updated 475, was offered to the Japanese domestic market, also failing to sell.


Proposed developments

Total deliveries for 1965 were 34 aircraft,Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, p. 78. while 200 aircraft had been built by the end of 1971. At this point orders slowed to a trickle, with production being suspended in 1975, although marketing and design continued, and it was always planned to restart production when sufficient orders had been received.''Air International'' January 1979, pp. 8, 10 BAC restarted production in 1977 as a result of an order for five aircraft by the Romanian airline Tarom.''Air International'' January 1979, p. 10 British production continued until 1984, with a total of 235 aircraft built in Britain. There were two reasons why the production line was kept open for just 35 aircraft delivered over 11 years: first, BAC hoped that Rolls-Royce would develop a quieter and more powerful version of the Spey engine, making possible further One-Eleven developments; second, throughout the early part of the period
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
was negotiating to buy the entire One-Eleven programme and transfer production of the type to Bucharest. By 1974, BAC invested significant effort into launching the One-Eleven 700. This had a longer fuselage with a 134-seat interior and the projected Spey 606 engine producing greater power and less noise.Payne ''Aeroplane'' February 2021, p. 37.Taylor 1975, p. 195. The 700J was planned for the Japanese market, with the same stretched fuselage and engines as the 700 and a new high-lift wing for operation into regional airports with short runways. The 700 was approximately the same size as the latest DC-9s and 737s and would have been available in time to prevent large-scale defections by One-Eleven clients to McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing. Rolls-Royce was still recovering from bankruptcy, however, and the uprated Spey failed to materialise. An altogether less ambitious 700 made a reappearance in 1978 as a 500 with specially "hush-kitted" Speys which would be replaced by the proposed RB432 in the mid-1980s. This was offered to British Airways in competition with Boeing 737-200s, but was ultimately rejected. In 1975, BAC launched the One-Eleven 800, a further stretched aircraft to be powered by two CFM International CFM56 high-bypass turbofans and seating 144 to 161 passengers,Payne ''Aeroplane'' February 2021, p. 38. but this project was abandoned in 1976 in favour of a new derivative of the One-Eleven with a wider fuselage capable of six-abreast seating. This new airliner was unveiled later that year as the X-Eleven, which would be powered by two CFM-56s or Pratt & Whitney JT10D engines and seat up 166 passengers.Payne ''Aeroplane'' February 2021, pp. 38–39. In 1977, BAC merged with Hawker Siddeley to form British Aerospace (BAe) and the new company was faced with the choice of developing the X-Eleven or joining European efforts to design an-all new aircraft. In the end, BAe became a full member of Airbus, and the X-Eleven was abandoned, with the European alternative becoming the Airbus A320.Payne ''Aeroplane'' February 2021, pp. 400–401. The BAC Two-Eleven and Three-Eleven were British airliner studies proposed by the British Aircraft Corporation in the late 1960s which never made it to production.


Rombac production

On 9 June 1979, Romanian president Nicolae Ceaușescu signed a contract for One-Eleven licence production in Romania. This was to involve the delivery of three complete One-Elevens (two 500-series aircraft and one 475 series) plus the construction of at least 22 in Bucharest, with the reduction of British (and thus increase of Romanian) content. It also involved Romanian production of
Rolls-Royce Spey The Rolls-Royce Spey (company designations RB.163 and RB.168 and RB.183) is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years. A co-development version of the ...
engines and certification of the aircraft to British standards by the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom), Civil Aviation Authority. A market for up to 80 Romanian-built aircraft was projected at the time, largely in China and other developing economies, and possibly Eastern Europe. The aircraft was redesignated Rombac 1-11.Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, pp. 80–81.Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. , p. 173. The Spey 512-14 DW engines were produced under license by Turbomecanica Bucharest. The first Rombac One-Eleven, (YR-BRA cn 401) a series 561RC, was rolled out at Romaero Băneasa factory on 27 August 1982 and first flew on 18 September 1982. Production continued until 1989 at a much slower pace than foreseen in the contract. Nine aircraft were delivered, with the 10th and 11th aircraft on the production line being abandoned when they were 85% and 70% complete. The first aircraft was delivered to TAROM on 29 December 1982. The Romanian carrier took delivery of all but two of the aircraft produced, the remaining two going to Romavia, the last of which (YR-BRI cn 409) was delivered on 1 January 1993. There were three reasons why the Rombac initiative failed. Romania's economy and international position deteriorated to the point where supplies needed for One-Eleven manufacturing slowed to a trickle, with hard currency restrictions delaying the delivery of components sourced outside Romania; the market foreseen by the Romanians failed to show an interest, though some Rombac machines were leased to European operators. The One-Eleven's noise level and fuel economy failed to keep pace with US and West European competition. Adopting a new engine would have resolved noise and fuel economy issues. Following the Romanian Revolution, fall of the Ceaușescu regime, plans were made to restart production using the Rolls-Royce Tay (turbofan), Rolls-Royce Tay. British Aircraft lease, aircraft leasing company Associated Aerospace agreed a $1 billion deal to purchase 50 Tay-powered One-Elevens fitted with a new electronic glass cockpit for onward leasing to Western customers. The liquidation of Associated Aerospace in April 1991 stopped this deal. Despite this setback, Rombac continued to try to sell the One-Eleven, with US operator Kiwi International Air Lines placing a firm order for 11 Tay-engined aircraft with options for an additional five, but these plans never happened.Pilling, Mark. "Whatever happened to the Romanian One-Eleven?". ''Air International'', Vol. 43 No. 4, October 1992. pp. 212–214. , pp. 213–214.


Operational history

Once in service, the One Eleven found itself in competition with the Douglas DC-9, and was joined by another competitor, the Boeing 737, only a year after its introduction. Advantages over the DC-9 included a lower unit cost. The DC-9 offered more seating, and its engines were interchangeable with those on the Boeing 727. These factors led to Trans Australia Airlines choosing to purchase the DC-9 instead.Gunn, John. "Contested Skies: Trans-Australian Airlines, Australian Airlines." ''University of Queensland Press'', 1999. , pp. 203–205. In the US, the Civil Aeronautics Board was sceptical of smaller operators' need for jet aircraft and withheld financing, leading to several US customers cancelling their One-Eleven orders.
Mohawk Airlines Mohawk Airlines was a local service carrier operating in the Mid-Atlantic states, Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, mainly in New York and Pennsylvania, from the mid-1940s until its acquisition by Allegheny Airlines in 1972. At its hei ...
became both the first American operator of the type and the first airline in the US to operate jet aircraft on short haul routes. On 25 June 1965, Mohawk introduced its first One-Eleven into passenger service; by the end of the decade, the airline operated a fleet of 20 BAC One-Elevens. Buying the jets pushed Mohawk into debt and this, along with an economic downturn and strike action, led to its forced merger with Allegheny Airlines which in turn continued to operate the One-Eleven. In July 1963,
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
had placed an order for 15 400-series One-Elevens for £14 million; this was the first time American Airlines had purchased a foreign aircraft type for its fleet. Braniff International Airways, another major US air carrier, also ordered the One-Eleven. Aloha Airlines selected the One-Eleven as its first jet type for interisland service in the Hawaiian Islands. Several British operators, including Dan Air and British Caledonian, made extensive use of the type. Dan Air increased the number of One-Elevens it had in service in the 1970s, eventually replacing its aging
de Havilland Comet The de Havilland DH.106 Comet is the world's first commercial jet airliner. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland in the United Kingdom, the Comet 1 prototype first flew in 1949. It features an aerodynamically clean design with four ...
s with the One-Eleven entirely in the 1980s. The type became the airline's main revenue generator. Dan Air would often lease One-Elevens, including Rombac-produced aircraft, to meet short-term demands. During periods of low demand Dan Air would lease its own One-Elevens to other operators. British Caledonian and Dan Air One-Elevens would often be exchanged between the two airlines on temporary and permanent arrangements. Passenger demand grew on several key One-Eleven routes, exceeding the Series 500's larger capacity during the 1980s, which began to force airlines to use other planes. Before the formation of British Airways (BA), some predecessor companies, British European Airways and Cambrian Airways, were operating the One-Eleven. Their fleets were inherited by BA. British Airways Regional Division found the performance of the One-Eleven more than adequate and sought to expand operations with the type, including further acquisitions, in the early 1970s in part to replace
Vickers Viscount The Vickers Viscount is a retired British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner. T ...
s. BA's 400-Series One-Elevens were all named after areas and locations in the The Midlands, England, English Midlands, reflecting the type's new base at Birmingham Airport. BA ordered more Series-500 aircraft in the late 1970s and the airline received some of the last British-made One-Elevens. British Caledonian had begun replacing its One-Elevens with the new Airbus A320, when it was merged with British Airways in 1987 due to financial problems. In both Caledonian and British Airways service, the One-Elevens were a dominant type for the operator's European routes. BA proceeded to rationalise its fleets, retiring many overlapping types, the One-Eleven being gradually phased out for the more modern A320 and Boeing 737 jetliners. The last aircraft was removed from regular service with BA in October 1992. A number of ex-BA aircraft saw service with Maersk Air before, in turn, being replaced by the
Bombardier CRJ200 The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 (previously Canadair CRJ100 and CRJ200) are regional jets designed and manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace between 1991 and 2006, the first of the Bombardier CRJ family. The ''Canadair Regional Jet'' (CRJ) pr ...
in the late 1990s.Hill 1999, p. 152. In Ireland
Aer Lingus Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish , meaning "air fleet") is an Irish airline company which is the flag carrier of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 201 ...
flew One-Elevens for three decades, in both the scheduled and charter markets. The aircraft was used on less-busy European routes into the 1990s. The One-Eleven was important in budget airline Ryanair's early years: it had sought an aircraft for low-fare scheduled services from regional airports, and obtained One-Elevens. The first of these, a Rombac-produced 500-Series, entered service on the Dublin–Luton route on 1 December 1986. Ryanair's fleet expanded to six aircraft by 1988, with three leased from Romania. These leased aircraft were later replaced with former BA One-Elevens. Ultimately Ryanair replaced the One-Eleven with the Boeing 737 in the mid-1990s. In April 1966, Philippine Airlines began operating One Elevens in revenue service. They eventually operated 12 of the later 500-Series. One of these aircraft suffered two separate in-flight bomb explosions, but was repaired each time and continued in service until 1992. In another high-profile incident on 21 May 1982, John Clearno tried to hijack a Philippine One-Eleven while on the ground, but was eventually overpowered by the cockpit crew following hours of negotiation. No passengers or crew were injured. Philippine Airlines replaced the type with the Boeing 737 from 1989 onwards. Romania was a major customer for British-produced One-Elevens, with several large orders in the 1970s. These aircraft were often fitted with equipment such as engine 'hush kits'. In May 1977, a major cooperation agreement between British Aerospace and the Romanian government was signed, and this led to a gradual One-Eleven technology transfer to Romania. Full contracts for licence production under the Rombac name followed two years later. Complete airframes and components were provided to assist in the venture. All Rombac One-Elevens manufactured by Romaero were delivered to TAROM and Romavia, which leased them to airlines across both Eastern and Western Europe. Rombac-produced One-Elevens would be adopted by many emerging operators globally, including Lauda Air in Austria, and Aero Asia International in Pakistan. Two planes served as the private jets of Romanian communist leaders Nicolae Ceaușescu and Ion Iliescu during 1986 to 1989. Due to the planes are "extreme rarity and significance for the technical history of Romania," they were added to the “treasure” category of Romania’s mobile cultural heritage in 2021, not allowed to leave the country. Under the BAC licence, 9 planes were made in Romania. Some of them served in a small airline, LAR, its sole destination being Tel Aviv. One-Elevens remained in widespread use with European operators into the 1990s. Once retired from major operators, they were often sold to smaller airlines, often in the Far East and Africa. Nigeria was a major operator until the type was grounded after a crash in 2002. A major factor for the withdrawal from European service of remaining One-Elevens was the Joint Aviation Authorities, Stage III noise abatement regulations, which came into effect from March 2003. Bringing the Rolls-Royce Spey engines into compliance with the noise regulations with hush kits was expensive, and many European operators chose to dispose of the type from their fleets. In 2010, the European Aviation Safety Agency accepted an Airbus request to revoke the Type Certificate for the BAC One-Eleven. As a result, BAC One-Eleven aircraft registered in any Member state of the European Union, EU Member State are no longer eligible for a normal certificate of airworthiness. In December 2012, the last operational One-Eleven in the UK, which had continued to fly as a military aircraft, was retired. Eventually, on 7 May 2019, the last flyable One-Eleven was retired by Northrop Grumman after serving as an Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, F-35 testbed.


Variants

;One-Eleven 200 :Initial production version, Spey Mk 506 engines.; individual customer designations within this series. 56 built.Willis ''Air International'' October 2006, p. 66. ;One-Eleven 217 :Version for the RAAF using a 200 series fuselage with RR Spey Mk511-14 engines, low-pressure tyres, a navigator's station and a sextant hatch in the cockpit ceiling. Two built. ;One-Eleven 300 :Uprated engines ( Spey Mk 511s), more fuel for longer range; individual customer designations within this series. 9 built. ;One-Eleven 400 :Series 300 with American instrumentation and equipment; individual customer designations within this series. 69 built. ;One-Eleven 475 :Series 400 body with Series 500 wing and powerplant plus rough-airfield landing gear and body protection. 6 built. ;One-Eleven 485GD: Similar to 475, 3 for Oman. ;Rombac 1-11-495 :Planned Romanian-built version of the Series 475. None completed. ;One-Eleven 500 :Extended body version with up to 119 seats and longer span wings. Fitted with more powerful engines ( Spey 512s); individual customer designations within this series. 86 built. ;One-Eleven 510ED :Variant of the 500 series built for BEA/British Airways. Size and engines same as other 500s, cockpit modified to provide more commonality with Hawker Siddeley Trident, HS.121 Trident and required a different type rating from all other 500 series One-Elevens. ;Rombac 1-11-560 :Romanian-built version of the Series 500. Nine completed. ;One-Eleven 670 :Series 475 with improved aerodynamics and reduced noise; one converted from Series 475.''Air International'' January 1979, pp. 12, 41.Chorlton ''Aeroplane'' November 2012, p. 82. ;VC-92:Brazilian Air Force designation of the One-Eleven 423ET.


Operators

The BAC One-Eleven was widely used by civil and military operators. After the One-Eleven's type certificate had been withdrawn, they flew as experimental aircraft in the research and development category. On 6 May 2019, the last aircraft still in service, used by Northrop Grumman as an airborne test bed for the F-35 programme, was retired.


Notable accidents and incidents


Accidents with fatalities

* On 22 October 1963, a 1963 BAC One-Eleven test crash, prototype aircraft crashed during a test flight, while testing stall conditions near Chicklade in Wiltshire, England. All seven crew members were killed. This was not a production-model plane and this incident is described more fully in the BAC One-Eleven#Development, Development section above. * On 6 August 1966, Braniff International Airways Flight 250 disintegrated in mid-air after flying into a severe thunderstorm near Falls City, Nebraska. It was en route to Omaha, Nebraska, from Kansas City, Missouri. Thirty-eight passengers and four crew members were killed in the crash. The plane was a BAC One-Eleven-203AE. * On 23 June 1967, a Mohawk Airlines One-Eleven-204AF while flying Mohawk Airlines Flight 40 suffered a loss of pitch control following an on-board fire that caused heavy damage in the tail area. Flight 40 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight between Elmira, New York and Washington, DC. It crashed outside Blossburg, Pennsylvania with the loss of all 34 passengers and crew. The fire was traced to the auxiliary power unit (APU); as a direct result of this accident in-flight use of the APU was banned. * On 12 September 1969, a Philippine Airlines BAC One-Eleven registration PI-C1131 operating as Philippine Air Lines Flight 158, Flight 158 en route from Mactan–Cebu International Airport in Cebu to Manila International Airport, Manila International Airport (now Ninoy Aquino Airport) in Manila, Philippines struck a mango tree on the hill in suburban Kula-ike, Antipolo, Rizal (province), Rizal, east of its destination while on a VOR approach to runway 24. There were 47 people on board, of which 45 were killed. One passenger and one flight steward survived, but both were hospitalized with burns. The crash was the worst air disaster in the Philippines involving commercial aircraft until Philippine Airlines Flight 206, 1987. * On 7 December 1970, a TAROM One-Eleven 424EU flying from Tel Aviv to Bucharest crashed on approach to the Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport after having been diverted from its original destination. The accident occurred due to deteriorating weather and 19 of the 24 occupants were killed. * On 6 September 1971, a One-Eleven 515FB operating as Paninternational Flight 112 collided with a bridge during an emergency landing on the Bundesautobahn 7, A7 Autobahn in Hamburg, shearing off both wings after a double engine failure during takeoff. The Water injection (engine), water injection system had inadvertently been filled with jet fuel instead of water. Twenty-two of the 121 people aboard died."ASN Aircraft accident BAC One-Eleven 515FB D-ALAR Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport."
''Aviation Safety Network'', Retrieved: 23 October 2010.
* On 18 April 1974, Court Line Flight 95, operated by One-Eleven 528 G-AXMJ was involved in a ground collision with Piper Aztec, Piper PA-23 Aztec G-AYDE at Luton Airport, London Luton Airport due to the Aztec entering the active runway without clearance. The pilot of the Aztec was killed and his passenger was injured. All 91 on board the One-Eleven safely left the aircraft after take-off was aborted. * On 21 November 1977, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 9 flying from Buenos Aires to Bariloche, San Carlos de Bariloche, suffered pressurisation problems whilst climbing to 35,000 feet. Later on approach into San Carlos de Bariloche Airport, San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport, the plane struck terrain and crashed. All five crew and 41 of 74 passengers were killed. * On 7 May 1981, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 901 crashed on approach into Jorge Newbery Airport, Buenos Aires, after a flight from San Miguel de Tucumán. The likely cause was the weather and pilot error. All 5 crew and 26 passengers were killed. * On 21 July 1989, Philippine Airlines Flight 124 overran the runway when attempting a landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila. None of the 98 passengers on board were killed, but eight people on the ground died when the aircraft came to a stop on an adjacent highway. * On 26 June 1991, ran out of fuel while on approach to Sokoto Airport and crashed during a forced landing, killing four passengers. * On 18 September 1994, 1994 Oriental Airlines crash, an Oriental Airlines flight carrying Nigerian football team Heartland F.C., Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC home from a CAF Champions League quarterfinals match in Tunis crashed on its fourth landing attempt at Tamanrasset Airport. Five people on board died, including three crew and two passengers, both footballers for the team. * On 29 July 1997, overshot the runway while landing at Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar Airport, killing one person. * On 4 May 2002, EAS Airlines Flight 4226 crashed in a suburb of Kano (city), Kano, Nigeria, shortly after takeoff, killing 73 of the 77 people on board and 30 more on the ground. This remains the worst crash of a BAC One-Eleven, with a total of 103 deaths."Nigeria; EAS Kano Crash Report Indicts Pilot." ''Africa News'', 3 April 2003.


Other incidents

* On 9 July 1978, Allegheny Airlines Flight 453 crash-landed at Greater Rochester International Airport while arriving from Boston Logan International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 77 people. According to the NTSB report, the flight landed on Runway 28 at too high a speed, but with sufficient performance capability to reject the landing. The pilots chose to continue the landing, the aircraft skidded off the end of the runway, and its landing gear were sheared off by a ditch. There were no fatalities but the aircraft was written off. * On 4 August 1984, a Philippine Airlines flight overshot runway 36 and ended up in the sea when attempting a landing at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, Tacloban City, Philippines. All 70 passengers and five crew survived. * On 10 June 1990, British Airways Flight 5390's cockpit window blew out at altitude after incorrect bolts had been used to secure it. Captain Tim Lancaster was blown half out of the cockpit by the pressure differential; members of the cabin crew clung to his legs to keep him from being blown out of the aircraft. The plane made an emergency landing at Southampton Airport. The pilot survived, as did all the crew and passengers. An investigation revealed that the shift maintenance manager had used incorrect bolts as they were similar to the bolts which had been previously used on the aircraft; he replaced them at a like for like ratio. 84 of the 90 bolts used to secure the window were too small in diameter, whilst the remaining six were too short in length.


Aircraft on display

* One-Eleven 475AM G-ASYD at the Brooklands Museum, Surrey, United Kingdom.Ellis 2012, p. 211 * One-Eleven 510ED G-AVMU at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.Ellis 2012, p. 23 * One-Eleven 510ED G-AVMO at the National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, Scotland, United Kingdom.Ellis 2012, p. 286 * One-Elevens CC-CYL and CC-CYM at the Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio in Santiago, Chile. * One-Eleven 510ED G-AVMN at the Panzemuseum East, Slagelse, Denmark. former AB Airlines. * A former US Air BAC One-Eleven, registration N1117J, is located near Orlando International Airport, and is used for firefighting exercises. The aircraft is a mostly empty shell and is in poor condition. * A former MOD(PE) (later QinetiQ) BAC One-Eleven 539GL serial ZH763 is located at the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre in Newquay, Cornwall. On 25 November 2023 the fuselage was moved to the exterior of Solent Sky museum. * Two Rombac One-Eleven 560 (YR-BRE and the last built, YR-BRI) are stored at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport. The two aircraft were classified in Romania's national cultural heritage () on 11 February 2021. * BAC One-Eleven TZ-BSC owned by Romaero was restored and exhibited at the Bucharest International Air Show (BIAS) and (BSDA) 2018. * A former Aero America BAC One-Eleven, registration N111RZ, is located at the premises of the Indian Hills Equestrian Centre, Illinois. The aircraft is missing its port side wing. Last flown by Rotec. * 215AU, registration SX-BAR was transferred from former Athens Airport to Lavrio. Last flown by Hellenic Airforce. * A BAC One-Eleven Cockpit is on display and accessible at Malta Aviation Museum * A complete BAC One-Eleven is on display in Topeka, KS at the American Flight Museum, tail number N789CF


Specifications


See also


References


Citations


Bibliography

* Chorlton, Martyn. "Database: British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven". ''Aeroplane Monthly, Aeroplane'', Vol. 40 No. 11, November 2012. pp. 67–82. . * Ellis, Ken. ''Wreck & Relics 23rd Edition''. Manchester, England:Crecy Publishing, 2012. . * Hill, Michael. ''BAC One-Eleven''. Crowood Press, 1999. . * Lewis, Walter David. ''Airline Executives and Federal Regulation: Case Studies in American Enterprise from the Airmail Era to the Dawn of the Jet Age''. Ohio State University Press, 2000. . * "One-Eleven for the 'Eighties". ''Air International'', Vol. 16 No. 1, January 1980. pp. 7–12, 41–42. * Payne, Richard. "X Marks the Spot". ''Aeroplane Monthly, Aeroplane'', Vol. 49, No. 2, February 2021. pp. 36–41. . * Sorlucco, Jerry. ''A Good Stick: An Airline Captain Lives the History of 20th Century Commercial Aviation.'' AuthorHouse, 2005. . * John W. R. Taylor, Taylor, John W. R. (ed.) ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1975–76''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, . * Willis, Dave. "Aircraft Profile: BAC One-Eleven". ''Air International'', Vol. 70 No. 4. October 2006. pp. 64–66. .


Further reading


British Pathé report on BAC 1-11 production in 1965
* Skinner, Stephen. ''The Long and the Short of It: The Story of a Great British Airliner Prototype, BAC One-Eleven G-ASYD''. ''Air Enthusiast'' 105, May/June 2003, pp. 44–51.
"Inside a Retro BAC 1-11 Business Jet"
''Forbes'', 17 September 2011
"BAC 1-11"
BAE Systems * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bac One-Eleven BAC One-Eleven, Aircraft first flown in 1963 British Aircraft Corporation aircraft, One-Eleven 1960s British airliners Low-wing aircraft Twinjets T-tail aircraft Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear