In the late 1950s, Sud Aviation in France (later represented by Aerospatiale) and Bristol Aircraft in the UK (lost in mergers that formed British Aerospace) were both working individually on the design of a supersonic civil transport aircraft. Both companies realized at an early date that the creation of such an aircraft was feasible, but beyond the economic capability of any individual company; thus came about the Anglo-French design and development agreement in November 1962, with the two companies backed by their individual governments.

After the Anglo-French Supersonic Treaty was signed in 1962, years of intensive research and over 5,000 hours of wind-tunnel tests proved that the long, streamlined fuselage and slender ogival delta wing finally reconciled good control at speeds as low as 230 mph with low drag up to Mach 2.2 (around 1,300 mph).

The wings, produced by Aéro¬spatiale, have elevons which work together as elevators and differen¬tially as ailerons. There are no flaps; control is built into the wings through camber, taper, droop and twist. Rolls-Royce designed the power-plant – so called because the four Olympus turbojet engines constitute just one part of a complex four-part system made up of air intakes adjustable for high and low speeds, engines with two independent compressors for low fuel consumption at sub- and supersonic speeds, the reheat system to give extra thrust for takeoff and transonic acceleration, and variable geometry exhaust nozzles that also serve as reverse thrust. The cruising speed was fixed at Mach 2.2, just below the “heat barrier”, so the airframe, designed for a life of 60,000 hours, could be constructed in an aluminium alloy resistant to variations in temperature from minus 35 to over 120 degrees Celsius (-310/2480F).

Concorde Article

The first French built (F WTSS) and British built (G BSST) prototypes were flown for the first time on 2 March and 9 April 1969 respectively. The Anglo-French plane took off from Toulouse and was in the air for just 27 minutes before the pilot made the decision to land. The first pilot, Andre Turcat, said on his return to the airport: “Finally the big bird flies, and I can say now that it flies pretty well”. The French built F WTSS test flight reached 10,000ft (3,000m), but Concorde’s speed never rose above 300mph (480kph). Mr Turcat, his co-pilot and two engineers taxied to the end of the runway at about 1530GMT. Strong winds meant the test flight was in doubt for much of the day.

Two previous test flights had to be abandoned because of poor weather conditions. Concorde sped down the runway and there was a spontaneous burst of applause from watching reporters and cameramen as the wheels lifted off the ground. The noise from the four Olympus 593 engines, built jointly by the Bristol division of Rolls Royce and the French Snecma organisation, drowned out any noise from the crowd.

The first British test pilot, Brian Trubshaw, who watched the flight from the news stand, said, “I was terribly impressed by the way the whole flight was conducted. It was most professional and I would like to congratulate Andre on the way he handled this performance.”

Less than half-an-hour later, the aircraft was brought back down to earth using a braking parachute and reverse thrust. The crew emerged at the top of the steps, led by Mr Turcat, who gave the thumbs up signal with each hand.

On 9 April 1969, Brian Trubshaw made his first flight in the British-built prototype. The 22 minute flight left from a test runway at Filton near Bristol and landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The British government had so far invested £155m in the project.

Key features of the design include the early decision to limit speed to Mach 2.2, making conventional construction possible; the development by Rolls Royce and SNECMA of the reliable Olympus 593 engines to power the type the evolution of the computer controlled variable area air intakes which ensure that each engine receives an optimum air flow under all flight conditions; and the design of a fuel system which serves not only to feed the powerplant, but also to act as a heat sink for the limiting of wing temperature in prolonged supersonic flight, and additionally to work as a system to maintain in flight the correct relationship between the aircraft’s centre of gravity and its aerodynamic centre of pressure. This last effect is achieved by trim tanks from which fuel is pumped rearward during acceleration and forward as the aircraft returns to subsonic flight speed.

The DST (the French counter-espionage service) and MI5 were collaborating on a case involving a double agent, Air Bubble. Air Bubble was an industrial chemist named Dr. Jean Paul Soupert. Soupert was an agent runner for East German intelligence and the KGB, but the Belgian Securite d’Etat doubled him. Soupert told the Belgians about an East German illegal named Herbert Steinbrecher, who was running agents inside the French Concorde assemble plants. They had acquired for the Russians every detail of the Anglo-French Concorde’s advanced electronic systems.

The Concorde first exceeded Mach 1 on 1 October 1969, and Mach 2 was passed during a test flight on 4 November 1970.
Despite the reactions of economists and the ecologists, Air France and British Airways began simultaneous inaugural Concorde services on 21 January 1976, from Paris via Dakar to Rio de Janeiro, and from London to Bahrain respectively, just over four months later, on 24 May, simultaneous services were launched from Paris and London to Washington’s Dulles International Airport.
In January 1976, 29 years after the first aircraft broke the sound barrier, two Concordes took off from Paris and London on the first supersonic passenger service. Concorde flies high at 50,000 feet or more, where air density is around one tenth that at sea level, temperatures are low and supersonic engines efficient. Sixty thousand feet is OK, because it can go supersonic there. Thirty thousand feet is OK because it can fly subsonic at that level. It is difficult to maintain a fixed altitude. It needs to follow the Mach number, which is dependant on air temperature. It operates at the block altitude of 50-60000 feet. Starting off at Mach 2 at 50000 feet, and gently climbing as fuel is burnt off.

Concorde were providing two daily return flights, with an average flying time of 3 hr 20 min, from London to JFK International, New York.
The fuel burn of the Paris-New York route is similar to that of a Boeing 747. But carrying 100 passengers, the jumbo 440 plus. The take-off speed is 220 knots, the typical take-off weight 186 tonnes (made up of 80 tonnes unladen weight, 96 tonnes of fuel and 10 tonnes of passengers and baggage). Twelve minutes after takeoff it can be at Mach 1, 26 minutes after take-off Mach 2. The complicated fuel manage¬ment systems to alter the centre of gravity as the centre of pressure shifts mean that a flight engineer is required. Landing speed is 163 knots. The skin temperature reaches 127 degrees C at Mach 2.02, and this was in fact the limiting factor in the original design with the airframe materials available at that time.
From a total of twenty originally built, fourteen were delivered to British Airways and Air France.

The aircraft were designed for working lives of 6700 cycles, with a possible 10,000 cycles seen as a desirable goal, through a life extension programme. Both airlines continue to co-operate closely in exchanging information on this work. There have been few incidents in service thus far, the well-publicized departure of bits of British Airways’ rudders being the exception. The aircraft continue to be expensive to maintain (about 2.5 times as labour intensive as the Boeing 747), but the prestige value is still considered to overide this.
Many airlines showed initial interest, but then cancelled their options and lost interest entirely.
With its massive development costs, Concorde was always struggling with profitability on the commercial routes. In more recent years, an upturn in charter business has helped defray Concorde’s high costs and utilisation – so much so that profitability had to some degree been achieved.

On 12 April 1989 a large section of rudder detached from Concorde G-BOAF as it climbed through 43,000 ft / 13,100 m on a flight from Christchurch, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia. The crew was unaware of the problem until landing.

Then came the accident to the Air France AF4590 aircraft, F-BTSC in Paris on 25 July 2000 where all one hundred passengers and nine crew, plus four people on the ground, lost their lives. After expensive and intricate modifications, British Airways put five aircraft back into service commencing on 7 November 2001. Air France put four back into service on the same day and both airlines operated to New York at the same time.

With the drop off in passenger numbers and the uncertainty of air travel in general, plus the ever-¬rising engineering costs to keep the fleet airworthy, British Airways took the decision on 10 April 2003 to terminate operations from the end of October. Air France had already ceased operations from the 6 of May 2003.
The last Concorde operation (a British Airways New York to Heathrow) was conducted on 24 October 2003.
British Airways operations saw Concorde make about 50,000 flights, travelling some 140 million miles and clocking up nearly 238,000 flying hours in the process, of which around 100,000 were supersonic (the prototype and development aircraft had collectively reached nearly 4,500 flying hours).
The remaining Air France aircraft were all retired to museums earlier in 2003: F BVFA (c/n 205, 17,824 hours) to Smithsonian’s Steven F Udvar Hazy centre at Dulles Airport, Washington Airport on 12 June 2003; F BVFB (c/n 207, 14,771 hours) to the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum in Germany on 24 June 2003; F BVFC (c/n 209, 14,332 hours) on 27 June 2003 to the Airbus factory at Toulouse; F BVFD (c/n 211, 5,821 hours) withdrawn in 1982 following a heavy landing and was finally scrapped in 1994; F BTSD (c/n 213, 12,974 hours) to Le Bourget Air and Space Museum on 14 June 2003 and F-BVFF (c/n 215, 12,420 flying hours), parked since July 2000 and officially withdrawn from use since 10 April 2003 and eventually to be dis¬played at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris.

Recipients of the five airworthy British Airways aircraft are as follows: G BOAC (c/n 204, 22,260.11 hours/7,730 landings) flown from Heathrow to Manchester on 31 October for the Manchester Airport Aviation Park, where it will eventually be housed in a special glass hangar. G BOAD (c/n 210,23,397.25 hours/8,406 land¬ings) was flown from Heathrow to JFK New York on 10 November and on 24 November it was lifted onto a 260 ft former NASA barge (pre¬viously used to transport Apollo Saturn V moon rockets) and transported along the Hudson River to where it was moored to the quayside in Manhattan, at Pier 86, adjacent to the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. It will ini¬tially be displayed as part of the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum. G BOAE (c/n 212, 23,376.07 hours/8,383 land¬ings) was flown from Heathrow to Barbados (a Concorde route for 21 years) on 17 November and arrived just under 4 hours later with an Atlantic crossing altitude of 60,000 ft. It is to be displayed at the Grantley Adams Airport Bridgetown, where it will form the centre piece of a new aviation museum being set up in 2004 at Spencers Plantation close to the airport. G-¬BOAF (c/n 216 18,257.00 hours/6,045 landings) had the distinction of being the last Concorde built (first flown on 20 April 1979), the last to fly, and the last airliner to fly supersonic, leav¬ing Heathrow at 11.29 hours on 26 November for Filton. There it will come under Airbus UK charge, although still owned by BA but on indefinite loan, as a ground dis¬play aircraft. “Alpha Fox” will form the centre¬piece of a new aerospace heritage centre on the site, incorporating the Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble, and will be in place in an “interim” exhibition area which should be open to the public around Easter 2004. G BOAG (c/n 214,16,239.27 hours/5,633 landings) was flown from Heathrow to Seattle’s King County Airport, via New York on 3 November for the Museum of Flight to take its place amongst other airliners such as the prototype DC 2, Boeing’s 727, 737 and 747 prototypes, plus the only de Havilland Comet in North America. This flight outbound from New York to Seattle created its own achievement as the flight time of 3 hours, 55 min¬utes and 12 seconds, setting a new East to West coast record.
The airframe stored at Filton since 1982 as a spares source, G BBDG (c/n 202, 803 hours), is to be transported to the Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey. The UK prototype, G BSST (c/n 002, 835 hours), can be seen in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton, whilst G AXDN (c/ n 101, 632 hours), the first British production aircraft, which made its maiden flight on 13 February 1974, can be seen at Duxford Airfield as part of the Duxford Aviation Society collection. Similarly, in France can be seen F WTSS, (c/n 00 1,812 hours), the French prototype, in the Le Bourget Air and Space Museum; F WTSA (c/n 102, 656 hours), preserved and on display at Orly Airport, Paris; F WTSB (c/n 201, 754 hours), is on display outside the Aerospatiale (Airbus) Headquarters at Toulouse.
Two others, G BOAA (c/n 206, 22,768.56 hours/ 8,064 landings), and BOAB (c/n 208, 22,296.55 hours/7,810 landings), unmodified since the Paris crash and not flown since 12 August and 15 Au¬gust 2000 respectively, have also found new homes. G BOAA will be dismantled and trans¬ported to Scotland’s National Museum of Flight at East Fortune near Edinburgh, whilst G BOAB will stay at Heathrow as a ground display aircraft to be eventually installed within the Terminal 5 complex.

Gallery

BAC-Sud Aviation Concorde prototype 001 F-WTSS
Engines: 4 x Bristol Siddeley / SNECMA Olympus 593 B Stage 1, 13,435 kg dry / 17,100 kg afterburn thrust
Wing span: 84 ft 0 in (25.56 m).
Length: 203 ft 11.5 in (62.17 m).
Height: 40 ft 0 in (12.11 m).
Wing area: 358.25 m²
Max TO wt: 343,500 lb (155,800 kg).
Max level speed: M2.2.
Ceiling: 18000 m
Range: 5200 km

Concorde (pre-production aircraft)
Powerplant: four Bristol Siddeley/SNECMA Olympus 593 turbojets of 35 000+1b thrust rated take-off power (ISA at sea level), low thrust boost afterburner on earlier engines.
Wingspan, 83 ft 10 in
Length, 191 ft 1 in
Height, 38 ft 0 in
Gross wing area, 3860 sq.ft
Max. usable floor area, 1000 sq.ft
Max. cabin length, 129 ft 0 in
Max. width, 103.4 in
Max. height, 77 in
Accommodation: max. high density seating, 138 at 34 in pitch
Volume of freight and baggage holds outside cabin, 530 cu.ft
Operating weight empty, 135 610 lb
Total fuel, 185 000 lb
Max. payload (volume limited), 28 000 lb
Max. take-off, 340 000 lb
Max. landing, 200 000 lb
Max. zero fuel, 165 000 lb
Wing loading (max. take-off weight), 88 lb/sq.ft
Wing loading (max. landing weight), 52 lb/sq.ft
Thrust loading, 2.62 1b/1b thrust
High-speed cruise, 1261 kt. TAS at 50 000-62 000 ft
Long range cruise, 1261 kt. TAS at 50 000-62 000 ft
Balanced field length at 330 000 lb take-off weight, at ISA at sea level, 9400 ft
Landing distance, max. landing weight, ISA at sea level, 7600 ft
Range max. payload, 3500 nm at 1200 kt. / 50 000-62 000 ft

Engine: 4 x Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 Mk 602 afterburning turbojet (38,000 lb / 170.2kN) thrust.
Wing span: 84 ft 0 in (25,60 m).
Length: 203 ft 11.5 in (62.17 m).
Height : 37.073 ft / 11.3 m
Wing area: 3,856 sq ft (358.25 sq.m).
Wing load : 103.73 lb/sq.ft / 506.00 kg/sq.m
Max take off weight : 399987.0 lbs / 181400.0 kg
Weight empty : 174779.3 lbs / 79265.0 kg
Max cruising speed: 1,450 mph (2,333 km/h) at 54,500 ft (16,600 m).
Cruise speed: 2.2 mach @ 55,000 ft.
Range: 4,020 miles (6,470 km) at Mach 2.05 cruise/climb with payload of 28,000 lb (12,700 kg). Accommodation: Crew of 3 and 128¬-144 passengers
Cargo, nil.
Operating alt: 60,000 ft.

Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 Mk.610 turbojet, 38,050lb / 169.2kN afterburning
Wingspan: 25.66m / 83 ft 10 in
Length: 62.17m / 203 ft 9 in
Height: 11.40m / 37 ft 5 in
Wing area: 358.25 sq.m / 3856 sq.ft
Operational empty weight: 78,700 kg / 173,500 lb
MTOW: 185,069 kg / 408,000 lb
Max payload: 13,381 kg / 29,500 lb
Fuel capacity: 119,786 lt
Max cruise: M2.04 / 1176 kt / 2178 kph at 51,000 ft / 15,545m
Take-off speed: 215 kt / 397 kph
Landing speed: 162 kt / 300 kph
Initial climb: 5000 fpm / 1524 m/min
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft / 18,288 m
Take-off dist to 35 ft: 3414m / 11,200 ft
Range max fuel & res: 3550 nm at M2.02
Accommodation: 100-128 passengers

By 1957 the Hunting H.107 had been defined as a trim-looking project powered by two engines in the 6,000-lb class. But in 1960 Hunting became part of BAC (British Aircraft Corporation). By this time the design looked promising, and Vickers-Armstrongs collaborated (and eventually took over). The 107 grew into the One-Eleven, to match the thrust of the available Rolls-Royce Spey engine (10,000 lb). This made the aircraft at least a 65-seater, with 3+2 seating in a wider fuselage.

BAC 111 Article

By 1961 the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation decided to proceed with the project and on the 9 May 1961 the public launch took place as the first order was announced by the company for 10 aircraft from British United Airways. On 23 October Braniff Airways placed a firm order for 6 aircraft. Other orders soon followed from Mohawk Airlines for 4 aircraft, Kuwait Airways for 3 aircraft and by Central African Airways for 2 aircraft. Braniff Airways subsequently doubled it’s order to 12 aircraft while Aer Lingus ordered 4 aircraft. Western Airways ordered 10 aircraft but later it was cancelled. The biggest breakthrough came when American Airlines ordered 15 aircraft on the 17 July 1963. 60 orders had been received by the time the first 1-11 was rolled out.

The finally revised aircraft incorporated a circular-section all-metal pressurised fuselage, low-set swept monoplane wings incorporating Fowler type trailing-edge flaps, and airbrakes/spoilers on the wing upper surface, forward of the flaps. The T-tail included a variable-incidence tailplane, and the landing gear, of hydraulically retractable tricycle type, had twin wheels on each unit. Accommodation was provided for a maximum of 79 passengers in five-abreast high-density seating, and in addition to a conventionally placed passenger door at the forward end of the cabin on the port side, the BAC.111 had also a ventral airstair below the tail unit, giving access to or from the aft end of the cabin. Powerplant of the prototype One-Eleven Series 200, which was intended as the basic production version, consisted of two 4722kg thrust Rolls-Royce Spey Mk 506 turbofans.

The prototype G-ASHG rolled off the Hurn production line on 28 July 1963 in the livery of first customer British United Airways. The first flight took place on 20 August 1963. G.R.Bryce, chief test pilot for BAC, conducted the 27 minute first flight from Bournemouth (Hurn) airport. Taking off in 3150 ft, and reaching 8000 ft and 220 mph, wheels and flaps were left down. The first BAC One Eleven totalled 30 hr. 30 min in the air in the 24 days following the maiden flight.

This aircraft crashed on 22 October during the flight development programme, together with a highly experienced crew of seven that included test pilot M. J. Lithgow. Investigation showed the cause to be a deep stall, resulting from the T-tail and rear-mounted engine configuration, and remedial action included the installation of powered elevators, a stick-pusher, and modification of the wing leading edges. These changes were adequate to prevent the aircraft from assuming an inadvertent and dangerous angle of attack, a condition peculiar to this configuration, in which the wing loses lift and the horizontal tail surfaces are unable to restore longitudinal stability. Despite this early setback the flight test program continued and customer confidence remained high. American Airlines and Braniff Airways placed more orders in February 1964. During this year further orders were received from Mohawk Airlines, Philippine Airlines and from Helmut Horten who ordered the first Executive aircraft.
After nearly 2 years of flight testing the aircraft was certified on 5 April 1965 and the first 1-11 delivery, G-ASJI to British United Airways, took place on 22 January 1965. After several weeks of route proving flights the first revenue service commenced on 9 April with G-ASJJ from Gatwick to Genoa. Braniff took delivery of their first aircraft N1543 on 11 March while Mohawk Airlines took their first aircraft on 15 May. Deliveries continued to take place and by the end of 1965 34 aircraft had been received by their customers. Such was the demand that a second production line was set up at Weybridge to cope. Total deliveries for 1966 stood at 46 aircraft. 1967 to 1971 saw another 120 aircraft delivered with the most significant order going to British European Airways.
In the period 1972 until the production line finally closed in 1982 only another 35 aircraft were built.

The first version, the Series 200, weighed 73,5001b and could seat 79. This sold to Braniff and Mohawk of the USA.
Long before certification, in May 1963, the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) announced that it was intended to develop two other versions in addition to the basic Series 200. These were to include an increased payload/range One-Eleven Series 300, with 5171kg thrust Spey Mk 511 turbofans, and a generally similar One-Eleven Series 400 that would incorporate modifications to meet US requirements. As well as introducing more powerful engines, the Series 300 had increased fuel capacity, and strengthened wings and landing gear to cater for a 3856kg increase in gross weight. Interest in the One-Eleven was growing, following the initial order of 10 Series 200 aircraft from British United Airways (BUA), and market potential within the USA was demonstrated by an early order for six aircraft from Braniff International. When this was followed by orders from other US carriers, including American Airlines, the prospect for fairly large US sales seemed very good. However, by the time that FAA Type Approval was awarded, on 16 April 1965, there was a growing number of aircraft competing within the same payload/range category, and total sales to US carriers failed to reach the figures that had at one time seemed possible. Initial One-Eleven services were flown by British United, from Gatwick to Genoa, on 9 April 1965; in the USA, Braniff’s first Corpus Christi-Minneapolis revenue flight was made on 25 April. In January 1966, BUA inaugurated London-Scotland and London-Northern Ireland One-Eleven domestic routes. Production of the three initial versions of the One-Eleven totalled 134: 56 Series 200, nine Series 300, and 69 Series 400 aircraft.

The Series 300, with 11,400-lb engines, weighed 85,000 lb, with more fuel and more powerful brakes. The Series 400 was a 300 tailored to the US market, with weight reduced for two-crew operation and many special US features. American bought 30.
Iit was not until British European Airways (BEA) began to show interest in an enlarged One-Eleven that design of what was to become the One-Eleven Series 500 was finalised. With a fuselage lengthened by 2.54m forward of the wing, and 1.57m aft of the wing, the Series 500 could accommodate a maximum of 119 passengers. More powerful Speys of up to 12,550-lb thrust with water injection engines were introduced, the wing span increased by 1.52m, and the structure of both landing gear and wings strengthened to make possible a significant increase in gross weight. This was originally 41277kg for takeoff, but has since been raised to a maximum of 47400kg. The prototype for the Series 500 was produced by conversion of the Series 400 development aircraft, and this flew for the first time in its new configuration on 30 June 1967. ARB certification of a production example was gained on 15 August 1968, and BEA’s first revenue flight was flown three months later, on 17 November.
The final variant to appear was the One-Eleven Series 475, intended for operation from and into smaller airports, or in higher temperature/altitude environments. This retains the standard fuselage/accommodation of the Series 400, and combines the powerplant and wings of the Series 500, plus a modified landing gear with low-pressure tyres, anti-slush protection and gravel deflectors to permit operation from lower-grade surfaces.
In addition to Series 475 and 500 aircraft which were available from BAe in standard configuration, two other special variants were available. These comprised executive or freighter configurations, and approximately 40 examples of the former are in service worldwide. The freighter conversion includes installation of a 3.05 by 1.85m hydraulically actuated cargo door in the port forward fuselage, and a quick-conversion freight handling system. New-technology options for new aircraft, and in some cases suitable for retrospective installation, include a fully certificated Category II automatic landing system, automatic throttle control, and engine ‘hush-kits’.
The One-Eleven continued in production after BAC was merged into British Aerospace, concluding at No. 230 in July 1980.
The largest order received during the last ten years came from Tarom.
The last aircraft to be built was G-BLDH construction number 262. The last aircraft to be delivered was G-BLHD “Last Hurn Delivery” construction number 260. This took place on 30 May 1984. A total of 235 aircraft had been delivered from Hurn and Weybridge.
In 1979 British Aerospace had concluded an agreement with CNIAR of Romania, providing for manufacture of the One-Eleven in Romania under licence. The prime contractor is IAv Bucuresti, and the deal provided for BAe to supply three complete aircraft plus 22 kits for Romanian assembly. Romania picked two variants, the 495, an upgraded 475, and the 560, an upgraded 500 with engines fitted as standard with noise suppressors. The first flight of a Rombac 1-11 YR-BRA took place on 18 September 1982. Production continued until the 9th and last ever new production 1-11 YR-BRI came off the line. It’s first flight took place in April 1989. It was delivered to Romavia in 1991. The demise of the Rombac project came about due to the unstable political situation in Romania. Total production of the BAC 1-11 therefore was 244 aircraft. 2 further airframes remained incomplete in Romania. These consisted of several models. The series 200, 300, 400, 475, 500, 670.
In February 1986 Dee Howard of the USA announced agreements with Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace for retrofitting One Elevens with the Tay 650 engine. Shown at Farnborough 1990 by Aeritalia was the first Dee Howard BAC One-Eleven conversion powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 650 turbofans, each rated at 15,100 lb st (67,17 kN). Available for Series 400, 475 and 500 aircraft, the conversion involves replacing the original Speys with the new engine, new nacelles and Dee Howard-developed thrust reversers which will enable the aircraft to meet FAR Pt 36 Stage 3 noise requirements as well as other, more restrictive, local regulations. The first conversion, called the BAC-1-11/2400, first flew on 2 July 1989.
The only operational aircraft to survive in the UK in 2002 were the 3 aircraft operated by QinietQ, ZE432, ZE433 and ZH763, based at Boscombe Down.

Gallery

prototype One-Eleven Series 200
Engines: 2 x 4722kg thrust Rolls-Royce Spey Mk 506 turbofans
Seats: 65

Srs 200
Total built: 58
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 88ft 6in / 26.98m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 79,000lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in / 5.01m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in / 1.61m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 1in / 10.08m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.506-14 or 14AW, 10,410lb

BAC 111-200 Srs
Powerplant: two Rolls-Royce Spey Mk 506-14, 10,410 lb thrust take-off power
Wingspan, 88 ft 6 in
Length, 93 ft 6 in
Height, 24 ft 6 in
Gross wing area, 980 sq.ft
Max. usable floor area, 520 sq.ft approx
Max usable volume, 3542 cu.ft
Max. cabin length, 56 ft 10 in
Max. width, 124 in
Max. height, 78 in
Accommodation: 79 passengers at 33 in min. pitch
Baggage and freight hold volume: 534 cu.ft
Basic operational (gross less usable fuel and payload), 46,312 lb
Total fuel, 17,920 lb
Max. take-off, 78,500 lb
Max. landing, 69,000 lb
Max. payload (volume limited), 17,688 lb
Max. zero fuel, 64,000 lb
Power loading (max. take-off weight), 3.77 lb/lb thrust
Wing loading (max. take-off weight), 80.1 lb/sq.ft
Wing loading (max. landing weight), 70.4 lb/sq.ft
High-speed cruise, Mach 0.78 at 25,000 ft
Long-range cruise, Mach 0.70 at 35,000 ft
Approach speed, 119 kt
Take-off field length ISA at sea level, 7070 ft
Landing field length, ISA at sea level, 5300 ft
Range with allowances, max. fuel, 14,560 lb payload, 1570 nm

Type 207AJ
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 88ft 6in / 26.98m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 79,000lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in / 5.01m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in / 1.61m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 1in / 10.08m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.511-14, 11,400lb

Type 217AU
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 88ft 6in / 26.98m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 79,000lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in / 5.01m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in / 1.61m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 1in / 10.08m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.511-14, 11,400lb
Crew: 3

Srs 300
Total built: 9
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 88ft 6in / 26.98m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 88,500lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in / 5.01m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in / 1.61m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 1in / 10.08m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.511-14 or 14W, 11,400lb
Crew: 3

Srs 320L
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.511turbofan, 11,400-lb.
Pax cap: 79

Srs 400
Total built: 70
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 88ft 6in / 26.98m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 88,500lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in / 5.01m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in / 1.61m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 1in / 10.08m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.511-14, 11,400lb
Crew: 2

Srs 475
Total built: 12
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Overall length: 93ft 6in
Max take-off weight: 98,500lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 9.5in / 5.11m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in-5ft 5in / 1.61m-1.65m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.65
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Fuselage length: 83ft 10in / 25.55m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 33ft 0in / 10.06m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 51ft 6in / 15.70m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Main deck freight door:
Height: 6ft 1in / 1.85m
Width: 10ft 0in / 3.05m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 56ft 10in / 17.31m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.512-14DW, 12,550lb

Series 495
Romanian upgraded Srs 475

Srs 500
Total built: UK: 92
Romania: 3
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Overall length: 107ft 0in
Max take-off weight: 104,500lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in-16ft 9.5in / 5.01m-5.11m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in-5ft 5in / 1.61m-1.65m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.5-8.65
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 107ft 0in / 32.61m
Fuselage length: 97ft 4in / 29.67m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 41ft 4in / 12.60m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 56ft 0in / 17.07m
Forward passenger door Height / Width / Height to sill: 5ft 8in / 1.73m – 2ft 8in / 0.82m – 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 70ft 4in / 21.44m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.512-14DW, 12,550lb

Type 501ED
Total built:
Overall height: 24ft 6in
Span: 93ft 6in / 28.50m
Overall length: 107ft 0in
Max take-off weight: 104,500lb
Wing chord at root: 16ft 5in-16ft 9.5in / 5.01m-5.11m
Wing chord at tip: 5ft 3.5in-5ft 5in / 1.61m-1.65m
Wing aspect ratio: 8.5-8.65
Sweepback at quarter chord: 20 degrees
Overall length: 107ft 0in / 32.61m
Fuselage length: 97ft 4in / 29.67m
Max fuselage width/depth: 11ft 2in / 3.40m
Overall height: 24ft 6in / 7.47m
Tailplane span: 29ft 6in / 8.99m
Ground clearance to fuselage: 2ft 7.5in / 0.80m
Wheel track: 14ft 3in / 4.34m
Wheel base: 41ft 4in / 12.60m
Overall turn radius outer wing tip: 56ft 0in / 17.07m
Forward passenger door:
Height: 5ft 8in / 1.73m
Width: 2ft 8in / 0.82m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Ventral entrance:
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.83m
Width: 2ft 4in / 0.71m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Galley service door:
Height: 4ft 0in / 1.22m
Width: 2ft 3in / 0.69m
Height to sill: 7ft 0in / 2.13m
Overwing emergency exits:
Height: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Width: 1ft 8in / 0.51m
Underfloor frt door (Fwd):
Height (projected): 2ft 7in / 0.79m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 3ft 7in / 1.09m
Underfloor frt door (Rear):
Height (projected): 2ft 2in / 0.66m
Width: 3ft 0in / 0.91m
Height to sill: 4ft 3in / 1.30m
Cabin length (including flight deck): 70ft 4in / 21.44m
Max cabin width: 10ft 4in / 3.16m
Engines: Spey Mk.512-14E, 12,000lb

Series 560
Romanian upgraded Srs 500

BAC-1-11/2400 / Dee Howard conversion
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Tay 650 turbofans, 15,100 lb st (67,17 kN).

Super 111
Engines 2 x 11,970 lb. (5,434 kg.) thrust Rolls Royce Spey turbofan.
Length 107 ft. (32.61 m.)
Wing span 93.5 ft. (28.5 m.)
Weight empty 53,995 lb. (24,490 kg.)
Max. capacity: 99 passengers
Max cruise 548 m.p.h. (882 km.p.h.)
Max cruise alt: 35,000 ft. (10,670 m.)
Range 576 miles (927 km.) with typical payload/2 hr res.