Geotrash From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 326 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 years 4 months 3 days ago) and read 1752 times:
Feeling a bit nostalgic here, as I search through old photos of the BAC 1-11. My father was a career Technical Advisor for Mohawk, through their evolution to USAir, and I can remember flying on many of these old birds around the northeast.
I will never forget the earsplitting sound of those old Speys on takeoff. One afternoon, my father took me to work with him at one of the hangars in Pittsburgh, and there happened to be one in the shop. One of his co-workers took me on a tour of her and told me that the 1-11 was the most solidly built plane he had ever worked on, and speculated that when I reached retirement age, someone would still be flying one of these things, somewhere in the world. I was 9 at the time! He said..."Those Brits know how to build a plane."
How about some of you who may remember flying or working on the 1-11. Any great stories to share, or comments about how they flew? Anyone know if it's possible to still fly one of these in scheduled service? All comments welcome!
JonPaulGeoRngo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1691 times:
The BAC 1-11 was the second jet airplane I ever flew on, Allegheny, JFK-Ithaca-JFK, August 1978.
On landing at Kennedy, the captain purposely positioned the aircraft to give as many folks on the 1-11 a view of a novelty - a Concorde departure. After she passed, the crew did a 180 and we continued to taxi to the Pan Am terminal.
I beleive there is an operator in Guatemala that still flies a regular B11 schedules
LoneStarMike From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 3640 posts, RR: 38 Reply 4, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1682 times:
Didn't I read somewhere that Braniff International was the first US Airline to fly the BAC-1-11. Here's one of theirs from 1964:
Big777jet From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1674 times:
I flew Allegheny on Bac 1-11 back late 70's DAY-PIT-LGA (RT) and one way PIT-EWR. I thought I was never fly again Bac1-11 a many years later Air Wisconsin using Bac1-11 during late 1980's. I found great fares $24.00 RT ATW-GRB 8 times almost within one year. i drove up about 9 times that I wanted to fly Bac 1-11 and Bae 146, too. I flew once ATW-RHI RT same a/c Bac 1-11. It was pleasure old jetage Bae 1-11.
B757300 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 4114 posts, RR: 25 Reply 6, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1671 times:
Here is something BAC-111 fans might like.
If the picture won't load, it is because the server it's on is being stupid again.
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2550 posts, RR: 33 Reply 7, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1644 times:
You might be interested to know that European Aviation AirCharter (EAF/YE) are planning a series of special flights from a number of UK airports over the next couple of months to mark the retirement of the last BAC 1-11 in service in the UK.
Although I never flew on the BAC 1-11, I remember living near Newcastle Airport in north-east England where I used to regularly see (and hear!!) BAC 1-11s operated by Dan Air, British Airways, and I even remember seeing the Air UK example when I was about 7 years old.
It's a pity the Trident didn't survive as long as it's twin-engined counterpart.
Rjnut From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 1166 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1637 times:
MY 1st flight ever was on a Braniff Bac111, much the same color as pictured above(i think BN referred to it as 'ochre') IN 1968 FROM mkc-ord.. i was 11yrs old .. Got upgraded on my very 1st flight.. I loved that flight,, I can still remember it as though it was yesterday
Marcos From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 66 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1620 times:
I remember back in the 1980's flying the Taca Bac 111's from San Salvador to Miami. Small inside and I was surprised that during landings there was no reverse thrust - only brakes to stop the plane. Taca flew the 111's until almost 1990! They were replaced by somewhat larger B-737's. Someone must still be flying them somewhere in the world.
2000first From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1614 times:
I had a rather unexpected trip on a 1-11 in '99. I was meant to be flying on Aer Lingus from Rome to Dublin, but imagine my delight when,instead of ANOTHER 737 turning up at the gate, a British World Bac1-11-500 turned up instead!!!!!! I was VERY pleased as i had long been a fan of these a/c and i never in my wildest dreams imagined that i would get to ride on one!Apparently there was an aircraft shortage or something, and that was the reason we were flying on syuch a great airliner!
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12707 posts, RR: 80 Reply 12, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 1607 times:
Great plane, what a shame it was not further developed to keep pace with the B737 and DC-9.
It wasn't that BAC did not try, but BA were not really interested.
The 1-11-700 would have had 're-fanned Speys' and a stretch to compete with the 732/DC9-30.
The -800 would have had CFM-56's and a further stretch to compete with 733/4s and MD-80.
Instead, BAe sold the production rights of the basic aircraft to Romania.
Never learn do we?
Flitepathsa From South Africa, joined Nov 2001, 9 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 1593 times:
As already commented Nationwide here in South Africa is still flying Bac1-11's. I hear them regularly on take-off from Jnb as I live right under the flight path. They are definitely the noisiest a/c operating regularly from JNB.
Cody From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1918 posts, RR: 10 Reply 14, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1580 times:
I flew on a USAir BAC1-11 around 1980....PIT-BOS. I thought it looked like a DC-9 and could not figure out how to tell the difference between them. Don't make fun of me, I was only a little kid then. The main thing I remember is no running water in the lavatory. Just those little wet naps.
CF-CPI From Canada, joined Nov 2000, 849 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1571 times:
I flew on a few of the USAir birds before their retirement. The 1-11 was definitely of the classic school, not a plastic airplane like we've got today. They had no leading edge devices and I remember landings being fast. And on takeoff those Speys roared. From the inside it sounded like a blender or food processor, a gurgling sound. Unique. For some reason I've got a thing for the old BN 1-11s. I never rode one but there's something about them. Fortunately some of my USAir rides were on ex-BN equipment.
The aircraft may have been built well but I've heard maintenance folks gripe that the systems were hard to work on, perhaps solidly constructed but hard to get to.
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2550 posts, RR: 33 Reply 16, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1577 times:
Here are some pics of current and old BAC 1-11 operators:
European Aviation Aircharter
...flying them until March, then they'll be retired from UK service
British World Airlines
...the second-last operator of the type in the UK, British World went bankrupt last month - the last I heard their 2 BAC 1-11s were awaiting sale at Southend
BMA - British Midland Airways (now 'bmi british midland')
...BMA retired their 1-11s in favour of the DC9 during the 70's, so shots of these are quite rare
Monarch Airlines
...a BAC 1-11 500 in the current Monarch scheme - this colorscheme is nearly 20 years old now - their 1-11s were retired in the mid-1980s in favour of 737s and 757s
Geotrash From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 326 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (11 years 4 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 1542 times:
Wow. Thanks so much for all of your posts...very interesting to read. Seems as though the 1-11 has been a well-loved aircraft. Rightfully so.
A few more items I remember... I seem to recall that some of USAir's last 1-11s had close to or over 100,000 cycles on them. Alot by any measure, and a testament to their structural strength. Can anyone verify this?
CF-CPI mentioned no leading edge devices on the wings...quite true. I believe that the leading edges were actually machined out of billet aluminum. Strong but expensive to replace. I still remember the mechanic showing me one in the machine shop.
It's ironic that I can't remember my schoolteachers' names from the same period, but I sure remember that mechanic's name, and every fact he told me. There's just something about airplanes, if you're lucky enough to be around them as a kid, that sticks with you for life!
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There's just something about airplanes, if you're lucky enough to be around them as a kid, that sticks with you for life!
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