Quietly (unlike the plane), the last airworthy BAC 1-11 was retired this week. 1-11-401K N162W was a test plane for Northrop Grumman. A sad day for those of us that grew up with the noise of those Spey roaring into the skies.

https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status/857341812561686528

As an old fart working at Heathrow in the 70's I remember them well, heard them before you saw them.

I flew on that bird some 30 years ago when it belonged to Northrup Grumman's predecessor, Westinghouse (thus the "W" in the reg). We flew at a radio tower at Pax River while testing B-1 radar modes.

dcajet wrote:

A sad day for those of us that grew up with the noise of those Spey roaring into the skies.

Not sad, just surprised one of these ugly thing was still airworthy. Good riddance.

readytotaxi wrote:

heard them before you saw them.

Indeed, despite the hush-kits.

bwphoto wrote:

I flew on that bird some 30 years ago when it belonged to Northrup Grumman's successor, Westinghouse (thus the "W" in the reg). We flew at a radio tower at Pax River while testing B-1 radar modes.

You mean predecessor? Northrop Grumman's successor is not know yet.

bwphoto wrote:

I flew on that bird some 30 years ago when it belonged to Northrup Grumman's successor, Westinghouse (thus the "W" in the reg). We flew at a radio tower at Pax River while testing B-1 radar modes.

Made a skydive with Hal Goff one of the Westighouse corporate pilots. Myself I rode on a 1-11 on Mohawk many moons ago.

I paxed from SNN to LGW on one in summer ‘99. Can’t remember the airline ( ‘was it Eirjet? Anyone?).

She was a looker but...Shake, rattle and roll.

That's one ugly nose!
I'm amazed that there even was an airworthy jet remaining. Will she be scrapped or preserved? Would be a shame if the former happens.

worldranger wrote:

I paxed from SNN to LGW on one in summer ‘99. Can’t remember the airline ( ‘was it Eirjet? Anyone?).

She was a looker but...Shake, rattle and roll.

AB Shannon, I'd say.

As a child of the 70's, 1-11's were stalwarts at airports for me during spotting trips in the early 80's and into the 90's. BCAL, BIA, Dan Air, Ryanair, BA, Maersk UK, British World, Ford Motor Company's fleet at STN and Omani AF ones at Fairford to name a few. All happy, noisy memories and glad one remained active for so long!

freakyrat wrote:

bwphoto wrote:

I flew on that bird some 30 years ago when it belonged to Northrup Grumman's successor, Westinghouse (thus the "W" in the reg). We flew at a radio tower at Pax River while testing B-1 radar modes.

Made a skydive with Hal Goff one of the Westighouse corporate pilots. Myself I rode on a 1-11 on Mohawk many moons ago.

Wow the old pre Allegheny "Agony" Airlines days thats now part of AA.

As a 90s child, I remember LGW having some around with European airlines (something like that) and I use to have to cover my ears when it took off it was that loud.

4th flight I ever took: 1981 GLA-LGW on G-ASJH BCal BAC-111

My 1st flight was on Braniff BAC-111 in the Ochre color palette in 1968 MKC-ORD with full hot breakfast!

Although I wasn't aware that a 1-11 was still flying, it is still sad news to me.

A friendly, somewhat quirky aeroplane, with its high 'forehead', short tail fin and off-centre landing gear.
I grew up 20 kilometres from AMS, close to the sea, and as a kid and teenager I have seen and heard many, many 1-11s that had just departed AMS, roaring over our house on their way to LHR and many other British destinations. In those days there were still many 707s, DC8s, DC9s, Caravelles and other early jetliners that visited AMS, but in my perception, the little 1-11 was the loudest of them all. They had a deep, low, crackling thunder. Strangely, they seemed even louder than the Tridents which had the same engines, but three of them rather than two. I am not exaggerating when I write that you could still hear a 1-11 thundering above the North Sea more than ten minutes after it passed over our house on a warm summer evening. They must almost have had LHR in sight already, by that time

I will miss the good old BAC 1-11.

worldranger wrote:

I paxed from SNN to LGW on one in summer ‘99. Can’t remember the airline ( ‘was it Eirjet? Anyone?).

She was a looker but...Shake, rattle and roll.

Yes would have been either Air Belfast or AB Shannon. I flew it BFS-STN. Great aircraft. My first BA flight as a kid was on one from LHR-DUS.

They should keep one these (better without hushkits) for demonstration purposes. Would be good to show to the NIMBY's how far we come with the aircraft noise in these days. A Trident with 3 of these engines would do even better! Let take one of them take off and after this a 787 or 350. That would make it very clear I think!

TurboJet707 wrote:

off-centre landing gear.

I was under the impression that the BAC 1-11 landing gear was "normal", while the Trident had an off-centre nose gear. Looks like I've learned something new.

BlueberryWheats wrote:

TurboJet707 wrote:

off-centre landing gear.

I was under the impression that the BAC 1-11 landing gear was "normal", while the Trident had an off-centre nose gear. Looks like I've learned something new.

Hmm, looks like you're right. I know the Trident had this arrangement but in my memory the 1-11 had it as well. Too long ago that I saw one in the flesh...

Still a quirky old plane, though...

BlueberryWheats wrote:

I was under the impression that the BAC 1-11 landing gear was "normal", while the Trident had an off-centre nose gear. Looks like I've learned something new.

Because you are right.

SpaceshipDC10 wrote:

dcajet wrote:

A sad day for those of us that grew up with the noise of those Spey roaring into the skies.

Not sad, just surprised one of these ugly thing was still airworthy. Good riddance.

readytotaxi wrote:

heard them before you saw them.

Indeed, despite the hush-kits.

Love the One Eleven, grew up around BA’s. Killed a lot less passengers than the DC10 *cough*

I flew them a couple of times in the 80s on Pacific Express:
Monterey to LAX
LAX to Stockton

Was a staple at PAL for many years..... .....



Shown above in the old scheme and their somewhat more permanent domestic livery.

I remember this was the first jet I stepped on. A LACSA BAC1-11 so long!

The BCAL -200s were so noisy that a local protest group persuaded our government to restrict their movements at JER to two a day in the mid-sixties.

I loved watching them take off early morning for LGW.

The BAC 1-11 was the first jet I ever flew on too, Dan Air in the early 80's out of MAN, as a kid I was disappointed because I wanted to fly on 1 of the newer aircraft. Not so much choice nowadays

Not only did they "crackle" on takeoff, they would have a unique howl when they were descending for landing. They and their smaller British cousin the HS-125 biz jets were in a league of their own when it came to noise. Didn't seem to smoke as much as US jets though (CV-880 e.g.). Young people today don't know what you missed!

The BAC 1-11 always known as the pocket rocket. There is one on display at Brooklands in Surrey which you can walk through.

I loved the sound of the Speys during startup. An unmistakable howl. It was the same on the Trident and F-28.

As a young kid, I used my lawn mowing money to fly around on some of the airlines out of YYZ. I remember flying on a BAC 1-11 of Mohawk that had a very unusal all Y cabin layout. It alternated from front to back 4 abreast, 5 abreast, 4 abreast, 5 abreast, etc. Other than reading that it did exist, I never read of a reason.

While never actively looking for them, I seemed to fly on them a lot. Mohawk, Allegheny, American, Quebecair, Austral, British Airways, Dan-Air, Swissair.

I am amazed to learn they were still in recent operation.

rbavfan wrote:

freakyrat wrote:

bwphoto wrote:

I flew on that bird some 30 years ago when it belonged to Northrup Grumman's successor, Westinghouse (thus the "W" in the reg). We flew at a radio tower at Pax River while testing B-1 radar modes.

Made a skydive with Hal Goff one of the Westighouse corporate pilots. Myself I rode on a 1-11 on Mohawk many moons ago.

Wow the old pre Allegheny "Agony" Airlines days thats now part of AA.

The 111 was the first commercial jet I ever saw in service in a regional. I can still remember the days when Mohawk (used to be called "Robinson Airlines" and flew mostly in upstate NY) was still flying Convair 440's and they wanted to be one of the first into the jet age. Before they even got the actual planes in service , their timetables had a pic of a BAC-111 on the front with the bright, bold caption "Mohawk Orders Jets!"

As mentioned above, Mohawk went on to become part of Allegheny Airlines which then went on to become part of U.S. Air and of course today, American Airlines. I too have been amazed that the 111 had still been around this long!

My first flight on a commercial plane was a Mohawk 1-11 in June, 1965. Mohawk was just putting the planes into service and I was off from school, and at the airport (BDL/Bradley Field) specifically to see the plane. Mohawk had 3 introductory flights for local travel agents and commercial accounts. I was down at the gate - because you could do that back then! On the 3rd flight the gate agent asked me if I wanted to go up - they had an open seat! YES!!!!!!!!!!! So it was me and 68 guys in black suits, white shirts and black ties! Was great! What a little loud spitfire that plane was! I later sent a thank you letter to Mohawk and heard back from Robert Peach, the President. He also sent one of the Airfix Mohawk 1-11 models! That started a series of letters back-and-forth with him and Russ Stephenson through middle school and high school. They really cemented my desire to work in the travel industry and to work for an airline. Thanks Mohawk!

longhauler wrote:

I loved the sound of the Speys during startup. An unmistakable howl. It was the same on the Trident and F-28.

For those unfamiliar, here it is: https://youtu.be/CKfVQ5QT3AI

As a young kid, I used my lawn mowing money to fly around on some of the airlines out of YYZ. I remember flying on a BAC 1-11 of Mohawk that had a very unusal all Y cabin layout. It alternated from front to back 4 abreast, 5 abreast, 4 abreast, 5 abreast, etc. Other than reading that it did exist, I never read of a reason.

longhauler wrote:

While never actively looking for them, I seemed to fly on them a lot. Mohawk, Allegheny, American, Quebecair, Austral, British Airways, Dan-Air, Swissair.

It's not like they had many of them or for very long and you still managed to fly on one.

Is there any way to tell what airplanes are flying into KPAE on a particular day? It genuinely pisses me off that on the day I went to KPAE besides a B25 all I saw were the daily commuter jets and that had I went just the next day I would have seen the last model of an airworthy type.

I travelled on the B11 from time to time and remember that at the emergency exits on DA aircraft there were forward and rearward facing seats for ease of exit. Was this standard? I remember being very annoyed that you couldn’t recline!

SpaceshipDC10 wrote:

dcajet wrote:

A sad day for those of us that grew up with the noise of those Spey roaring into the skies.

Not sad, just surprised one of these ugly thing was still airworthy. Good riddance.

readytotaxi wrote:

heard them before you saw them.

Indeed, despite the hush-kits.

Very sad comment from a fellow aviation enthusiast.

I just watched some 1-11 videos on Youtube. Man, that thing makes the Super 80 sound quiet, lol.

A glorious aircraft
The pocket rocket
Flew all over Europe on them with Aer Lingus, BCal, Ryanair and British Airways
They were noisy but so fast. One of the best approaches was Zurich where a single approach was made to two runways and at the last minute a decision was made - straight in or a sharp right!
Simply magic!!

The world is a quieter place tonight.


gf

bombayduck wrote:

The BAC 1-11 always known as the pocket rocket. There is one on display at Brooklands in Surrey which you can walk through.

Indeed there is - it's this one, seen at Farnborough in 1978!

klm617 wrote:

Very sad comment from a fellow aviation enthusiast.

The BAC 1-11 was one if my Dad's favorite aircraft at Braniff.

SpaceshipDC10 wrote:

It's not like they had many of them or for very long and you still managed to fly on one.

The Swissair BAC 1-11 safety card remains one of the rarer in my collection!

I was a little disappointed though, it was a substitution for a Convair 990, LHR-GVA. Fortunately a week later, the return actually was a Convair 990.

I remember them as good to fly on... But I recall they were so noisy they weren’t allowed into Gatwick after a certain time at night.
One of the last all British airliners.. although the Ryanair 1-11’s were made in Romania under licence.

Looked good in the multi coloured Court Line livery

and classy in the BCAL livery..

One of Austral's 1-11 500, LV-OAX, BAC 1-11-515FB c/n 197 was used as a fire & rescue trainer at Moron airport near Buenos Aires since it was withdrawn from service in 1993. Last I heard it was in the process of being moved to the Museo Nacional de Aeronautica, located at the same airport, for preservation & exhibit. Alpha X-ray was used during the Falklands conflict to ferry troops and cargo to Stanley airport, where it landed and took off from the 900mts runway many times, under the command of Captain Bernardo Schoenfeld of Austral.

The first time I ever saw the 1-11 was at MEX, while waiting for our connecting flight to MFE on TI, sometime during the 70's. The terminal back then had a terrace , my dad took us there to watch airplanes. So cool...
I remember the noise, how could a small jet make so much, and that it looked like a DC-9, but a little different, especially the nose and vertical fin. I saw two that day, a Taca International and a Lacsa.
Years later, rode on Austral's from AEP to RES, CNQ, NQN and BRC several times, neat little pocket rocket, exciting to watch them take off from AEP, which also had a terrace, (later closed) ,and the noise was pure music to my ears......

jaybird wrote:

My first flight on a commercial plane was a Mohawk 1-11 in June, 1965. Mohawk was just putting the planes into service and I was off from school, and at the airport (BDL/Bradley Field) specifically to see the plane. Mohawk had 3 introductory flights for local travel agents and commercial accounts. I was down at the gate - because you could do that back then! On the 3rd flight the gate agent asked me if I wanted to go up - they had an open seat! YES!!!!!!!!!!! So it was me and 68 guys in black suits, white shirts and black ties! Was great! What a little loud spitfire that plane was! I later sent a thank you letter to Mohawk and heard back from Robert Peach, the President. He also sent one of the Airfix Mohawk 1-11 models! That started a series of letters back-and-forth with him and Russ Stephenson through middle school and high school. They really cemented my desire to work in the travel industry and to work for an airline. Thanks Mohawk!

As a young child living in Cleveland about that time I remember a HUGE billboard on the Memorial Shoreway with "FLY MOHAWK JETS" to Elmira, Utica, etc.

I worked for Mohawk in the late 60's and have lots of good 111 memories, including doing a single handed turn one night (offload only) when someone forgot to tell us about an extra section. Just don't let the baggage door latch miss the catch, or you'll wind up with the door on the ground.

Marvellous things. The flightdeck jumpseat was one of the best ways to travel - the One-Eleven flightdeck was so incredibly spacious.

Flew on them with British Airways, Dan-Air, European Air Charter, AB Airlines, Maersk Air UK and Airways Cymru/British Midland, with trips on the -200, 300, 400 and 500. Great fun.

And the noise from a CSDS failure on start up is something you’ll never forget once you’ve heard it...

JerseyFlyer wrote:

The BCAL -200s were so noisy that a local protest group persuaded our government to restrict their movements at JER to two a day in the mid-sixties.

I've been a big fan of 1980s 'Bergerac' since discovering it on YouTube, later acquiring the DVDs. One of only a small handful of Americans, I suppose.

BA 1-11s made an appearance in at least a dozen episodes departing/arriving Jersey, pax disembarking, etc.


For me three rides on Allegheny/US Air 1-11s in the 70s/80s

Why were they so much louder than other jets, anybody got a good answer? I'd imagine an 880 or a VC10 would be up there too, no?