NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Vickers VC10

The Vickers VC10 is a British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports. Vickers VC-10 (G-ARTA) somewhere in southern England (information now lost). ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... RAF redirects here. ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... British United Airways (BUA) was the largest independent UK based airline during the 1960s. ... Ghana Airways Ghana Airways was an airline based at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. ... East African Airways was an airline jointly run by three countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania; and Uganda, which were then part of an East African Community. ... An Airbus A340 airliner operated by Air Jamaica An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers. ... Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962: Events January US Army CH-21 Shawnees are dispatched to Vietnam, the first US military aircraft to be deployed there January 10-11 - a B-52 Stratofortress is flown from Okinawa to Madrid, establishing a new distance record of 12...

Today a handful of these aircraft are still in service as aerial refueling and transport aircraft with the RAF. Despite the VC10's lack of commercial success, many consider it to be a particularly elegant and even beautiful design. With four Rolls-Royce Conway engines grouped in pairs at the back it is rather loud by modern standards, though for its time it was not and was regarded by passengers as being quiet and comfortable, something the original operator, BOAC, was keen to trumpet, describing it as "triumphantly swift, silent, serene". "Hush Power" was a motto used by BOAC to advertise these aircraft. Generally, the "10" is regarded as a second generation "jetliner" because in addition to pioneering the innovative concept of tandem aft fuselage mounted turbofan engines, the elegant VC10 was also a product of strongly nationalistic purchasing policies and a matter of postwar prestige after the industrial lead lost by the missteps of the de Havilland Comet. The Rolls-Royce Conway was the first by-pass engine to go into service in the world. ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... A jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (usually of the turbofan type). ... This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ...

History

Political and aviation background

Though privately owned, Britain's aviation industry had de facto been managed by its largest client, the state, in peace and particularly during the Second World War, when it was turned over to war materiel, and production of transport and passenger aircraft was curtailed in favour of bombers. During the war, in 1943, the Brabazon Committee ushered even tighter command economy-style principles into the industry by specifying a number of different types of airliners that would be required for the post-War years. However, because it assumed that US technological leadership in heavy bombers would translate into leadership in long range airliners, at the time of the Brabazon Committee, the British government conceded in principle that its industry may have to cede the long range market to US makers. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ... For other uses, see Bomber (disambiguation). ... In 1942, during World War II, the United States and the United Kingdom agreed to split responsibility for aircraft construction; the US would concentrate on transport aircraft while the UK would concentrate on their heavy bombers. ... A planned economy is an economic system in which economic decisions are made by centralized planners, who determine what sorts of goods and services to produce, and how they are to be priced and allocated. ... This article should be transwikied to wiktionary The term post-war is generally used for the period after the end of World War II, i. ... In 1942, during World War II, the United States and the United Kingdom agreed to split responsibility for aircraft construction; the US would concentrate on transport aircraft while the UK would concentrate on their heavy bombers. ...

By the late 1950s, the government decreed that the industry should consolidate. In consequence, by 1959 only two engine makers were left: Rolls-Royce and Bristol-Siddeley. In 1960, the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) encompassed Vickers, Bristol, and English Electric's aviation interests, Hawker Siddeley built on de Havilland's heavy aircraft experience, and Westland consolidated helicopter manufacture. In 1977 BAC and Hawker Siddeley (by then also including Avro) merged along with Handley Page to form British Aerospace. Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rolls-Royce Limited was a British car and aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Henry Royce and C.S. Rolls on 15 March 1906 and was the result of a partnership formed in 1904. ... Bristol Siddeley was a UK aero-engine manufacturer formed in 1959 from the merger of Bristol Aero Engines and Armstrong-Siddeley. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1960: Events January January 1 - Fiji Airways is reconstituted, becoming equally owned by BOAC, QANTAS, and Tasman Empire Airways. ... The British Aircraft Corporation, or BAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer, formed from the merger (under government pressure) of English Electric Aviation Ltd. ... Bristol Aeroplane Company logo The Bristol Aeroplane Company (formerly British and Colonial Aeroplane Company) was a major British aircraft company which, in 1959, merged with several major British aircraft companies, to become the British Aircraft Corporation and later still part of British Aerospace, now BAE Systems. ... English Electric logo English Electric was a 20th-century British industrial manufacturer, initially of electric motors, and expanding to include railway locomotives and aviation, before becoming part of GEC. // 1917: Dick, Kerr & Co. ... Hawker-Ciggerley was a group of UK aircraft manufacturing companies formed as a result of the merger of Hawker Aircraft with Armstrong Siddeley. ... For other uses, see De Havilland (disambiguation). ... Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset, formed just before the start of World War II. During the war the company produced a number of generally unsuccessful designs, but their Lysander would serve as an important liaison aircraft with the RAF. After the war the... Avro 504K. Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, well known for planes such as the Avro Lancaster which served in World War II. One of the worlds first aircraft builders, A.V.Roe and Company was established at Brownsfield Mills, Manchester, England by Alliot Verdon Roe and his brother... The Handley Page Aircraft Company was founded by Frederick Handley Page in 1909. ... British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft and defence systems manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ...

BOAC background

The British government also controlled the airline industry. Apart from very tight route licensing for private airlines, this involved direct ownership of the newly established BOAC long range and BEA short and medium range airlines. They acted as government instruments first and commercial entities second. Thus, BOAC served British Empire destinations across Southern Asia and Africa: the "Medium-Range Empire routes" (MRE). Many of them were to remote and less-developed areas. Most were commercially unattractive, but all were politically, strategically and socially important. After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... For other uses of BEA see Bea British European Airways, or BEA, was formed in 1946 by an Act of Parliament. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...

As had been the case for its interwar predecessor, Imperial Airways, BOAC invariably had to operate British-designed and built, or at least British-powered aircraft, with procurement bills paid by the Ministry of Supply. All these aircraft were either unsafe, delayed, uncompetitive, or had all of these defects combined. The Canadair DC-4M was uneconomical, as was the Hermes. The Comet I suffered crashes (due to metal fatigue) and was removed from service, and the Britannia was years late entering service. Though not operated by BOAC, the Tudor also suffered crashes which forced the closure of quasi-private British South American Airways. This strained relations between BOAC and indigenous aircraft makers. Europe between 1929 and 1938. ... The Imperial Airways Empire Terminal, Victoria, London. ... The Ministry of Supply (MoS) was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supplying of equipment to the British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. ... Canadair Sabre (Golden Hawks aerobatic team) display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Mount Hope, Ontario Canadair was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. ... The designation DC-4 was used by Douglas Aircraft Company when developing the DC-4E as a large, four-engined type to complement its forthcoming DC-3 design. ... The Handley Page HP 67 Hastings was a troop-carrier and freight transport of the Royal Air Force. ... This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ... This article is about a computer game. ... Bristol Britannia was also a car produced by Bristol Cars from 1982 to 1993. ... The Avro Tudor was a piston-engined airliner based on the Avro Lincoln bomber, itself a descendent of the famous Avro Lancaster. ... British South American Airways (BSAA) was a British state-run airline of the 1940s. ...

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 589 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,402 Ã— 1,032 pixels, file size: 309 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 589 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,402 Ã— 1,032 pixels, file size: 309 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,600 Ã— 1,200 pixels, file size: 277 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,600 Ã— 1,200 pixels, file size: 277 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Vickers and Rolls-Royce background

In the early 1950s, Vickers-Armstrongs designed the Type 1000 (V.1000): a military troop/freight development of the Valiant V-bomber with trans-Atlantic range. At this point, Atlantic routes were flown by slow aircraft and a jet would have cut hours off the flight. The only jet airliner to have seen service by then was the Comet I, whose range was too short for the Atlantic. The Vickers Valiant was a British four-jet bomber, once part of the RAFs V bomber force. ... The term V bomber was used for the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the United Kingdoms strategic nuclear strike force. ... The Atlantic Ocean, not including Arctic and Antarctic regions. ... This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ...

As the RAF ordered six V.1000 strategic troop/freight transports, Vickers proposed a 120-seat airliner version known as the V.C.7 (the seventh civil design by Vickers). The government agreed to fund development and work began on a prototype. However, the RAF order was cancelled in a 1955 round of defence cuts, and the project ended. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1955: Events February February 26 - George F. Smith becomes the first person to survive a supersonic ejection, from a North American F-100 Super Sabre travelling (Mach 1. ...

Rolls-Royce repeatedly adapted its V-bomber Conway by-pass engine to suit the V.1000 as the airframe weight grew, also "civilianising" it for the V.C.7. However, the engine maker was unconvinced of the success of the Vickers designs, turning its attention to getting the Conway onto the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. In the next two decades, Rolls-Royce courted US airliner makers and lobbied for the complete cessation of British airliner production,^{[citation needed]} which was providing minor but irritating competition to the Americans. In Rolls-Royce's view, Britain had forfeited its chances with the Tudor, Hermes, Comet, and Britannia, and its further attempts to enter the sector put engine making, the only viable and lucrative part of Britain's civil aviation sector, at risk of alienating its American clients. The Rolls-Royce Conway was the first by-pass engine to go into service in the world. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ...

BOAC reenters the jet age

Though BOAC had ordered modified Comet 4s, it saw the type as intermediate (the new Comet served the carrier for well under a decade). In 1956, BOAC declared its direction for the future when it ordered 15 Boeing 707s. These, however, were both oversized and underpowered for BOAC's medium-range Empire (MRE; African and Asian) routes. MRE included destinations with "hot and high" airports: those at high temperatures and elevations which reduced aircraft performance. For this reason, the early 707 that BOAC had ordered was unsuitable for MRE routes, notably between Karachi and Singapore, and could not lift a full load from high-altitude airports like Kano or Nairobi. This seemed to inject new life into the MRE requirement. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1956: Events March March 10 - Lt Cdr Peter Twiss sets a new airspeed record in the Fairey Delta FD.2, also becoming the first person to exceed 1,000 mph. ... The Boeing 707 is an American four-engine commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. ... (Sindhi: , Urdu: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ... For other uses of the word Kano see Kano (disambiguation). ... Nairobi (pronounced IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. ...

Several companies pitched for the MRE fleet. De Havilland offered the DH.118, a development of the Comet 5 project, while Handley Page proposed the HP.97, based on their V-bomber, the Victor. After carefully considering the routes, Vickers offered the VC10. For other uses, see De Havilland (disambiguation). ... The Handley Page Aircraft Company was founded by Frederick Handley Page in 1909. ... The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company. ...

The VC10 concept

The VC10 was an entirely new design and bore no relation to the V.C.7 other than having the same Conway engines. It had a generous wing equipped with full span Fowler flaps for good take-off and climb performance, and its engines were at the rear, giving an efficient clean wing and reduced cabin noise. Technological breakthroughs included structural parts milled from solid blocks rather than being assembled from pieces of profiled sheet metal. The entire airframe was to be carefully coated against corrosion. Planned flightdeck technology was extremely advanced, with a quadruplicated automatic flight control system (a "super autopilot") envisaged to enable fully automatic zero-visibility landings. Capacity was up to 135 passengers in a two-class configuration. Vickers designer Sir George Edwards is said to have stated that this was the sole route he could have taken unless he was to reinvent the 707. Despite very serious misgivings on operating cost, BOAC was pressured by the government to order 25 aircraft. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,024 Ã— 768 pixels, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolutionâ€Ž (1,024 Ã— 768 pixels, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of an airplane wing which, when deployed, increase the lift and drag of a wing by changing the camber of the airfoil. ...

Vickers calculated that it would need to sell 80 VC10s at about £1.75 million each to break even. With BOAC taking only 25, another 55 remained to be sold. Vickers offered a smaller version (the VC11) to BEA for longer routes like those to Athens and Beirut, but this was rejected in favour of the Hawker Siddeley Trident. (In retrospect, such a low break-even figure was unrealistic, especially with the expensive research and development involved in the design. Conventional logic at the time dictated that no fewer than 300 aircraft would have had to be sold to cover all the research, development, testing, certification and construction costs.) For other uses of BEA see Bea British European Airways, or BEA, was formed in 1946 by an Act of Parliament. ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ... Trident 1E The Trident, model DH121 or HS121, was a short/medium-range airliner designed by de Havilland in the 1950s, and built by the Hawker-Siddeley Group in the 1960s when de Havilland was merged, along with several other British aviation firms. ...

Uncertainty and indecision

Vickers revamped its production plans to try to break even with only 35 sales at £1.5 million each, re-using jigs from the Vickers Vanguard. On 14 January 1958 BOAC increased its order to 35, with optionals for a further 20 aircraft, all with smaller 109-seat interiors and more first-class seating. With orders from a single customer giving an expected break even, the use of the Vanguard jigs was abandoned and new production jigs made. The name Vanguard had earlier been used on a civilian model of the Vickers Virginia bomber, other versions of the same aircraft being the Victoria and Valentia. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1958: Events Gulfstream Aerospace founded in Savannah, Georgia, USA. London Gatwick Airport opens after two years of extensive reconstruction. ...

Internally, BOAC had calculated that the 707 cost £4.10 per passenger mile, while the VC10 would cost £4.24. This information was leaked and was subsequently credited with the loss of several foreign orders. The large difference caused growing concern and calls to cancel the VC10 orders in favour of the 707. The VC10 was rescued by the British government. In order to offer a more economical product, Vickers began work on the Super 200 development of the VC10. Its main differences were more powerful Conway engines and a 28 feet (8.1 m) longer fuselage offering up to 212 seats: 23 more than the Boeing 707-320 series.

By January 1960, Vickers was experiencing financial difficulties and was concerned that it would not be able to deliver the original 35 VC10s without making a loss. It offered to sell ten Super 200s to BOAC at £2.7 million each, only to find that BOAC was unconvinced it had a role for the already ordered 35 VC10s. The government intervened again on Vickers' behalf, with an order for Super 200s placed on 23 June 1960. BOAC doubts continued, this time centred on the airline's ability to fill all 200 seats. The Super 200 was accordingly cut down to a 13 ft (3.9 m) stretch to the final Super VC10 (Type 1150), the original design retrospectively becoming the Standard VC10 (Type 1100). This is a list of aviation-related events from 1960: Events January January 1 - Fiji Airways is reconstituted, becoming equally owned by BOAC, QANTAS, and Tasman Empire Airways. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As allowed in its contracts with Vickers, in May 1961 BOAC amended its order to 15 Standard and 35 Super VC10s, eight of the Supers having a new combi configuration with a large cargo door and stronger floor. The order was changed again in December to 12 Standards. By the time deliveries were ready to begin in 1964, airline growth had slowed and BOAC wanted to cut its order to seven Supers. In May the government intervened, placing an order for VC10s to operate as military transports, absorbing the overproduction. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961: Events February February 3 - Operation Looking Glass commences, meaning that the US Air Force Strategic Air Command would have a permanent, airborne command post. ... ...

The lengthy political manoeuvring surrounding the VC10 was well publicised and did much to erode market confidence in the type. Its history to that date had been something of a see-saw, with the government promoting it and an increasingly unwilling national airline hoping it would go away. This culminated in a furious public political scandal when BOAC chairman Gerald d'Erlanger and managing director Sir Basil Smallpeice resigned over the issue of whether the national airline was a profit-making company or an automatic sponsor of indigenous aircraft designs; the two (with Smallpeice later an ardent supporter of the Margaret Thatcher premiership) defended the former opinion. They were widely supported within BOAC, whose staff felt the VC10 was foisted on them purely to boost employment figures, and who no longer had confidence in British aircraft makers. BOAC's incoming chairman Sir Giles Guthrie was also anti-VC10: he proposed that the Vickers programme should be shelved in favour of more 707 orders. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (nÃ©e Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ...

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 611 KB)Super VC10 type 1151 G-ASGC Flight Deck. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 611 KB)Super VC10 type 1151 G-ASGC Flight Deck. ...

Development and production

The prototype Standard, G-ARTA, rolled out of the Weybridge factory on 15 April 1962. After two months of ground, engine and taxi tests, on 29 June it flew to Wisley for further testing. By the end of the year, two more had been flown to Wisley. A serious problem with drag had appeared by then. To cure it, Kuchemann wingtips and "beaver tail" engine nacelle fairings were added and tested. Along with the rework of the base rudder segment (its scythe shape was replaced by an angular design with an endplate for greater control effectiveness), this lengthened testing. The certification programme included visits to Nairobi, Khartoum, Rome, Kano, Aden, Salisbury and Beirut. A VC10 flew across the Atlantic to Montreal on 8 February 1964. , Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962: Events January US Army CH-21 Shawnees are dispatched to Vietnam, the first US military aircraft to be deployed there January 10-11 - a B-52 Stratofortress is flown from Okinawa to Madrid, establishing a new distance record of 12... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up nacelle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Nairobi (pronounced IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. ... Nickname: Khartoums location in Sudan Coordinates: , Government - Governor Abdul Halim al Mutafi Population (2005) - Urban Over 1 Million For other uses, see Khartoum (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Kano is the administrative center of the Kano State and the third largest city in Nigeria, in terms of geographical size, after Ibadan and Lagos. ... Port of Aden (around 1910). ... Map of Zimbabwe showing the location of Harare. ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region MontrÃ©al Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government - Mayor GÃ©rald Tremblay Area [1][2][3] - Total 365. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1964: // Events February February 7 - The Canadian Golden Hawks aerobatic team is disbanded. ...

By this point seven of the original 12 Standards were complete, and the production line was preparing for the Supers. A Certificate of Airworthiness was awarded on 22 April 1964. By the end of 1964 all the production Standards had been delivered, with Vickers (by this point part of the BAC) retaining the prototype. A Type Certificate (sometimes called Airworthiness Certificate), is awarded by aviation regulating bodies (such as FAA in US and EASA in EU) to aerospace firms after it has been established that the particular design of aircraft, engines or propeller submitted has fulfilled the regulating bodies current prevailing airworthiness requirements for... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... The British Aircraft Corporation, or BAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer, formed from the merger (under government pressure) of English Electric Aviation Ltd. ...

Super VC10s followed a month later, with the first flight on 7 May 1964. Although the Super was ostensibly a minor development of the Standard with an extra fuel tank in the fin, testing was prolonged by the need to move each engine pair 11 inches (27cm) outboard. This major redesign was needed to resolve tailplane buffeting and fatigue issues due to thrust reverser operation. The two inboard engines could have thrust reversers installed at last, matching the 707. (Military VC10s also had this engine arrangement.) The Certificate of Airworthiness was awarded in March 1965. is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... KLM Fokker 70 with reverse thrust applied. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1965: Events January January 2 - Denis Healey, the UKs Secretary of Defence cancels the nations fighter and military transport programmes and orders the purchase of the US-built F-4 Phantom and C-130 Hercules in their place. ...

Later VC10 design developments included testing the large main deck freight door and new wing leading edges featuring a part-drooped four per cent chord extension over the inboard two thirds, and a drooped extended-chord wingtip which allowed more economical higher cruising heights. (This mimicked the 1961 aerodynamics of the similar-looking but significantly different Il-62.) Further developments were proposed, including freighter versions. Effort was focused on getting a BOAC order for a 250-seat "VC10 Superb."[1] This was a move away from the VC10's initial MRE role and into the area targeted by Douglas with the DC-8 Super Sixties. Unlike the Douglas machine, the VC10 would have needed an entirely new double-deck fuselage, and this raised emergency escape concerns. The design failed to attract orders. The Ilyushin Il-62 is a Soviet long range airliner. ... The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined jet airliner, manufactured between 1959 and 1972. ...

Sales and airline service

BOAC took delivery of its first VC10 on the day it received its Certificate of Airworthiness. The first commercial flight, to Lagos, was on 29 April. Super VC10 services started on 1 April 1965. Operational experience soon resulted in the deletion of the inboard thrust reversers due to continued tailplane buffeting despite the engine repositioning. A total of 12 Type 1101 VC10 (registered G-ARVA to G-ARVM) were purchased in 1964-65, followed by 17 Type 1151 Super VC10 in 1965-69 (G-ASGA to G-ASGP and G-ASGR). For other uses, see Lagos (disambiguation). ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

The VC10 became an immensely popular aircraft in the BOAC fleet, both with passengers and crew. Passengers would actively choose the aircraft over others for their flights, resulting in VC10 flights having higher load factors than the 707. This translated into higher profits for the airline, invalidating the original claims of higher cost where passenger appeal wasn't taken into account.

BOAC's successor British Airways began retiring its Super VC10s from Atlantic flights as early as 1974, mainly due to the 1973 oil crisis, and using them to displace standard VC10s. Ten of the eleven surviving standards were retired in 1974-75. Of these, 5 were leased to Tayaran AlKhalij (Gulf Air) until 1977-78, before being purchased by the RAF. One was leased to the Government of Qatar for VIP transport until 1981, when it was purchased by the RAF as an instructional airframe. Another went to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for similar purposes, until retiral in 1981 and preservation at Hermeskeil, Germany. The other 3were traded in to Boeing as part payment on new aircraft, and Boeing scrapped them at Heathrow. . The last standard VC10 in British Airways service was G-ARVM, which was retained as a standby for the Super VC10 fleet until retired in 1979. It was then preserved at RAF Cosford as part of the British Airways Museum collection. Unfortunately its condition deteriorated (BA having withdrawn funding of the collection) and it was reduced to a fuselage in 2006, before being moved to the Brooklands Museum in order to create space for the new National Cold War Exhibition. For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1974: Events July July 22 - the US Navy and Marine Corps evacuate 500 people from Greece and Turkey on the island September September 1 - a SR-71 Blackbird crosses the Atlantic Ocean in less than two hours. ... Gulf Air (Arabic: ) is the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. ... London Heathrow Airport (IATA airport code: LHR, ICAO airport code: EGLL, and often simply Heathrow) is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ...

Two of BOAC's Super VC10s were lost in terrorist hijackings during the 1970s, and retirement of the BA Super VC10 fleet began in April 1980, with use continuing on less travelled routes until 1981. After failing to sell them, British Airways handed over 14 of the 15 survivors to the RAF in May that year (the exception, G-ASGC, went for preservation at Duxford). This ended the type's airline service history. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 531 pixelsFull resolution (1024 Ã— 680 pixel, file size: 145 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 531 pixelsFull resolution (1024 Ã— 680 pixel, file size: 145 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Gulf Air (Arabic: ) is the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. ... Heathrow redirects here. ...

Ghana Airways ordered three VC10s in January 1961. Two were to be fitted with a cargo door and were known as Type 1102s. The first (registered 9G-ABO) was delivered in November 1964 and the second (9G-ABP) in May 1965; the third was cancelled. Ghana Airways leased 9G-ABP to Tayaran Assharq Alawsat (Middle East Airlines; MEA); this was destroyed at Beirut during an Israeli raid in December 1968. The other, 9G-ABO was retired from service in 1980. MEA also leased the prototype aircraft that Vickers had kept until 1965, leased from Freddie (later Sir) Laker's eponymous charter airline. Ghana Airways Ghana Airways was an airline based at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. ... Middle East Airlines (Arabic: Ø·ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø±Ù‚ Ø§Ù„Ø£ÙˆØ³Ø·), also known by its long name, Middle East Airlines Air Liban (Arabic: Ø·ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø±Ù‚ Ø§Ù„Ø£ÙˆØ³Ø· Ø§Ù„Ø®Ø·ÙˆØ· Ø§Ù„Ø¬ÙˆÙŠØ© Ø§Ù„Ù„Ø¨Ù†Ø§Ù†ÙŠØ©), is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, based in Beirut. ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1968: Events January January 21 - a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashes in the sea near Thule AFB Greenland, carrying four nuclear weapons. ... Sir Frederick Alfred Laker (born August 6, 1922), better known as Sir Freddie Laker is a legendary British airline owner. ...

British United Airways (BUA), ordered two combi versions (Type 1103) in 1964, receiving them in October that year. When BOAC ceased VC10 operations to South America, BUA took them over, purchasing Ghana Airways' cancelled third aircraft in July 1965 (G-ATDJ, a Type 1103). The prototype aircraft (G-ARTA) was purchased from Vickers/BAC and converted from Type 1101 to Type 1109 in 1968. It was initially leased to Middle East Airlines, but returned to British Caledonian (as BUA had become) in 1969. G-ARTA was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Gatwick in 1972, and the others were sold in 1973-74. G-ASIW saw further service with Air Malawi, being retired in 1979. G-ASIX was sold to the Sultan of Oman as VIP transport, and was preserved at Brooklands upon retirement in 1987. G-ATDJ went to the Royal Aircraft Establishment for equipment tests and was retired in 1980. British United Airways (BUA) was the largest independent UK based airline during the 1960s. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from Canadian Snowbirds aerobatic team is formed. ...

Nigeria Airways had planned to buy two VC10s but had to cancel the order for financial reasons; it leased BOAC G-ARVA from 1969, but it was destroyed in a landing accident at Lagos in November of that year. Nigeria Airways is the former national airline of Nigeria, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Lagos. ...

The final VC10 was the one of five Type 1154 Super VC10 built for East African Airways between 1966 and 1970 (registered 5X-UVA, 5H-MMT, 5Y-ADA, 5X-UVJ and 5H-MOG). Of these, 5X-UVA was destroyed in a take-off accident at Addis Ababa in 1972, and the other 4 were retired in 1977 and returned to BAC, subsequently being purchased by the RAF. East African Airways was an airline jointly run by three countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania; and Uganda, which were then part of an East African Community. ...

After 5H-MOG was delivered in February 1970, the production line closed, with 54 airframes built. Airline demand for the 707 and Douglas DC-8, with their superior operating economics, encouraged many of the world's smaller airports to extend their runways, thus eliminating the VC10's main advantage. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1970: Events January January 31 - Mikhail Mil dies, aged 61 February February 17-18 - US Air Force Laos. ... The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined jet airliner, manufactured between 1959 and 1972. ...

Marketing overtures for the VC10 were also made elsewhere, particularly in Mexico, Argentina, the Lebanon, Thailand, Czechoslovakia, and Romania. In line with the VC10's state-led background, these tended to be fronted by British cabinet figures from the Harold Wilson era such as John Stonehouse and Tony Benn. (In reminiscences, some of these figures have claimed that BOAC staff actively sabotaged VC10 marketing by leaking confidential documents relating to the type's fuel consumption.) The final serious enquiry for VC10s came from Chinese state airline Zhōngguó Mínyòng (CAAC) in 1971 and was confirmed in 1972. But by then the production equipment had been broken up. James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 â€“ 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... Private Eyes take on the matter John Thomson Stonehouse (28 July 1925 - 14 April 1988) was a British politician and minister under Harold Wilson. ... Anthony Tony Neil Wedgwood Benn (born 3 April 1925), formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, is a British socialist politician. ... For other uses, see Sabotage (disambiguation). ... A news leak is a disclosure of embargoed information in advance of its official release, or the unsanctioned release of confidential information. ... The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (ä¸å›½æ°‘ç”¨èˆªç©ºæ€»å±€, Pinyin: ZhÅngguÃ³ MÃnyÃ²ng HÃ¡ngkÅng ZÇ’ngjÃº), most widely recognized by the initials CAAC, is an administrative body under the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China that oversees civil aviation in mainland China. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1971: Events January January 6 - the US Marine Corps takes delivery of its first AV-8 Harriers January 22 - a US Navy P-3 Orion sets a distance record of 7,010 miles (11,282 km) for an aircraft in its... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1972: Events January January 5 - US President Richard Nixon announces $US 5. ...

The VC10 served its intended market for a mere decade and a half. Because it was fully written down and amortised by the 1970s, it could have continued in airline service much longer despite high fuel consumption. However, its high noise levels on departure and approach sealed its fate. Hush kitting the Conways was considered in the late 1970s and rejected on grounds of cost.

RAF service

In 1960, the RAF issued Specification 239 for a strategic transport, placed by the Air Ministry with Vickers in 1961 as an order for five VC10s. The military version (Type 1106) was a combination of the Standard combi airframe with the developed wing and Super VC10 engines. It also had a detachable in-flight refuelling nose probe and an auxiliary power unit in the tailcone. The order was increased by an additional six in 1963, plus the three that BOAC had cancelled in 1964. The first RAF machine (known to the service as the VC-10 C Mk. 1, often abbreviated to VC-10 C1), was delivered for testing on 26 November 1965, with deliveries to No. 10 Squadron beginning in December 1966 and ending in August 1968. They were serial numbers XR806 to XR810 and XV101 to XV109. The Air Ministry was formerly a department of the United Kingdom Government, established in 1918 with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the (then newly formed) Royal Air Force. ... Aerial refueling, also called in-flight refueling (IFR) or air-to-air refueling (AAR), is the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight. ... The APU exhaust at the tail end of an Airbus A380 An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... No. ...

Aircraft XR809 was leased leased to Rolls-Royce for flight testing of the RB211 turbofan between 1969 and 1975. On return to the RAF it was found that the airframe had become distorted. It considered uneconomical to repair and was instead used for for SAS training, before being scrapped. Rolls-Royce RB211 engine The Rolls Royce RB.211 family is a family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines made by Rolls-Royce capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pound (166 to 270 kN) thrust. ...

In 1978 the RAF contracted British Aerospace to convert five ex-BOAC (via Gulf Air) Standard VC10s and four ex-East African Airways Super VC10s as air-to-air refuelling tankers. These were known in service as the VC-10 K2 (serials ZA140 to ZA144) and VC-10 K3 (ZA147 to ZA150) respectively. During conversion, extra fuel tanks were installed in what was previously the passenger cabin. These increased the theoretical maximum fuel load to 77 tonnes (K2) and 82 tonnes (K3); the fin fuel tank of the Super VC10 making the difference. In practice the fuel load would be capped by the maximum take-off weight before the tanks are completely full. Both variants had refuelling pods mounted under the wings and a centreline refuelling point, known as a HDU, was installed in the rear freight bay. An in-flight refuelling probe was fitted on the nose, allowing fuel to be taken from the VC10, Victor or TriStar tankers. The K2s have since been retired and scrapped, the last aircraft leaving service in 2000. British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft and defence systems manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ...

In 1981, 14 ex-British Airways Super VC10s were purchased, and given serials ZD230 to ZD243. These were placed in storage and some were used for spare parts. In the early 1990s, five of the aircraft were revived and converted to VC-10 K4 tankers. The K4 has identical refuelling equipment to the K2 and K3, but does not have any extra fuel tanks in the fuselage. It's fuel capacity remains at 70 tonnes, the same as a Super VC10. Around the same time, the 13 surviving C1s were also equipped with wing refuelling pods and re-designated as VC-10 C1K dual-rôle tanker/transports. The centreline HDU is not fitted to this variant and thus it is only a 2-point tanker. Again, no extra tanks were provided and the fuel load remains at 70 tonnes. The in-flight refuelling probe was a feature of the original RAF aircraft, but it was removed for a period during the 1970s and 1980s due to lack of use. The probe was refitted sometime before the tanker conversions took place.

Another on-time BOAC Standard VC10 was acquired as an instructional airframe/spare parts in 1981 (serial ZD493), having previously been leased to the Government of Qatar. A former BUA/British Caledonian aircraft G-ATDJ was acquired by the MoD in 1974 and served with the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Bedford as XX914. After retirement the fuselage was retained at RAF Brize Norton as an instructional aid for the Air Movements School.

The VC-10 is affectionately known in RAF service as the "Vickers FunBus" (a pun on the Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus). The Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus was the first operational British aircraft purpose-built for air-to-air combat, making it debatably the worlds first true fighter aircraft. ...

Aircraft XR806 was damaged beyond economic repair in a ground de-fuelling accident at RAF Brize Norton in 1997, and several other C1K and K4 aircraft have also been scrapped. The surviving airworthy VC-10 C1Ks, K3s and K4s serve as tanker/transports with No. 101 Squadron at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire and No. 1312 Flight at RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, making the RAF the VC10's final operator. The VC10 and Lockheed Tristar tanker/transports are due to be replaced in RAF service by the Airbus A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft Project. RAF Brize Norton is a Royal Air Force station in Oxfordshire about 50 miles west of London, England, United Kingdom. ... No. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... While the UK officially does not foresee any threat to the Falkland Islands, it maintains significant military forces as a deterrent against any aggressor. ... RAF Mount Pleasant (IATA: MPN, ICAO: EGYP) (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport or Mount Pleasant Complex)[1] is a military base for the Royal Air Force in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. ... The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as just L-1011 (pronounced ell-ten-eleven), was the third widebody passenger jet airliner to enter operation, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. ... The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft based on the civilian A330-200. ... The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) will provide aerial refueling (AR) and Air Transport (AT) for the Royal Air Force using a version of the Airbus A330 MRTT. The Royal Australian Air Force announced in April 2004 that they had selected Airbus to provide tankers to a similar specification. ...

Accidents and Incidents

The 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon (code-named Operation Gift) was a Israel Defense Forces commando operation in Beirut International Airport on the night of December 28 - 29 1968. ...

Variants

Operators

Civilian operators

Image File history File links Flag_of_Sri_Lanka. ... Air Ceylon was Sri Lankas (Ceylons) national carrier. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Malawi. ... Air Malawi is an airline based in Blantyre, Malawi. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Livery of British Caledonian on an Airbus A310-200 circa 1984 British Caledonian Boeing 707 at Gatwick Airport June 1975. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... British United Airways (BUA) was the largest independent UK based airline during the 1960s. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... East African Airways was an airline jointly run by three countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania; and Uganda, which were then part of an East African Community. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ghana. ... Ghana Airways Ghana Airways was an airline based at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bahrain. ... Gulf Air (Arabic: ) is the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Laker Airways was a wholly privately owned, Independent British airline founded by the late Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Lebanon. ... Middle East Airlines (Arabic: Ø·ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø±Ù‚ Ø§Ù„Ø£ÙˆØ³Ø·), also known by its long name, Middle East Airlines Air Liban (Arabic: Ø·ÙŠØ±Ø§Ù† Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø±Ù‚ Ø§Ù„Ø£ÙˆØ³Ø· Ø§Ù„Ø®Ø·ÙˆØ· Ø§Ù„Ø¬ÙˆÙŠØ© Ø§Ù„Ù„Ø¨Ù†Ø§Ù†ÙŠØ©), is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, based in Beirut. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nigeria. ... Nigeria Airways is the former national airline of Nigeria, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Lagos. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Oman. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Qatar. ... This article is about the aircraft engine company. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates. ...

Military operators

RAF units using the Vickers VC-10: Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... RAF redirects here. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Preserved examples

Numerous examples remain in service with the Royal Air Force. Hermeskeil is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with about 5900 inhabitants. ... Brooklands was a motor racing circuit built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. ... This article is about the English county. ... Brooklands was a motor racing circuit built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. ... This article is about the English county. ... The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the exclusive British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946. ... American Air Museum Duxford The Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire, commonly referred to simply as Duxford, houses the Imperial War Museums aircraft collection, as well as having a large collection of tanks, military and naval vehicles. ... Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs) is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west. ...

Specifications (Model 1101)

General characteristics

Performance

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... The Rolls-Royce Conway was the first by-pass engine to go into service in the world. ... V speeds are speeds that define certain performance and limiting characteristics of an aircraft. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Thrust-to-weight ratio (where weight means weight at the Earths surface) is a dimensionless parameter characteristic of rocket and jet engines, and of vehicles propelled by such engines (typically space launch vehicles and jet aircraft). ...

External links

References

Contents

History

Political and aviation background

BOAC background

Vickers and Rolls-Royce background

BOAC reenters the jet age

The VC10 concept

Uncertainty and indecision

Development and production

Sales and airline service

RAF service

Accidents and Incidents

Variants

Operators

Civilian operators

Military operators

Preserved examples

Specifications (Model 1101)

General characteristics

Performance

External links

References

Related content

Comparable aircraft

Designation sequence

Related lists

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Political and aviation background

BOAC background

Vickers and Rolls-Royce background

BOAC reenters the jet age

The VC10 concept

Uncertainty and indecision

Development and production

Sales and airline service

RAF service

Accidents and Incidents

Variants

Operators

Civilian operators

Military operators

Preserved examples

Specifications (Model 1101)

General characteristics

Performance

External links

References

Related content

Comparable aircraft

Designation sequence

Related lists

History