False Start
Widely considered to be something of a 'hot ship', US sales
of the BAC 1-11 were inevitable. However, the type endured
a number of false starts before the first orders were received.
Continental Airlines (which already had a fleet of 15 British-
built Vickers Viscounts) sent an evaluation team to England
and both Denver, Colorado-based Frontier Airlines and
St Louis Missouri-based Ozark Airlines went as far as placing
letters of intent. However, all three finally opted for DC-9s or
Boeing 737s instead. Bonanza Airlines of Las Vegas, meanwhile,
expressed interest in buying three BAC 1-11-206s but was
denied US government funds for the purchase; later settling
for domestically produced DC-9s instead.
As such, the first firm US order for the British aircraft was not
forthcoming until October 20, 1961. The milestone deal was
signed by BAC and Braniff International and consisted of an
order for six BAC 1-11-203s, with a further six purchase options.
The incoming jets were intended to replace the Dallas, Texas-
based carrier's ageing fleet of Convair 340 and 440 propliners,
eventually leading the airline to further increase its commitment
to 14 airframes. Braniff was a big name in the US domestic
airline scene, and the deal represented a major breakthrough
for the BAC 1-11.Braniff
Braniff ’s first example (N1543) was flown out to Dallas on
March 11-13, 1965. After intensive training and route proving,
the airline’s first short-haul jet service began on April 25, from
Corpus Christi in Texas to Minneapolis St Paul via an eye-
watering nine stops en route.
By June, Braniff ’s BAC 1-11s were serving 18 cities, rising to
34 a year later stretching from the borders of Mexico to Canada
and as far east as Washington DC. The shortest leg − from
San Antonio to Austin − was just 67 miles (108km) while the
longest ran 1,189 miles (1,914km) from Dallas to Washington.
During this time, Braniff recorded an average utilisation of
over nine and three-quarter hours per day over 14 sectors and,
while the aircraft proved reliable, it was a little unusual. When
the Rolls-Royce Spey engines were taken apart during their
first major service it was found that the engine casings wouldn’t
fit back together – it was later discovered that the units were
handmade and weren’t interchangeable!
Braniff ’s BAC 1-11s were extremely popular; indeed their
affect on stimulating demand for jet speed in the communities
they served meant that, before long, it was deemed too small.
The jet was a victim of its own success and earmarked for
retirement by Braniff by the early 1970s, replaced by 727s.Branif f ’s BAC
1-11 f leet was soon
repainted into its
characteristic multi-
coloured livery,
as demonstrated
by N1541 in
October 1967.
T S
C In 1972 regional
carrier Allegheny
Airlines took over
Mohawk Airlines
and acquired 21 of
its BAC 1-11s. In
anticipation of the
merger, Allegheny also
bought ten examples
from Braniff, creating
a substantial f leet of
31 machines.
N1131J had served
with Aloha and
Mohawk before
joining Allegheny and,
later, USAir.
C C
A
•
Following the success
of the Braniff and
Mohawk f leets, the
third US carrier to
order the type was
Hawaii-based Aloha
Airlines.
KEY C 54 AIRLINER Classics 2018