A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft ). Airliners usually have two or four jet engines; three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Airliners are commonly classified as either the large wide-body aircraft , medium narrow-body aircraft and smaller regional jet .
138-556: The BAC One-Eleven (or BAC-111 / BAC 1-11 ) is an early jet airliner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Originally conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger into BAC in 1960, it was launched as an 80-seat airliner with a British United Airways (BUA) order on 9 May 1961. The prototype conducted its maiden flight on 20 August 1963, and it was first delivered to BUA on 22 January 1965. The 119-seat, stretched 500 series
276-620: A 30-seat jet airliner. The design was reworked into the BAC 107, a 59-seat airliner powered by two 7,000 pounds-force (31 kN) Bristol Siddeley BS75 turbofan engines. BAC also continued development of the larger, 140-seat VC-11 development of the Vickers VC10 which it had inherited. Other competing internal projects, such as the Bristol Type 200 , were quickly abandoned following absorption of Hunting into BAC. Market research showed
414-465: A 7719 statute mile route from Dallas to Houston to Havana, Balboa, C.Z., Panama, Guayaquil , Lima , La Paz , Asuncion , and then to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and also a route from Asuncion to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At that time, the airline changed its trade name to Braniff International Airways (the official corporate name remained Braniff Airways, Incorporated) and flights to South America via Cuba and Panama began on June 4, 1948, with
552-527: A 99 percent dispatch reliability rate over the Transpacific long route. In 1978 N601BN flew the first flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to London . The Braniff 747 livery of bright orange led to the aircraft being nicknamed " The Great Pumpkin ". The popularity of "The Great Pumpkin" led to extensive publicity, and even the licensing of a scale model by the Airfix model company. The Boeing 727 became
690-489: A Philippine One-Eleven while on the ground, but was eventually overpowered by the cockpit crew following hours of negotiation. No passengers or crew were injured. Philippine Airlines replaced the type with the Boeing 737 from 1989 onwards. Romania was a major customer for British-produced One-Elevens, with several large orders in the 1970s. These aircraft were often fitted with equipment such as engine ' hush kits '. In May 1977,
828-523: A contract for One-Eleven licence production in Romania. This was to involve the delivery of three complete One-Elevens (two 500-series aircraft and one 475 series) plus the construction of at least 22 in Bucharest, with the reduction of British (and thus increase of Romanian) content. It also involved Romanian production of Rolls-Royce Spey engines and certification of the aircraft to British standards by
966-528: A different approach and started development of the 787 in 2003 with a new composite frame and more fuel-efficient engines. This would prove to be the smarter choice as the lighter airframe paired with two next generation engines ( Trent 1000 and GEnx ) was much less costly to operate then the quad engine A380. The final blow to the A380 program came when Emirates cancelled a major order in 2018 and left Airbus without enough demand to continue production. It cancelled
1104-539: A foreign aircraft type for its fleet. Braniff International Airways, another major US air carrier, also ordered the One-Eleven. Aloha Airlines selected the One-Eleven as its first jet type for interisland service in the Hawaiian Islands . Several British operators, including Dan Air and British Caledonian , made extensive use of the type. Dan Air increased the number of One-Elevens it had in service in
1242-637: A government contract to transport military personnel from the US Mainland to Vietnam and other military outposts in the Pacific region. Braniff also operated flights to and from Hawaii for R&R furloughs for military personnel during the Vietnam War . The Military Airlift Command routes were expanded in the Pacific and added to the Atlantic side in 1966. The last Braniff MAC charter associated with
1380-610: A jet aircraft has confirmed one opinion I had formed after flying as a passenger in the Lancastrian jet test beds, that few, if any, having flown in a jet-propelled transport, will wish to revert to the noise, vibration and attendant fatigue of an airscrew-propelled piston-engined aircraft" The first purpose-built jet airliner was the British de Havilland Comet which first flew in 1949 and entered service in 1952 with BOAC. It carried 36 passengers up to 2500 miles (4000 km) at
1518-884: A major cooperation agreement between British Aerospace and the Romanian government was signed, and this led to a gradual One-Eleven technology transfer to Romania. Full contracts for licence production under the Rombac name followed two years later. Complete airframes and components were provided to assist in the venture. All Rombac One-Elevens manufactured by Romaero were delivered to TAROM and Romavia , which leased them to airlines across both Eastern and Western Europe. Rombac-produced One-Elevens would be adopted by many emerging operators globally, including Lauda Air in Austria, and Aero Asia International in Pakistan. Two planes served as
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#17327837482931656-626: A merger partner. In 1929, the Braniff brothers sold the assets of the company (the Paul R. Braniff, Inc., company organization was retained by the Braniff brothers) to Universal Aviation Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri, at which time, the organization started operating as Braniff Air Lines, Inc. In 1930, the company was bought by the Aviation Corporation ( AVCO ) which was the predecessor of American Airlines. Braniff Airlines, Inc., and
1794-599: A modified cockpit which incorporated instrumentation and avionics from or similar to that of the Hawker Siddeley Trident , for better commonality with the type. Their additional equipment included a more sophisticated autopilot , which allowed autoland in CAT II and included an autothrottle. The modifications went as far as reversing the "on" position of most switches to match that of the Trident; indeed,
1932-400: A much slower pace than foreseen in the contract. Nine aircraft were delivered, with the 10th and 11th aircraft on the production line being abandoned when they were 85% and 70% complete. The first aircraft was delivered to TAROM on 29 December 1982. The Romanian carrier took delivery of all but two of the aircraft produced, the remaining two going to Romavia , the last of which (YR-BRI cn 409)
2070-435: A new addition to the Braniff fleet; a Panagra order for five long-range Douglas DC-8-62 jetliners was then taken up by Braniff, and deliveries began in late 1967, replacing the older Series 30 Panagra DC-8s by the end of 1967. Under the leadership of George Lois and his advertising firm Lois, Holland Calloway, Braniff started a campaign that presented stars such as Andy Warhol , Sonny Liston , Salvador Dalí , Whitey Ford ,
2208-679: A new engine would have resolved noise and fuel economy issues. Following the fall of the Ceaușescu regime , plans were made to restart production using the Rolls-Royce Tay . British aircraft leasing company Associated Aerospace agreed a $ 1 billion deal to purchase 50 Tay-powered One-Elevens fitted with a new electronic glass cockpit for onward leasing to Western customers. The liquidation of Associated Aerospace in April 1991 stopped this deal. Despite this setback, Rombac continued to try to sell
2346-544: A result of an order for five aircraft by the Romanian airline Tarom . British production continued until 1984, with a total of 235 aircraft built in Britain. There were two reasons why the production line was kept open for just 35 aircraft delivered over 11 years: first, BAC hoped that Rolls-Royce would develop a quieter and more powerful version of the Spey engine, making possible further One-Eleven developments; second, throughout
2484-454: A result, BAC One-Eleven aircraft registered in any EU Member State are no longer eligible for a normal certificate of airworthiness. In December 2012, the last operational One-Eleven in the UK, which had continued to fly as a military aircraft, was retired. Eventually, on 7 May 2019, the last flyable One-Eleven was retired by Northrop Grumman after serving as an F-35 testbed. The BAC One-Eleven
2622-698: A routing of Chicago – Kansas City – Dallas – Houston – Havana – Balboa, C.Z. – Guayaquil – Lima (Lima service did not begin until June 18, 1948). The route was then extended in February 1949 to La Paz and in March 1949, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Douglas DC-4s and Douglas DC-6s flew to Rio; initially DC-3s flew Lima to La Paz. Braniff was the first airline authorized by the CAB to operate JATO or Jet Assisted Take-Off aircraft (DC-4) at La Paz. Braniff inaugurated new service from Lima, Peru, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with
2760-645: A significant international route award just a year after the war ended. Thomas Elmer Braniff created a Mexican-based airline, Aerovias Braniff, in 1943. Service was inaugurated in March 1945, after the carrier received its operating permits from the Mexican government. Aerovias Braniff operated domestic flights in Mexico between Nuevo Laredo , Monterrey and Mexico City , and also between Mexico City, Puebla , Veracruz (city) and Merida, Mexico . The August 1946 Braniff Airways system timetable indicates that Braniff
2898-602: A single color on each plane, selected from a palette of rich and iridescent hues like "Chocolate Brown" and "Metallic Purple." He favored a small "BI" logo and small titles. Braniff engineering and Braniff's advertising department modified Girard's colors, enlarged the "BI" logo, and added white wings and tails. This, ironically, was based on the 1930s Braniff Lockheed Vega color schemes, which also carried colorful paint with white wings and tails. The new fleet carried such colors as beige, ochre, orange, turquoise, baby blue, medium blue, lemon yellow, and lavender/periwinkle blue. Lavender
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#17327837482933036-469: A small airline, LAR, its sole destination being Tel Aviv. One-Elevens remained in widespread use with European operators into the 1990s. Once retired from major operators, they were often sold to smaller airlines, often in the Far East and Africa. Nigeria was a major operator until the type was grounded after a crash in 2002. A major factor for the withdrawal from European service of remaining One-Elevens
3174-495: A small duck hunting lake near Lake Charles, Louisiana, in a Grumman Mallard aircraft with no deicing system. The wings iced up on approach to landing in Shreveport, and the plane lost altitude. One of the wings hit cypress stumps and the plane crashed against the shore. It caught fire and all 12 lives aboard were lost." Braniff Executive Vice President Charles Edmund Beard became the first non-Braniff family member to assume
3312-522: A speed of 450mph (725 km/h). Serious structural problems arose not even two years after entering service and prompted several changes in design. The last original Comet was retrofitted in 1958. Also developed in 1949 was the Avro Canada C102 Jetliner , which never reached production; however, the term jetliner came into use as a generic term for passenger jet aircraft. These first jet airliners were followed some years later by
3450-843: A stop at São Paulo, added in October 1950. Service was extended in March 1950 from La Paz to Asuncion, Paraguay, and in May 1950 to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentine President Juan Perón and his famed wife Evita Perón participated in the festivities at the Palacio Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires. In October 1951 departures from Dallas became daily: three a week to Buenos Aires and four to Rio de Janeiro. Beginning in 1951, flights to South America stopped at Miami, but Braniff did not carry domestic passengers between Dallas and Houston and Miami. By October 1951, Braniff flew to 29 airports in
3588-587: A superior product: American Airlines ordered the pioneering Comet (but later cancelled when the Comet ran into metal fatigue problems), Canadian, British and European airlines could not ignore the better operating economics of the Boeing 707 and the DC-8, while some American airlines ordered the Caravelle. Boeing became the most successful of the early manufacturers. The KC-135 Stratotanker and military versions of
3726-466: A year later in 1949. Charles Edmund Beard led Braniff into the jet age. The first jets were four Boeing 707 -227s; a fifth crashed on a test flight when still owned by Boeing. Braniff was the only airline to order the 707-227 because their low density and powerful engines were perfectly suited to Braniff's thin and high routes from the US Mainland to South America. In 1971, Braniff sold the jets to British West Indies Airways ( BWIA ), an airline based in
3864-591: Is most likely when the first Braniff service began at Dallas Love Field). The new airline performed as one of the best in the Universal System with a 99-percent completion rate reported during the month of July 1929 and the Airline also led the other divisions in number of passengers carried. Service was added between Oklahoma City and Amarillo during the Summer of 1929. Package express and air freight service
4002-502: The 727 including the "quick change" cargo/passenger combi aircraft variant, the stretched 727-200 , and later the 727-200 Advanced. Lawrence also increased utilization of the fleet. In 1969 the Lockheed L-188 Electras were retired, making Braniff an all pure jet airline. By the mid-1970s Braniff's fleet of 727s showed the efficiencies that a single type of aircraft could produce. The company's maintenance costs on
4140-524: The BAC One-Eleven and Douglas DC-9 twinjets ; Boeing 727 , Hawker Siddeley Trident and Tupolev Tu-154 trijets ; and the paired multi-engined Ilyushin Il-62 , and Vickers VC10 . The world-renowned supersonic Concorde first flew in 1969 but proved to be an economical disaster. Only 14 ever entered service, and the last Concorde was retired in 2003. The 1960s jet airliners were known for
4278-635: The Civil Aviation Authority . A market for up to 80 Romanian-built aircraft was projected at the time, largely in China and other developing economies, and possibly Eastern Europe . The aircraft was redesignated Rombac 1-11 . The Spey 512-14 DW engines were produced under license by Turbomecanica Bucharest. The first Rombac One-Eleven, (YR-BRA cn 401) a series 561RC, was rolled out at Romaero Băneasa factory on 27 August 1982 and first flew on 18 September 1982. Production continued until 1989 at
BAC One-Eleven - Misplaced Pages Continue
4416-587: The Playboy Bunny , and other celebrities of the time flying Braniff. After the End of the Plain Plane Campaign, it became one of the most celebrated marketing efforts Madison Avenue had ever produced, blending style and arrogance. The key advertising slogan was "When you got it — flaunt it." Management considered the campaign a success. Braniff reported an 80 percent increase in business during
4554-802: The Sud Aviation Caravelle from France, the Tupolev Tu-104 from the Soviet Union (2nd in service), and the Boeing 707 , Douglas DC-8 and Convair 880 from the United States. National prestige was attached to developing prototypes and bringing these early designs into service. There was also a strong nationalism in purchasing policy, so that US Boeing and Douglas aircraft became closely associated with Pan Am , while BOAC ordered British Comets. Pan Am and BOAC, with
4692-542: The Tupolev Tu-144 , have been superseded. The 1970s jet airliners introduced wide-body (twin-aisle) craft and high-bypass turbofan engines . Pan Am and Boeing "again opened a new era in commercial aviation" when the first Boeing 747 entered service in January 1970, marking the debut of the high-bypass turbofan which lowered operating costs, and the initial models which could seat up to 400 passengers earned it
4830-566: The "quick change" (B727-100C) model, with a large freight loading door on the left side just aft of the flight deck. This allowed Braniff to begin late-night cargo service, while the aircraft carried passengers during the day, in August 1966. This doubled the 727 utilization rate and allowed Braniff to open the new cargo business, dubbed AirGo. The new 727s could also be outfitted in a mixed cargo/passenger combi aircraft configuration and Braniff did operate "red eye" overnight services carrying cargo in
4968-543: The 1950s, used the simpler turbojet engine; these were quickly supplanted by designs using turbofans , which are quieter and more fuel-efficient. The first airliners with turbojet propulsion were experimental conversions of the Avro Lancastrian piston-engined airliner, which were flown with several types of early jet engine, including the de Havilland Ghost and the Rolls-Royce Nene . They retained
5106-428: The 1970s, eventually replacing its aging de Havilland Comets with the One-Eleven entirely in the 1980s. The type became the airline's main revenue generator. Dan Air would often lease One-Elevens, including Rombac-produced aircraft, to meet short-term demands. During periods of low demand Dan Air would lease its own One-Elevens to other operators. British Caledonian and Dan Air One-Elevens would often be exchanged between
5244-566: The 30-seat Hunting 107 . Around the same time, Vickers started a similar development of a 140-seat derivative of its VC10 project, the VC11 . Many other aviation firms also produced designs. In 1960 Hunting, under British government pressure, merged with Vickers-Armstrongs , Bristol , and English Electric to form British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). The new BAC decided that the Hunting project had merit, but that there would be little market for
5382-457: The 400 fuselage with the higher power and larger wing of the 500 and was intended for hot and high as well as rough airfield operations; however only ten One-Eleven Mk 475s were sold with one airline being Faucett Peru which operated its series 475 aircraft on scheduled domestic services into several airports with unpaved gravel runways in Peru. In 1977, the One-Eleven 670, a quiet and updated 475,
5520-538: The 400-series, making the airline the largest customer of One-Elevens. The prototype ( G-ASHG ) rolled out of Hurn assembly hall on 28 July 1963, at which point BAC had received orders for the type from a number of operators. On 20 August 1963, the prototype conducted its first flight, painted in BUA livery. The first flight had taken place almost a year before the Douglas DC-9, a rival American jetliner; BAC considered
5658-539: The 510ED was so different from other One-Elevens and 500 series aircraft that a different type rating was required to fly it. Having faced competition from US aircraft by 1966, by 1970 the One-Eleven also faced competition from newer, smaller aircraft such as the Fokker F28 Fellowship . The F28 was lighter, less complex, and cheaper. The One-Eleven 475 of 1970 was launched to compete with the F28. It combined
BAC One-Eleven - Misplaced Pages Continue
5796-530: The 59-seat BAC 107 was too small, and the design was reworked in 1961, with passenger capacity growing to 80 seats, and BS75s being discarded in favour of Rolls-Royce Speys . The revised design was redesignated the BAC 111 (later known as the One-Eleven), with BAC abandoning the VC11 project to concentrate on the more promising One-Eleven. Unlike contemporary British airliners such as the Hawker Siddeley Trident ,
5934-484: The 707 remain operational, mostly as tankers or freighters . The basic configuration of the Boeing, Convair and Douglas aircraft jet airliner designs, with widely spaced podded engines underslung on pylons beneath a swept wing, proved to be the most common arrangement and was most easily compatible with the large-diameter high-bypass turbofan engines that subsequently prevailed for reasons of quietness and fuel efficiency . The Pratt & Whitney JT3 turbojets powered
6072-573: The 727s were lower than the dual pilot DC-9. In 1975 Braniff had one 747, 11 DC-8s, and 70 727s. The Douglas DC-8s were aging, and there was speculation whether new Boeing 757s , Boeing 767s or Airbus A300s would replace the long range DC-8-62s (which flew Braniff's South American routes including nonstops from Los Angeles and New York City to Bogota, Colombia and Lima, Peru as well as nonstops from Miami and New York City to Buenos Aires) with McDonnell Douglas MD-80s possibly being introduced on shorter routes. In 1978 Braniff announced it had chosen
6210-534: The 767 on long-distance overseas routes that did not require the capacity of larger airliners. By the late 1980s, DC-10 and L-1011 models were approaching retirement age, prompting manufacturers to develop replacement designs. McDonnell Douglas started working on the MD-11 , a stretched and upgraded successor of the DC-10. Airbus, thanks to the success of its A320 family, developed the medium-range A330 twinjet and
6348-445: The Airline's DC-2s were given to the military for wartime service and none were accepted back into the fleet at the end of the war. Besides offering its aircraft to the United States military, it also leased its facilities at Dallas Love Field to the military, which became a training site for pilots and mechanics. Braniff was given a contract to operate a military cargo flight between Brownsville, Texas, and Panama City/Balboa City, in
6486-699: The Boeing 727. These factors led to Trans Australia Airlines choosing to purchase the DC-9 instead. In the US, the Civil Aeronautics Board was sceptical of smaller operators' need for jet aircraft and withheld financing, leading to several US customers cancelling their One-Eleven orders. Mohawk Airlines became both the first American operator of the type and the first airline in the US to operate jet aircraft on short haul routes. On 25 June 1965, Mohawk introduced its first One-Eleven into passenger service; by
6624-598: The Canal Zone. The route was called the Banana Run because Braniff's pilots made agreements with the banana producers in Panama to move their bananas to the United States to sell. Because of the war, they could not fly their produce out of the country but Braniff devised at least a small way to assist the growers. Because of Braniff's superb service during the war and over the Banana Run, the Airline would be rewarded with
6762-489: The Caribbean. Boeing 720s were added in the early 1960s. In 1965 Braniff's fleet was about half jet, comprising 707s, 720s and British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven jetliners. The long range Boeing 707-320C intercontinental model was then introduced. However, the 707, 720 and One-Eleven would all subsequently be removed from the fleet in favor of the ideally suited Boeing 727 Trijet. Braniff's last piston schedule
6900-473: The Japanese market, with the same stretched fuselage and engines as the 700 and a new high-lift wing for operation into regional airports with short runways. The 700 was approximately the same size as the latest DC-9s and 737s and would have been available in time to prevent large-scale defections by One-Eleven clients to McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing. Rolls-Royce was still recovering from bankruptcy, however, and
7038-511: The One-Eleven 300 and 400. The new versions used the Mk. 511 version of the Spey with increased power, allowing more fuel upload and hence longer range. The difference between the 300 and 400 lay in the equipment and avionics , the 400 intended for sales in the United States and thus equipped with US instruments. On 17 July 1963, American Airlines ordered 15 aircraft, bringing the total to 60, plus options for 15. American Airlines eventually bought 30 of
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#17327837482937176-563: The One-Eleven 500 was longer by 8 ft 4in (2.54 m) ahead of the wing and 5 ft 2in (1.57 m) behind it. The wing span was increased by 5 ft (1.5 m), and the latest Mk. 512 version of the Spey was used. The new version sold reasonably well across the world, particularly to European charter airlines. In 1971 it received an incremental upgrade to reduce drag and reduce runway requirements. BEA/British Airways 500 series aircraft (denoted One-Eleven 510ED) varied significantly from other One-Elevens, at BEA's request. The One-Eleven 510ED had
7314-488: The One-Eleven being gradually phased out for the more modern A320 and Boeing 737 jetliners. The last aircraft was removed from regular service with BA in October 1992. A number of ex-BA aircraft saw service with Maersk Air before, in turn, being replaced by the Bombardier CRJ200 in the late 1990s. In Ireland Aer Lingus flew One-Elevens for three decades, in both the scheduled and charter markets. The aircraft
7452-634: The One-Eleven to hold a technological edge. The One-Eleven's lead was of significant importance commercially, since, as shown by the Bonanza Air Lines case, US authorities could refuse to approve sales of foreign aircraft to domestic airlines where an American alternative existed (Bonanza ended up ordering and operating the DC-9). Test flying was conducted by Squadron Leader Dave Glaser . The One-Eleven prototype, flown by test pilot Mike Lithgow , crashed on 22 October 1963 during stall testing, with
7590-420: The One-Eleven was not designed specifically to meet the needs of the state-owned British European Airways or British Overseas Airways Corporation , but on the needs of airlines around the world, and BAC expected orders for as many as 400. On 9 May 1961 the One-Eleven was publicly launched when British United Airways placed the first order for ten One-Eleven 200s. On 20 October Braniff International Airways in
7728-405: The One-Eleven with the Boeing 737 in the mid-1990s. In April 1966, Philippine Airlines began operating One Elevens in revenue service. They eventually operated 12 of the later 500-Series. One of these aircraft suffered two separate in-flight bomb explosions, but was repaired each time and continued in service until 1992. In another high-profile incident on 21 May 1982, John Clearno tried to hijack
7866-518: The One-Eleven's control system. It also redesigned the wing's leading edge to smooth airflow into the engines and over the tailplane. The specially modified aircraft used for testing this problem is now preserved at Brooklands Museum . Despite the crash, testing continued and customer confidence remained high. American Airlines and Braniff took up their optional orders and placed more in February 1964. Further orders came from Mohawk, Philippine Airlines and German businessman Helmut Horten , who ordered
8004-550: The One-Eleven, with US operator Kiwi International Air Lines placing a firm order for 11 Tay-engined aircraft with options for an additional five, but these plans never happened. Once in service, the One Eleven found itself in competition with the Douglas DC-9, and was joined by another competitor, the Boeing 737, only a year after its introduction. Advantages over the DC-9 included a lower unit cost. The DC-9 offered more seating, and its engines were interchangeable with those on
8142-632: The South. The acquisition of the Minneapolis/St. Paul to Kansas City route (with stops in Des Moines and Rochester, Minnesota) was of particular interest to Braniff, as Mid-Continent had been awarded this route instead of Braniff in 1939. After the merger Braniff operated 75 aircraft and over 4000 employees, including 400 pilots. In 1955 Braniff was the tenth largest US airline by passenger-miles and ninth largest by domestic passenger miles. With
8280-542: The US, from Chicago and Denver south to Brownsville, Texas, to Central America, Cuba and South America. After months of negotiations Braniff acquired Mid-Continent Airlines , a small Kansas City-based trunk line, on August 16, 1952. The merger added numerous cities, including Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sioux City, and Sioux Falls in the North; Des Moines, Omaha, and St. Louis in the Midwest; and Tulsa, Shreveport, and New Orleans in
8418-485: The United States ordered six. Mohawk Airlines sent representatives to Europe seeking out a new aircraft to bring them into the jet era, and on 24 July 1962 concluded an agreement for four One-Elevens. Orders followed from Kuwait Airways for three, and Central African Airways for two. Braniff subsequently doubled their order to 12, while Ireland's Aer Lingus ordered four. Western Airlines ordered ten but later cancelled. Bonanza Air Lines also ordered three in 1962 but
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#17327837482938556-577: The Vietnam War was flown in 1975. In February 1967 Braniff, purchased Pan American-Grace Airways which was also known as Panagra from shareholders of Pan American World Airways and W. R. Grace , increasing its presence making it the leading US airline in South America. The merger was effective on February 1, 1967, and Panagra's remaining piston airliners were retired. Panagra operated early model Douglas DC-8 jets at this time, which were
8694-413: The acquisition, Acker became executive vice president and CFO of Braniff. Troy Post hired Harding Lawrence , executive vice president of Continental Airlines , who was responsible for a 500 percent increase in sales at the Los Angeles-based carrier during his tenure, as the new president of Braniff International. Lawrence was determined to give Braniff a glossy, modern, and attention-getting image. Over
8832-417: The addition of the South America route system, merger with Mid-Continent Airlines, and reduction in mail subsidy on the Mid-Continent system, Braniff International Airways recorded a US$ 1.8 million operating loss during 1953. Aircraft that were scheduled to be disposed of offset the loss and the company recorded a meager US$ 11,000 net income. An increase in mail subsidy, requested by Mr. Braniff before his death,
8970-435: The advancement of the more economical turbofan technology, which passes air around the engine core instead of through it. Jet airliners that entered service in the 1960s were powered by slim, low-bypass turbofan engines, many aircraft used the rear-engined, T-tail configuration, such as the BAC One-Eleven , Boeing 737 , and Douglas DC-9 twinjets ; Boeing 727 , Hawker Siddeley Trident , Tupolev Tu-154 trijets ; and
9108-415: The agenda was to overhaul Braniff's public image — including the 1959 Red and Blue El Dorado Super Jet livery which Wells saw as "staid". New Mexico architect Alexander Girard , Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci , and shoe designer Beth Levine were hired, and with this new talent Braniff began the "End of the Plain Plane" campaign. At Girard's recommendation the old livery was dropped in favor of
9246-415: The airline received some of the last British-made One-Elevens. British Caledonian had begun replacing its One-Elevens with the new Airbus A320, when it was merged with British Airways in 1987 due to financial problems. In both Caledonian and British Airways service, the One-Elevens were a dominant type for the operator's European routes. BA proceeded to rationalise its fleets, retiring many overlapping types,
9384-437: The backbone of the Braniff fleet. The trijet was the key aircraft in the 1971 Fleet Standardization Plan that called for three aircraft types: the Boeing 727 primarily operated on domestic services, the Boeing 747 for Hawaii, and the Douglas DC-8 for South America. This plan would lower operating costs. When Lawrence took office in May 1965, Braniff operated 13 different aircraft types. Braniff eventually ordered several variants of
9522-525: The carrier grew by adding service from Oklahoma City to San Angelo, Texas, with intermediate stops at Wichita Falls, Breckenridge and Abilene, Texas, by the Summer of 1929 and service at Denison, Texas, was added on July 5, 1929. An additional route was operated between Oklahoma City and Ft Worth with intermediate stops at Wewoka, Oklahoma, and Dallas Love Field and a third route operated between Oklahoma City and Tulsa with intermediates stops at Wewoka and Seminole, Oklahoma, with all beginning on July 15, 1929 (this
9660-464: The choice of developing the X-Eleven or joining European efforts to design an-all new aircraft. In the end, BAe became a full member of Airbus, and the X-Eleven was abandoned, with the European alternative becoming the Airbus A320. The BAC Two-Eleven and Three-Eleven were British airliner studies proposed by the British Aircraft Corporation in the late 1960s which never made it to production. On 9 June 1979, Romanian president Nicolae Ceaușescu signed
9798-570: The company from failure. In early 1935, Braniff became the first airline to fly from Chicago to the U.S.–Mexico border . In August 1935, Paul Braniff left to pursue other opportunities and Charles Edmund Beard placed in charge of daily operations. In 1954, Beard was appointed president and CEO of Braniff with Fred Jones of Oklahoma City becoming chairman of the board. On December 28, 1934, Braniff purchased Dallas-based Long and Harman Air Lines, that operated passenger and mail routes from Amarillo to Brownsville and Galveston. Braniff Airways, merged with
9936-568: The company on December 28, 1934, and began operating Long and Harman's routes on January 1, 1935, which took the airline from Chicago to Brownsville, Texas, and as far west as Amarillo, Texas. During the war, Braniff remanded all of its Douglas DC-2 fleet and a substantial number of its new 21-passenger Douglas DC-3 fleet to the United States Army Air Forces . The DC-3 had just entered the fleet in December 1939. All of
10074-547: The company was reincorporated as Braniff Airways, Incorporated, in the State of Nevada; in 1973, the company was reincorporated as Braniff International Corporation and Braniff Airways, Incorporated, became the wholly owned subsidiary of Braniff International; in 1983, the company was reincorporated in Delaware as Dalfort Corporation, which included Braniff, Inc., as the wholly-owned airline subsidiary of Dalfort Corporation; in 1990,
10212-440: The company was reincorporated in Delaware as Braniff International Airlines, Inc.; and in 2015, the company was reincorporated as Braniff Airways, Incorporated, in the State of Oklahoma, which included its operating subsidiaries and original parent company. In April 1926, Paul Revere Braniff incorporated Braniff Air Lines, Inc., which was a planned flight school and aircraft maintenance entity that never came to fruition. However,
10350-490: The corporate headquarters. Art to complement the color schemes was flown in from Mexico, Latin America , and South America. Girard designed an extensive line of furniture for Braniff's ticket offices and customer lounges. This furniture was made available to the public by Herman Miller, for a year in 1967. Pucci used a series of nautical themes for crew uniforms for flight attendants, pilots, ground and terminal personnel. For
10488-490: The downtown areas of each city, which was provided by Yellow Cab Company. The new airline was solely dependent on passenger carrying fares for its revenue since it had not entered into any mail or express contracts with the United States Post Office. The new Braniff venture was profitable within a month of service inauguration but with the weakening economic conditions the company found itself in need of
10626-405: The early part of the period Romania was negotiating to buy the entire One-Eleven programme and transfer production of the type to Bucharest . By 1974, BAC invested significant effort into launching the One-Eleven 700. This had a longer fuselage with a 134-seat interior and the projected 16,900 lbf (75 kN) Spey 606 engine producing greater power and less noise. The 700J was planned for
10764-458: The end of 1965 airlines had received 34 aircraft. Demand remained buoyant, with a second production line set up at Weybridge - producing 13 1-11s between 1966 and 1970. In 1967 a larger 119-seat version was introduced as the One-Eleven 500 (also known as Super One-Eleven). This "stretched" version was delayed for at least a year while its launch customer BEA assessed its requirements. This gave competing US aircraft (the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 737)
10902-436: The end of the decade, the airline operated a fleet of 20 BAC One-Elevens. Buying the jets pushed Mohawk into debt and this, along with an economic downturn and strike action , led to its forced merger with Allegheny Airlines which in turn continued to operate the One-Eleven. In July 1963, American Airlines had placed an order for 15 400-series One-Elevens for £14 million; this was the first time American Airlines had purchased
11040-642: The executives caused the new venture to be disbanded. Eventually, the Braniff brothers, Mr. Lybrand, and Mr. Westervelt bought out the interests of the other investors. In the spring of 1928, insurance magnate Thomas Elmer Braniff founded an air carrier, maintenance, aircraft dealer and flight school organization with his brother Paul, called Paul R. Braniff, Inc., which did business as Tulsa-Oklahoma City Airline. The new company, founded in May 1928, began regularly scheduled service from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, using 6-passenger Lockheed Vega single-engine aircraft on June 20, 1928. The first flight
11178-638: The fears of Braniff's creditors, which became concerned especially after the losses incurred in 1953, quickly followed by the loss of Mr. Braniff. Paul R. Braniff died in June 1954 from complications from pneumonia and from throat cancer. Tom Braniff's wife, Bess Thurman Braniff, also died in August 1954, of cancer. Tom's son, Thurman Braniff, was killed in a training plane crash at Oklahoma City in 1937, and his daughter Jeanne Braniff Terrell died in 1948 from complications of childbirth. Jeanne Braniff's child died two days after birth and her husband Alexander Terrell died
11316-464: The federal Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for authority to merge Aerovias Braniff with Braniff Airways, Inc. However, the Mexican government suspended Aerovias Braniff's operating permits in October 1946, under pressure from Pan American Airways, Inc. , and merger of the two carriers was not approved by the CAB. Braniff was allowed to operate a charter service in Mexico for a brief period in 1947 but that
11454-402: The first Braniff airline entity, Braniff Air Lines, Inc., was incorporated in the State of Oklahoma; in 1928, the company was reincorporated as Paul R. Braniff, Inc., again in the State of Oklahoma; in 1930, the company was reincorporated as Braniff Airways, Incorporated in the State of Oklahoma; in 1946, the company became publicly known under the trade name Braniff International Airways. In 1966,
11592-460: The first executive modification of the aircraft. By the end of 1964, 13 aircraft had rolled off the production line. The One-Eleven was certified and the first handover, of G-ASJI to BUA, was on 22 January 1965. After several weeks of route-proving flights, the first revenue service flew on 9 April from Gatwick to Genoa . Braniff took delivery of its first aircraft on 11 March, while Mohawk received its first on 15 May. Deliveries continued, and by
11730-403: The fleet during 1931 and 1932. The fledgling airline shut down to reorganize in March 1933, with the company airborne again in less than a year. Paul Braniff, travelled to Washington, D.C. , to petition for a Chicago-Dallas airmail route. The United States Postal Service granted Braniff their first airmail route soon after and the new route was inaugurated in May 1934, which effectively saved
11868-544: The following year because the helmets cracked easily, there was no place to store them on the aircraft, and new jetway installation at many airports made them unnecessary. However, the helmets were still approved for use through 1967. For the footwear, Beth Levine created plastic boots and designed two-tone calfskin boots and shoes. Later uniforms and accessories were composed of interchangeable parts, which could be removed and added as needed. Emilio Pucci designed additional new uniforms for Braniff through 1975. This included
12006-405: The forward section with seating for 51 passengers in the rear coach compartment. In 1970 Braniff accepted delivery of the 100th Boeing 747 built – a 747-127, N601BN – and began flights from Dallas to Honolulu, Hawaii , on January 15, 1971. This plane, dubbed "747 Braniff Place" and "The Most Exclusive Address In The Sky", was Braniff's flagship, and it flew an unprecedented 15 hours per day with
12144-488: The help of advertising agencies and their strong nautical traditions of command hierarchy and chain of command (retained from their days of operating flying boats ), were quick to link the "speed of jets" with the safety and security of the "luxury of ocean liners " in the public 's perception . Aeroflot used Soviet Tupolevs , while Air France introduced French Caravelles . Commercial realities dictated exceptions, however, as few airlines could risk missing out on
12282-481: The hostesses, Pucci used "space age" themes, including plastic Bolas (first edition zippered version) Space Helmets (second edition with snaps) as they were dubbed by Pucci. These clear plastic bubbles, which resembled Captain Video helmets and which Braniff termed "RainDome", were to be worn between the terminal and the plane to prevent bouffant hairstyles from being disturbed by outside elements. "RainDomes" were dropped
12420-421: The insurance business. Braniff and National were chosen after Greatamerica CFO Charles Edward Acker identified them as under-utilized and under-managed companies. Acker had stated in a 1964 study that Braniff's conservative management was hampering the growth that the "jet age" required, in part by cash purchase of new planes instead of financing them, diverting working capital from growth initiatives. As part of
12558-604: The late 1970s it expanded to Asia and Europe. The airline ceased air carrier operations in May 1982 because of high fuel prices, credit card interest rates and extreme competition from the large trunk carriers and the new airline startups created by the Airline Deregulation Act of December 1978. Two later airlines used the Braniff name: the Hyatt Hotels -backed Braniff, Inc. in 1983–89 , and Braniff International Airlines, Inc. in 1991–92 . In early 2015,
12696-458: The late 1980s, with the Braniff, Inc. (Braniff II) holding company, Dalfort, remaining there until 2001. In April 1964, Braniff made deposits on two Boeing 2707 Supersonic Transports , $ 100,000 per aircraft. This would give Braniff slots number 38 and 44 when the SST began production. President Beard said the two aircraft would be used on the carrier's US to Latin America flights, where the Boeing 707
12834-461: The latest widebody airliners are the Airbus A380 (first flight in 2005), Boeing 787 (first flight in 2009) and Airbus A350 (first flight in 2013). These improvements allowed longer ranges and lower cost of transportation per passenger. Sukhoi Superjet 100 and Airbus A220 (formerly Bombardier CSeries) are examples of narrowbodies with similar level of technological advancements. The A380
12972-544: The life of the campaign in spite of an economic downturn the following year. Braniff opened the "Terminal of the Future" at Dallas Love Field in late December 1968 and the Jetrail Car Park people mover monorail system in April 1970. Both operated until January 1974. Jetrail was the world's first fully automated monorail system, taking passengers from remote parking lots at Love Field to the Braniff terminal. Braniff
13110-449: The loss of all on board. The investigation led to the discovery of what became known as deep stall or superstall, a phenomenon caused by reduced airflow to the tailplane caused by the combined blanking effects of the wing and the aft-mounted engine nacelles at high angles of attack , which prevents recovery of normal (nose-down) flight. To prevent such stalls, BAC designed and added devices known as stick shakers and stick pushers to
13248-683: The name and company were retained by him and his brother, Thomas Elmer Braniff, until 1932. In 1927, Paul R. Braniff, his brother Thomas, and several investors formed Oklahoma Aero Club to fly the founding executives using a Stinson Detroiter , purchased by Paul Braniff, registered as NC1929, on hunting, fishing, and business trips. Paul Braniff was the sole pilot, and flew the investors to their meetings. These included Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum; E. E. Westervelt, Manager of Southwest Bell Telephone; Fred Jones, Ford dealership owner; Virgil Browne of Coca-Cola Company; and Walter A. Lybrand, an Oklahoma City attorney. Scheduling conflicts between
13386-502: The new carrier as The World's Fastest Airline. Braniff quickly expanded its route system to include Kansas City Fairfax Airport on December 5, 1930. The new service operated nonstop between Kansas City and Tulsa and additional new cities were added in early 1931. By the end of 1930, the airline had added new service to its route map and employed six people and the new service between Tulsa and Kansas City had increased system route mileage to 241 miles. On February 25, 1931, Braniff welcomed in
13524-534: The new year by adding Chicago Midway Airport to its route map. The new service operated nonstop between Kansas City and the Windy City, once each day. The flight originated at Wichita Falls and continued to Midway Airport with intermediate stops at Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Kansas City. The summer of 1931 welcomed St Louis to the Braniff system on June 15, with nonstop service offered between St Louis and both Chicago and Tulsa. Additional Lockheed Vegas were added to
13662-565: The next 15 years, his expansion into new markets – combined with ideas unorthodox for the airline industry – led Braniff to record financial and operating performance, expanding its earnings tenfold despite typical passenger load factors around 50 percent. To begin the overhaul of Braniff's image, Lawrence hired Jack Tinker and Partners, who assigned advertising executive Mary Wells – later Mary Wells Lawrence after her November 1967 marriage to Harding Lawrence in Paris – as account leader. First on
13800-481: The nickname "Jumbo Jet". The Boeing 747 revolutionized air travel by making commercial air travel more affordable as ticket prices fell and airlines improved their pricing practices. Other wide-body designs included the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar trijets , smaller than the Boeing 747 but capable of flying similar long-range routes from airports with shorter runways. There
13938-547: The opportunity to compensate for the One-Eleven's early penetration of the US domestic market. The British aircraft's initial one-year advantage now turned into a one-year delay, and the stretched series 500 failed to sell in the US. The type saw service with Cayman Airways and Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) in the Caribbean with Cayman Airways operating the series 500 on scheduled services to Houston, Texas (IAH) and Miami, Florida (MIA), and LIAT flying its series 500s into San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU). Bahamasair also operated
14076-528: The original Boeing 707 and DC-8 models; in the early 1960s the JT3 was modified into the JT3D low-bypass turbofan for long-range 707 and DC-8 variants. The de Havilland and Tupolev designs had engines incorporated within the wings next to the fuselage , a concept that endured only within military designs while the Caravelle pioneered engines mounted either side of the rear fuselage. The 1960s jet airliners include
14214-448: The original Braniff companies were reinstated for historical purposes and administration of Braniff's intellectual property assets including those of Mid-Continent Airlines, Pan American Grace Airways and Long and Harman Airlines, Inc. However, in early 2022, the private Trust that originally owned Braniff's intellectual property since 1983, reacquired these assets along with the original Braniff companies and corresponding assets. In 1926,
14352-499: The paired multi-engined Ilyushin Il-62 , and Vickers VC10 . The rear-engined T-tail arrangement is still used for jetliners with a maximum takeoff weight of less than 50 tons. As of April 2023, 15,591 Boeing 737s have been ordered and 11,395 delivered, and it remains the most produced jet aircraft. Other 1960s developments, such as rocket-assisted takeoff ( RATO ), water-injection , and afterburners (also known as reheat) used on supersonic jetliners (SSTs) such as Concorde and
14490-466: The performance of the One-Eleven more than adequate and sought to expand operations with the type, including further acquisitions, in the early 1970s in part to replace Vickers Viscounts . BA's 400-Series One-Elevens were all named after areas and locations in the English Midlands , reflecting the type's new base at Birmingham Airport . BA ordered more Series-500 aircraft in the late 1970s and
14628-671: The private Irrevocable Trust that owned and administered Braniff's intellectual property and certain other company assets since 1983, released the assets to a private entity associated with the Trust, which founded a series of new Braniff companies that were incorporated in the State of Oklahoma, for historical purposes and for administration of the Braniff trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property . These companies included Braniff Air Lines, Inc., Paul R. Braniff, Inc., Braniff Airways, Inc., Braniff International Hotels, Inc., and Braniff International Corporation. During 2017 and 2018, some of
14766-400: The private jets of Romanian communist leaders Nicolae Ceaușescu and Ion Iliescu during 1986 to 1989. Due to the planes are "extreme rarity and significance for the technical history of Romania," they were added to the “treasure” category of Romania’s mobile cultural heritage in 2021, not allowed to leave the country. Under the BAC licence, 9 planes were made in Romania. Some of them served in
14904-487: The program after realizing it would never recoup the €25 billon ($ 30 billion) spent on research and development . In all, 251 A380s were produced for and flown by 14 airlines. As of June 2023, Boeing has produced 1,054 787s for 34 airlines and has 592 unfulfilled orders. Braniff International Airways Braniff Airways, Inc. , operated as Braniff International Airways from 1948 until 1965, and then Braniff International from 1965 until air operations ceased,
15042-487: The related long-range A340 quad-jet. In 1988, Boeing began developing what would be the 777 twinjet, using the twin-engine configuration given past design successes, projected engine developments, and reduced-cost benefits. In addition, Boeing also released a major update on their 747, the 747-400 . The most modern airliners are characterized by increased use of composite materials, high-bypass ratio turbofan engines, and more advanced digital flight systems. Examples of
15180-402: The role of president of the airline after Tom Braniff's death. Mr. Beard gathered Braniff employees together at the Braniff hangar at Dallas Love Field on January 18, 1954, to announce that the airline would move forward and assured the public that the airline would continue. In February 1954, Mrs. Bess Thurman Braniff was appointed a vice president of the company. She was instrumental in calming
15318-411: The short-haul market, such as the Sud Aviation Caravelle . In July 1956, British European Airways published a paper calling for a "second generation" jet airliner to operate beside their existing turboprop designs. This led to a variety of designs from the British aerospace industry. Hunting Aircraft started design studies on a jet-powered replacement for the successful Vickers Viscount , developing
15456-412: The stretched 500 model with service between Nassau (NAS) and Miami among other routes while Guatemalan carrier Aviateca operated its series 500 aircraft into both Miami and New Orleans, Louisiana (MSY). Costa Rican airline LACSA operated the series 500 as well on its services to Miami. Another air carrier which operated the series 500 into Miami was Belize Airways Ltd. Compared with earlier versions,
15594-511: The two airlines on temporary and permanent arrangements. Passenger demand grew on several key One-Eleven routes, exceeding the Series 500's larger capacity during the 1980s, which began to force airlines to use other planes. Before the formation of British Airways (BA), some predecessor companies, British European Airways and Cambrian Airways , were operating the One-Eleven. Their fleets were inherited by BA. British Airways Regional Division found
15732-567: The two inboard piston engines, the jets being housed in the outboard nacelles. The first airliner with jet power only was the Nene-powered Vickers VC.1 Viking G-AJPH , which first flew on 6 April 1948. The early jet airliners had much lower interior levels of noise and vibration than contemporary piston-engined aircraft, so much so that in 1947, after piloting a jet powered aircraft for the first time, Wing Commander Maurice A. Smith, editor of Flight magazine, said, "Piloting
15870-500: The updated 1966 Supersonic Derby Collection; 1968 Pucci Classic Collection; 1971 747 Braniff Place Pant Dress Collection; 1972 727 Braniff Place Pant Dress Collection; 1973 Pucci Blue Pilot Uniform; 1974 Pucci The Classic Collection and finally in 1975 the Flying Colors Collection, which only included impressive white coveralls with red and blue Flying Colors logo for maintenance personnel. In 1966, Braniff obtained
16008-535: The uprated Spey failed to materialise. An altogether less ambitious 700 made a reappearance in 1978 as a 500 with specially "hush-kitted" Speys which would be replaced by the proposed RB432 in the mid-1980s. This was offered to British Airways in competition with Boeing 737-200s, but was ultimately rejected. In 1975, BAC launched the One-Eleven 800, a further stretched aircraft to be powered by two 22,000 lbf (98 kN) CFM International CFM56 high-bypass turbofans and seating 144 to 161 passengers, but this project
16146-418: Was a United States trunk carrier , a scheduled airline that operated from 1928 until 1982 and continues today as a retailer, hotelier, travel service and branding and licensing company, administering the former airline's employee pass program and other airline administrative duties. Braniff's routes were primarily in the midwestern and southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America , and South America. In
16284-501: Was a leading partner in the planning of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and contributed many innovations to the airline industry during this time. Braniff had been one of the first U.S. operators of the BAC One-Eleven (and the first U.S. airline to order the twin jet), but in 1965 Lawrence ordered twelve new Boeing 727-100s and cancelled most of the remaining One-Eleven orders. The 727s had been selected before Lawrence's arrival, but no orders had been placed. These planes were
16422-458: Was abandoned in 1976 in favour of a new derivative of the One-Eleven with a wider fuselage capable of six-abreast seating. This new airliner was unveiled later that year as the X-Eleven, which would be powered by two CFM-56s or Pratt & Whitney JT10D engines and seat up 166 passengers. In 1977, BAC merged with Hawker Siddeley to form British Aerospace (BAe) and the new company was faced with
16560-549: Was added to the list of Braniff services on September 1, 1929, and included Dallas Love Field. In the fall of 1930, Tom and Paul Braniff once again founded a new airline called Braniff Airways, Incorporated, which was organized on November 3, 1930, and began service on November 13, 1930, between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and Oklahoma City and Wichita Falls Texas. Braniff Airways purchased two six-passenger 450 horsepower Lockheed L-5 Vega single-engine aircraft capable of cruising at speeds of 150 miles-per-hour. Braniff's advertising touted
16698-570: Was also discontinued and service was not commenced again until 1960 After World War II, on May 19, 1946, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) awarded Braniff routes to the Caribbean , Mexico, Central and South America, competing with Pan American-Grace Airways with this airline also being known as Panagra which Braniff would eventually acquire and merge with during the late 1960s. The Civil Aeronautics Board awarded Braniff
16836-772: Was also the market debut of the European consortium Airbus , whose first aircraft was the twinjet Airbus A300 . In 1978, Boeing unveiled the twin-engine Boeing 757 to replace its 727 , and the wide body twin-engine 767 to challenge the Airbus A300 . The mid-size 757 and 767 launched to market success, due in part to 1980s extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards ( ETOPS ) regulations governing transoceanic twinjet operations. These regulations allowed twin-engine airliners to make ocean crossings at up to three hours' distance from emergency diversionary airports . Under ETOPS rules, airlines began operating
16974-632: Was delivered on 1 January 1993. There were three reasons why the Rombac initiative failed. Romania's economy and international position deteriorated to the point where supplies needed for One-Eleven manufacturing slowed to a trickle, with hard currency restrictions delaying the delivery of components sourced outside Romania; the market foreseen by the Romanians failed to show an interest, though some Rombac machines were leased to European operators. The One-Eleven's noise level and fuel economy failed to keep pace with US and West European competition. Adopting
17112-542: Was discontinued in 2019 and the last plane was delivered to Emirates in 2021. Airbus began designing it in the 90s with the expectation that airlines would be moving many people between large hubs with just one flight. Their focus was on building a very large plane with a conventional metal airframe and engines to supersede the Boeing 747 . However, airlines started to operate more direct, point-to-point flights between smaller cities which made twin engine jets more attractive and economical to operate. For comparison, Boeing took
17250-481: Was dropped after a month, due to the similarity in coloration to the Witch Moth ( Ascalapha odorata ), a sign of bad luck in Mexican mythology. Fifteen colors were used during the 1960s (Harper & George modified Girard's original seven colors in 1967), in combination with 57 variations of Herman Miller fabrics. Many of the color schemes were applied to aircraft interiors, gate lounges, ticket offices, and even
17388-484: Was flown by Paul Braniff along with the company mechanic. The flight from Oklahoma City SW 29th Street Airport to Tulsa McIntire Airport was uneventful. However, the return flight was delayed several hours for thunderstorms in the area. The one-way fare between the two cities was $ 12.50 or $ 20.00 round trip with a baggage allowance of 25 pounds and a charge of 10 cents for each pound over the maximum allowable amount. The fare included ground transportation from both airports to
17526-522: Was granted in 1954, and the company returned to profitability. On January 10, 1954, Braniff's founder Thomas Elmer Braniff died when a Grumman flying boat owned by United Gas crash-landed on the shore of Wallace Lake, 15 miles outside of Shreveport, Louisiana , due to icing. According to information from Captain George A. Stevens: "Mr Braniff was on a hunting expedition with a group of important citizens of Louisiana. They were returning to Shreveport from
17664-561: Was introduced in 1967. Total production amounted to 244 until 1982 in the United Kingdom and between 1982 and 1989 in Romania where nine Rombac One-Elevens were licence-built by Romaero . The short haul , narrowbody aircraft was powered by aft-mounted Rolls-Royce Spey low-bypass turbofans, a configuration similar to the earlier Sud Aviation Caravelle and later Douglas DC-9 . It competed with early Boeing 737 variants and
17802-416: Was offered to the Japanese domestic market, also failing to sell. Total deliveries for 1965 were 34 aircraft, while 200 aircraft had been built by the end of 1971. At this point orders slowed to a trickle, with production being suspended in 1975, although marketing and design continued, and it was always planned to restart production when sufficient orders had been received. BAC restarted production in 1977 as
17940-577: Was operated with a Convair 340 aircraft in September 1967 and the last Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop service was flown in April 1969. In February 1957, Braniff moved into a new headquarters located temporarily in the new Exchange Bank Building at Exchange Park, a high-rise office development within sight of Dallas Love Field. The airline was required to move into the temporary building until its new 10-story Braniff Tower also in Exchange Park
18078-590: Was operating scheduled passenger flights at this time on a roundtrip routing of Chicago - Kansas City - Dallas - San Antonio - Laredo - Nuevo Laredo which connected with the Aerovias Braniff service. The new company, owned by Mr. Braniff, operated three 21 passenger Douglas DC-3s that had been allocated to the carrier from the United States War Surplus Administration in February, 1945. Mr. Braniff had applied to
18216-537: Was performing satisfactorily. When this deposit was made, the SST program was being financed by the US government. In 1971, Congress cancelled the program, against the Nixon Administration's wishes. In 1964, Troy Post , chairman of Greatamerica Corporation, an insurance holding company based in Dallas, purchased Braniff and National Car Rental as part of an expansion of holdings and growth outside
18354-407: Was ready for move in on Valentine's Day 1958. Braniff remained in this building until December 1978, when it moved into its spacious new Braniff Place World Headquarters on the west side of DFW Airport. The airline opened a Maintenance and Operations Base with over 433,000 square feet on the east side of Dallas Love Field at 7701 Lemmon Avenue in October 1958. The airline would occupy the facility until
18492-560: Was stopped by the US Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), which claimed that subsidies would be needed to operate a jet on Bonanza's routes, an action claimed by some at the time to be protectionism . The CAB also stopped Frontier Airlines and Ozark Air Lines from ordering One-Elevens, although allowing Ozark to order the similar Douglas DC-9 and Frontier to order Boeing 727-100s . The CAB had also unsuccessfully tried to block Mohawk's orders. In May 1963, BAC announced
18630-751: Was the Stage III noise abatement regulations , which came into effect from March 2003. Bringing the Rolls-Royce Spey engines into compliance with the noise regulations with hush kits was expensive, and many European operators chose to dispose of the type from their fleets. In 2010, the European Aviation Safety Agency accepted an Airbus request to revoke the Type Certificate for the BAC One-Eleven. As
18768-578: Was used by multiple British, European and US airlines, including Romanian operators. It was replaced by the newer Airbus A320 and later 737 variants, as well as by the Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet. Noise restrictions accelerated its transition to African carriers in the 1990s, and the last BAC One-Eleven was retired in 2019. In the 1950s, although the pioneering de Havilland Comet had suffered disasters in service, strong passenger demand had been demonstrated for jet propulsion. Several manufacturers raced to release passenger jets, including those aimed at
18906-582: Was used on less-busy European routes into the 1990s. The One-Eleven was important in budget airline Ryanair 's early years: it had sought an aircraft for low-fare scheduled services from regional airports, and obtained One-Elevens. The first of these, a Rombac-produced 500-Series, entered service on the Dublin–Luton route on 1 December 1986. Ryanair's fleet expanded to six aircraft by 1988, with three leased from Romania. These leased aircraft were later replaced with former BA One-Elevens. Ultimately Ryanair replaced
19044-675: Was widely used by civil and military operators. After the One-Eleven's type certificate had been withdrawn, they flew as experimental aircraft in the research and development category. On 6 May 2019, the last aircraft still in service, used by Northrop Grumman as an airborne test bed for the F-35 programme, was retired. Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Jet airliner Most airliners today are powered by jet engines, because they are capable of safely operating at high speeds and generate sufficient thrust to power large-capacity aircraft. The first jetliners, introduced in
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