Nostalgia at BHX

[Kevin Farnell]

My first ever flight was on a BEA Airtours DH106 Comet 4B (awesome!) from LGW to Girona. I uploaded a photo of a very young me here -

https://forums4airports.com/attachments/13072/

I also got to fly on the One-Eleven. Firstly aged 14, we flew MAN - PMI - MAN on G-BDAE (DAN-AIR BAC One-Eleven - 500, both directions) and later aged 18 from EDI - MAN.
This is an unusual storey. I was in the Air Cadets and me and a friend had been given a return flight BHX - EDI, under an air expereince flight scheme. We flew out on a BA Viscount (wonderful!). But when we came to check in for the return flight, it turned out to be full (we only had standby tickets and there was some big show on at the NEC). BA were very good and said they could fly us to MAN. After phoning my Dad, he told us to take the flight and get the train to Wolverhampton, where he would pick us up. We flew on a BA One-Eleven - 400 and finally arrived at Wolverhampton at something silly like 1am.
I got flightdeck visits on both the DAN-AIR and BA One-Elevens!.

Just for the record, BAC/BAe never used the term '1-11' and always referred to the aircraft as the 'One-Eleven'.

Kevin

 

[Elmdon80slad]

I never flew In one but was shown around one at Brum with a few mates when we were In the Junior Jet Club, we were escorted by some BA ground crew and into the plane one of the BHX based 1-11 500's we went up the front stairs also was allowed in the cockpit and along the cain and out the rear stairs - Epic time.

E.

 

[JENNYJET]

A wide spread of airlines had One-Eleven in the fleet proving how popular they were except perhaps with local residents! Made makes me smile is how the hushkitted engines seemed as noisy as was possible, the air crackled, wonderful stuff.

 

[rollo]

This has got me thinking of the regular One-Eleven operators from BHX the first was BUA operating for M.A.T.O. (Palma?) around 1965. I was at the airport to see the first service, also there was British Eagle, Court with their various colour schemes, Bavairian, Dan Air. Monarch, B.A. Ryanair and British European. I'm sure I've forgotten a few other operators.

Superb aircraft loved the rear steps my first flight on one was to Ibiza in 1974 for our honeymoon and flew quite a few times to Milan in later years on business trips all with BA.

 

[JENNYJET]

Yes, and a glorious sound that had me hooked on jets, it is sad that noise limitations ended the run of British built civil transport aircraft.

 

[Brum X]

This has got me thinking of the regular One-Eleven operators from BHX the first was BUA operating for M.A.T.O. (Palma?) around 1965. I was at the airport to see the first service, also there was British Eagle, Court with their various colour schemes, Bavairian, Dan Air. Monarch, B.A. Ryanair and British European. I'm sure I've forgotten a few other operators.

Superb aircraft loved the rear steps my first flight on one was to Ibiza in 1974 for our honeymoon and flew quite a few times to Milan in later years on business trips all with BA.

Birmingham European and Aer Lingus

 

[Kevin Farnell]

A wide spread of airlines had One-Eleven in the fleet proving how popular they were except perhaps with local residents! Made makes me smile is how the hushkitted engines seemed as noisy as was possible, the air crackled, wonderful stuff.

I agree that the hushkits didn't seem to do anything except make the engines look ugly.
I loved the sound of a RR Spey at full throttle.

Kevin

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Birmingham European and Aer Lingus

Brymon European, Airways Cymru, British Midland and Air Bristol.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

I understood British Midland operated DC9, however I may be incorrect.

 

[Derwent Dale]

Spanish charter outfit T.A.E. operated a summer season through Elmdon in 1969 with their sole 1-11 EC-BQF.

DD

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I understood British Midland operated DC9, however I may be incorrect.

They have operated both.

Here's a picture of mine from some years back -

https://forums4airports.com/attachments/12253/

They also had a couple of One-Eleven-500's back in the '70's.

Kevin

 

[Scottie Dog]

Google Image Result for https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/British_Aircraft_Corporation_BAC_1-11_Series_304AX%2C_British_Midland_JP65226.jpg

 

[rollo]

I knew I'd missed some, British Midland definitely operated One - Elevens as well as DC-9s and by British European I really had in my tiny mind the whole airline that started out as Birmingham Executive and sadly ended as the much missed Flybe.

Completely forgot Aer Lingus

 

[HPsauce]

The forerunner to Court Line was Autair. They operated one-eleven 400's i believe. They were the 'in house' airline of Clarkson Holidays. A major tour operator in the early 1970's. They spectacularly collapsed in the oil crisis of 1974 leaving thousands stranded abroad.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I almost forgot, that the Defence Research Agency had a One-Eleven based at BHX for a month or so carryring out trials between BHX and NCL with reduced separation from other aircraft to increase airspace utilisation (I have a photo somewhere).
I also remember seeing the Dee-Howard One-Eleven-2400 development aircraft fitted with RR Tay engines at BHX.

Kevin

 

[Matt995]

British World Airways also operated a non based One-Eleven 500 in the 1990's, a Saturday charter flight to Palma in 1994 (VF5082/3) & flights to Venice Treviso on a Sunday in 1997 & 1998 (BWL443/4)

 

[Elmdon80slad]

And the Ryanair ones that operated on Terminal Two (yep I was at MAS at the time and used to put PAX on them both check ins and PAX escorts)
Fun times.

E.

 

[JENNYJET]

Kevin, that BMA One Eleven I notice was in the later livery, after my time so I never caught sight. It also has a hush kit so was it a lease?

 

[Ray Finkle]

This video may be of interest to some.

 

[JENNYJET]

I watched and was amused by the ritual of men standing in the aisle getting dressed, and everyone has to wait for them before leaving the aircraft, and I am assuming the aircraft had NOT come to a halt at the gate!