IATA B11ICAO BA11

British Aerospace (BAC) One Eleven

British Aerospace

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British short-haul jet that defined 1960s regional aviation.

First flight

1963

Category

Narrow-body jet

Seating

65–119 passengers (variant dependent)

Range

~2,700 km

Engines

Two rear-mounted Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines

Status

Retired

The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) One-Eleven, developed from earlier work by Hunting Aircraft, was a short-to-medium-range twin-jet airliner designed primarily for busy domestic and regional routes. It featured a rear-mounted twin-engine configuration and a T-tail design, becoming one of the first jets specifically tailored to replace piston airliners on shorter sectors. The aircraft entered service in 1965 and proved popular with airlines seeking a reliable, economical jet for high-frequency short-haul operations. Several variants were produced, including the Series 200, 300, 400, 475, and 500, with the stretched Series 500 seating up to around 119 passengers. Production in the UK ended in 1989, but licensed manufacturing continued in Romania by ROMBAC, which produced a small number of aircraft. The One-Eleven was gradually retired from major airline service by the early 2000s, though a handful remained in limited use afterward.

Notable operators

Major operators included British United Airways, British Caledonian, BEA (British European Airways), American Airlines, Braniff International, Aloha Airlines, and Dan-Air.

Notable facts

›The One-Eleven was one of the first jets ordered specifically for short-haul operations, with American Airlines placing a launch order in 1961.
›A deep stall incident during a test flight in 1963 killed the entire crew, leading to improved understanding of T-tail aerodynamics.
›Romanian manufacturer ROMBAC produced nine aircraft under license during the 1980s.
›The Series 475 combined the shorter fuselage of earlier variants with the more powerful engines and strengthened undercarriage of the Series 500 for hot-and-high operations.
›Several UK-registered One-Elevens were still flying charter and survey missions into the 2010s, decades after the type's commercial airline retirement.