On 20 August 1963, the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) One-Eleven flew for the first time. There was a lot riding on this new aircraft. For BAC, which was a result of the consolidation of the nation’s aircraft industry that turned 27 companies into just three major airframe builders, the new jet promised salvation. The One-Eleven was the first major airliner to be launched by an order from an independent airline - in this case, British United Airways, a young company that had, like BAC, been formed in 1960. It was also the first British jet to be ordered off the drawing board by a US airline.

Soon the One-Eleven was operating around the world, and in Britain it formed the backbone of the short-haul fleet. During the 1970s and early ’80s, it was the staple of the inclusive tour holiday business operated by airlines such as Dan-Air, Laker Airways, British Caledonian Airways, Monarch Airlines, Autair/Court Line and British Island Airways. However, despite this, it was never as successful as many of its contemporaries, such as the Boeing 737 and Douglas DC-9. This new book edition of Aeroplane Classic Airliner: BAC One-Eleven covers the full story of its concept and design against the troubled background of the industry’s consolidation, and of its entry into service.