A Thank You and a question

[Klaus Hullermann]

Thanks Mark and team for reacting so fast to your 'customers' requests/problems/etc.

Now I have the new Caravelle I-texture in my FS9. Just one question to the experts: This texture has the reg 'F-WHRA'. When I look at some early A380-pictures at wwww.airliners.net, then this giant has also a reg which begins with F-Wxxx.

Does only prototypes/testbeds get such registrations (F-Wxxx) or 'normal' jetliners which are flying for airlines?

Klaus

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Firstly .... a replacement 1959 AIR FRANCE CARAVELLE 1 texture (for F-WHRA) has now been uploaded.



This replaces the original textutre file .... uploaded as part of the recent HJG website update .... and which was corrupted.

This new replacement file should be fine .... and download as something in the region of 12.6MB.

NOW tO KLAUS' QUESTION ....

According to my records .... the very first "production" (not the prototype) CARAVELLE 1 aircraft (c/n # 1) was registered F-WHRA when it was rolled out on April 6th 1958 and test flew for the very first time on May 18th 1958. It was later re-registered F-BHRA when delivered to AIR FRANCE on April 2nd 1959 .... to become the airlines 2nd CARAVELLE 1 .... since F-BHRB (c/n # 2) had already been to the airline 2 weeks earlier.

As for the apparent relationship between F-Wxxx characterised registrations and AIRBUS flight testing etc .... I'm not sure really, but, assume this "might" in fact be the case.

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[Klaus Hullermann]

Thanks Mark for the reply. I didn't know that Caravelle #2 was in airline-service before Caravelle #1. Also if I understood you correctly, then F-WHRA was doing some certification-flights before moving over to Air France.

Was Air France already the owner of F-WHRA or was it still owned by the manufacturer?

Klaus

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Still owned by SUD AVIATION .... so far as I can determine.

AIR FRANCE didn't "formally" take possession of the aircraft until it was delivered to them on April 2nd 1959 .... but .... prior to this they were also involved in the SUD EST flight testing program.

In the case of large block orders .... it's not uncommon for aircraft to be delivered out of registration sequences

Mark C
aKL/NZ

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

One thing I should, perhaps, have clarified above is ....

There's often a significant difference between aircrsft delivery dates and their in=service dates .... in respect of the inaugural flight on any aircraft type for a particular airline.

In the case of AIR FRANCE and the CARAVELLE .... F-WHRB was the first to be delivered to the airline on March 19th 1959 .... followed by F-WHRA which was delivered on April 2nd 1959 .... BUT .... AIR FRANCE didn't commence its inaugural CARAVELLE service (which operated Orly/Istanbul) until May 6th 1959.

Interestingly .... SAS was the 2nd airline to order the CARAVELLE .... but .... earned the distinction of becomming the very first airline to commence revenue services (operated by the protype .... F-BHHI .... Copenhagan/Beirut) with these aircraft on April 26th 1959 .... AND ALSO .... the very first airline to "break" a CARAVELLE too when it "pranged" OY-KRB during bad weather and whilst on approach to Esenboga Airport, Ankara, Turkey on January 19th 1960.

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[Klaus Hullermann]

Perhaps Air France did some crew-training/route-testing with this Caravelle. Also I think it's quite common that the launch customers livery will be displayed on the aircraft (especially shortly before delivery). But sometimes the delivery-paint is outdated when the new aircraft arrives at the customer.

Thanks Mark again for letting us know about this tiny but interesting details about the history of the Caravelle.

Klaus

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

AIR FRANCE involvement with the CARAVELLE actually began back in 1956 .... with the 1st and 2nd prototype aircraft .... c/n # 01, F-WHHH. and c/n # 02. F-WHHI rspectively.

Aircraft # 01 .... the 1st prtotype .... F-WHHH (later re-registered F-BHHH) .... was rolled out on April 21st 1955 and first flew on May 27th 1955 under the command of SUD EST Pierre NADOT, with F/O Andre MOYNET, and F/E Jean AVRIL and F/T/E Roger BETEILLE, and RO PRENEIRON. Between May 23rd 1956 and October 2nd 1956 this particular aircraft was used by by AIR FRANCE to conduct a series of route proving/endurance test flights between Paris and both North African and Mediterranean ports (among which also included a Paris/Algiers flight on 1 engine on June 4th 1956, an appearance at the 1956 Paris Air Show, as well as a demonstration to LuFTHANSA too) and was later used as a crew trainer. F-WHHH coocluded type certification testing for the CARAVELLE 1 on April 30th 1959 .... and was later used to perform auto-landing tests during 1962. On June 1st 1966 it was presented to AEROPORT DE PARIS .... and became a static exibit at Orly Airport, Paris, France. It was then hangared during 1968 and eventually displyed in AIR INTER livery from 1979.

Aircraft # 02 .... the 2nd prtotype .... F-WHHI (later re-registered F-BHII) .... was rolled out on April 18th 1955 and first flew on May 6th 1955. This particular aircraft undertook a SUD EST North and South American demonstratiom/sales tour between April 19th 1957 and June 25th 1957. During this tour it was first flown to Rio de Janeiro (via Casablanca, Dacar, and Recife) .... where it then visited most major cities throughout Brasil .... before flying similar demontrations in Uruguay, Argentina, and Venezuela .... and prior to commencing an extensive 3-week tour of the USA. This particular tour eventually bore fruit in the form of sizeable orders from both TWA (later cancelled in favour of the DC9-10) and UNITED AIRLINES .... along with a number of South American airlines too. On April 22nd 1959 it was then transferred to the SGACC/AIR FRANCE .... and was also used used as an SAS crew trainer during 1959 before returning to the SGACC/AIR FRANCE later that year. It was then used to perform blind landing experiments, at Gatwick Airport, London, UK on December 14th 1965 .... then used during stop barrier experiments at Toulouse, France during 1968. It was then formally transferred to AIR FRANCE during 1959 and used as an instruccional air frame trainer at Vilgenis, France. F-BHII was scrapped during 1975, but, its nose section was presented to the Musee de L'air at Le Borgeut that same year.

These 2 prototype CARAVELLE aircraft differed from the production CARAVELLE 1/1A versions in regard to both their engine type/shape and thrust rating, as well as their certified MGTOW also.

AIR FRANCE, prior to the first flight of either of these 2 prototypes, had already ordered 12 CARAVELLE aircraft .... on February 3rd 1956 .... along with another 12 options too .... which were then confirmed on July 10th 1958. Between 1959 and 1972 AIR FRANCE took delivery of some 52 CARAVELLE aircraft .... the first 14 of which (F-BHRA to F-BHRL .... and including the 2 prototype aircraft F-WHHH and F-WHHI as well) were delivered as CARAVELLE 1/1A aircraft and later upgraded to CARAVELLE 3 specifications (higher MGTOW) .... and the last 38 of which (F-BHRM to F-BHRZ .... then F-BJTA to F-BJTS .... F-BSGZ and F-BLKF .... F-BNGE and F-BNKA .... then F-BOHA to F-BOHC) of which were produced and delivered as CARAVELLE 3 aircraft. The last AIR FRANCE CARAVELLE was retired from service during 1982 .... and then replaced with B737-200's. Although F-BGSZ was painted into an overall white fionish during the early 1980's .... and in anticipation of the late 1970's introduced AIR FRANCE livery being applied to this particular aircraft .... neither it, or any other AIR FRANCE CARAVELLE was ever rebranded.

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[Klaus Hullermann]

Thanks Mark for this interesting and educational posting. Too bad that this early Euro-Jet hasn't more success across the big pond (I'm aware that United Airlines did operated Caravelle VI-R in the 60s).

Klaus

[Herman]

Interesting account of the Sud Aviation Caravelle. I always thought it to be a very nice looking aircraft with it's Comet style front nose section.

Herman

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Too bad that this early Euro-Jet hasn't more success across the big pond

From late 1960 a c0-operative arrangement was negotiated (or at least attempted) between SUD EST AVIATION and the DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT CORPORATION .... to the effect the each would, basically, become agents for the other .... through their marketing of each others aircraft.

The intended plan was that SUD EST would promote DOUGLAS aircraft within the French speaking world (remembering the CARAVELLE, being a short/medium range twin engine jetliner, posed no serious threat to potential DC8 sales) .... whilst DOUGLAS would promote SUD EST/the CARAVELLE throughout the English speaking world.

This arrangement also included an agreement which would have resulted in CARAVELLE production being undertaken within the USA .... in the event that US marketing of the CARAVELLE might bear fruit to such an extent that the SUD EST fascilties within France might not cope with production demands .... as well plans for DOUGLAS to manufacture engine nacelles for the proposed GE CJ905 powered (but eventually stilborne) CARAVELLE 7A aircraft for TWA .... an order that was partly financed by DOUGLAS.

Such an arrangement was, possibly, doomed to fail before it had ever really commenced in earnest.

DOUGLAS .... during this period .... was also devloping its DC9 .... which was, at the time, depicted as being a small 4-engine jetliner of similar capacity/capabilty as the B720. As plans for this co-operative arrangement progressed it became evident/obvious .... to SUD EST .... that DOUGLAS were more interested in learning how to develop a twin-engine short/medium range jetliner than in actively promoting SUD EST/the CARAVELLE and despite its few very small CARAVELLE sales successes within the Latin American region. This SUD EST/DOUGLAS co-operative arrangement collapsed during 1963 .... resulting in the TWA CARAVELLE order eventually being CANCELLED too (they went on to fly the DC9-10) .... the GE CJ805-3 powered CARAVELLE 7A never flew (although a CARAVELLE 3 .... N420GE named "Santa Maria" .... c/n # 42 and ex F-WJAO .... did fly to the USA and was briefly rigged with GE CJ805 engines in anticipation of CARAVELLE 7A production, and the TWA order, as well as flight testing of the GE CJ805-3 engine) .... and DOUGLAS then went on to develop what had, by this time, evolved to become its twin-engined DC9 and one of the worlds best selling twin-engine jetliners of the period.

What angered SUD EST .... and France generally .... and for many years afterward .... was a certain statement that is reputed to have been made by by Mr DOUGLAS (snr) at the DC9 roll-out and to the effect that .... "the DC9 is the CARAVELLE".

As it came to pass .... during February 1960 UNITED AIRLINES became the only US airline to order CARAVELLE aircraft "from the production line". The first of these aircraft were delivered to the airline during May 1961 .... and resulted in a fleet of 20 CARAVELLR 6R aircraft which served the airline well and until 1972.

with it's Comet style front nose section

SUD EST AVIATION actually bought rights from DE HAVILLAND to use the entire COMET 1 forward fuselage section for the CARAVELLE .... hence the striking similarities.

Mark C
AKL/NZ