Classic Jetliners: The Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle

Before the domination of the commercial aviation industry by Boeing and Airbus, various manufacturers like McDonnell Douglas (now merged into Boeing), Hawker Siddeley, Convair, Dassault, and Sud Aviation were competing in the market. Today, we’re going to talk about a classic regional plane that’s not well-known, yet operated in the Philippines – the Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle.

The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle, a French jet airliner, is a classic aircraft that made its first flight on May 27, 1955. The airliner was developed by SNCASE, a French aircraft company, and incorporated designs and components from the de Havilland Comet. Production ended in 1972 after 282 Caravelles were built.

The Caravelle was ordered by airlines across the globe and flew until its retirement in 2005. The short-range, five-abreast airliner features two aft-mounted Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, allowing for a clean low wing. This configuration was later adopted by many narrow-body aircraft and regional jets.

The initial I, III, and VI variants of the Caravelle could accommodate 90 to 99 passengers and fly 1,650 to 2,500 km (890 to 1,350 nmi). The later, slightly longer 10/11 variants could seat up to 118 passengers and travel 2,800 to 3,300 km (1,500 to 1,800 nmi) with Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofans. Lastly, the stretched Caravelle 12 had a capacity of 131 passengers and could fly up to 3,200 km (1,700 nmi).

One of the most significant features of the Caravelle was its distinctive low-mounted wing, which provided improved fuel efficiency and excellent handling characteristics. It was also the first short-to-medium-haul jetliner to enter service, opening up new markets and routes for airlines.

Design

The Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle was a game-changer in the commercial aviation industry. It was the first jet airliner designed for the short/medium-range sector of the market and was highly competitive with propeller-driven aircraft. The Caravelle proved to be highly reliable, which led to lower insurance premiums for operators.

The Caravelle was powered by two British-built Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, often with increased thrust and additional features such as thrust reversers. Alternative powerplants, such as the U.S.-built Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1 and General Electric CJ-805-23C engines, were also proposed for some Caravelle models.

Not only was the Caravelle reliable, but it was also designed for passenger comfort and operator convenience. The rear entry door had built-in stairs, eliminating the need for mobile airport stairs. Soundproofing was added to the design, and the cabin was sometimes furnished with a number of rearward-facing passenger seats, an uncommon arrangement among civil aircraft. Additionally, an autolanding capability was made available for the Caravelle by Sud Aviation, which improved safety during landings.

The final assembly line for the Caravelle was at Sud Aviation’s factory at Blagnac Airport near Toulouse, with much of the aircraft being manufactured at other sites across France and in other countries. Sud Aviation constructed and outfitted the nose section and manufactured the tailcone, rudder, Fowler flaps, both the leading edges and trailing edges of the wing, and the majority of the fuselage. Other manufacturers were subcontracted to produce large portions of the Caravelle, including Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione and French aviation firm Breguet Aviation.

Specs and Variants

The Caravelle had several variants with different specifications. Here are the details:

Caravelle I/III/VI:

• Flight crew: 2 or 3
• Seats: 90-99
• Length: 32.01 m (105.0 ft)
• Span: 34.3 m (113 ft)
• Height: 8.65 m (28.4 ft)
• Cargo: 8-10.6 m3 (280-370 cu ft)
• Empty weight: 23,290-26,280 kg (51,350-57,940 lb)
• MTOW: 43,500-51,000 kg (95,900-112,400 lb)
• Engines: Rolls-Royce Avon
• Unit Thrust: 46.75-56.05 kN (10,510-12,600 lbf)
• Max cruise: 746-845 km/h (403-456 kn)
• Range: 1,650-2,500 km (890-1,350 nmi)
• Ceiling: 11,000-12,000 m (36,000-39,000 ft)

Caravelle 10/11:

• Flight crew: 2 or 3
• Seats: 99-118
• Length: 32.71-33.01 m (107.3-108.3 ft)
• Span: 34.3 m (113 ft)
• Height: 8.65-9.01 m (28.4-29.6 ft)
• Cargo: 10.7-12 m3 (380-420 cu ft)
• Empty weight: 27,623-28,840 kg (60,898-63,581 lb)
• MTOW: 54,000-57,000 kg (119,000-126,000 lb)
• Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D
• Unit Thrust: 62.27 kN (14,000 lbf)
• Max cruise: 800-824 km/h (432-445 kn)
• Range: 2,800-3,300 km (1,500-1,800 nmi)
• Ceiling: 11,000-12,000 m (36,000-39,000 ft)

Caravelle 12:

• Flight crew: 2 or 3
• Seats: 131
• Length: 36.24 m (118.9 ft)
• Span: 34.3 m (113 ft)
• Height: 8.65 m (28.4 ft)
• Cargo: 16.5 m3 (580 cu ft)
• Empty weight: 29,500 kg (65,000 lb)
• MTOW: 58,000 kg (128,000 lb)
• Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D
• Unit Thrust: 64.50 kN (14,500 lbf)
• Max cruise: 810 km/h (440 kn)
• Range: 3,200 km (1,700 nmi)
• Ceiling: 11,000-12,000 m (36,000-39,000 ft)

History of the Caravelle

The Caravelle is widely recognized as a significant aircraft in the history of aviation, being the first airliner to feature engines located at the rear of the fuselage. The design, production and introduction of the Caravelle began in the early 1950s, when the French civil aircraft committee published a specification for a medium-range aircraft that could carry up to 65 passengers and 1,000 kg of cargo on routes of up to 2,000 km. Twenty different designs were submitted, but the X-210 from SNCASE, which eventually became Sud Aviation, was chosen as the winner. Its design, which had both aesthetic and practical features inspired by the de Havilland Comet, set it apart from other aircraft of its time.

The two prototypes of the Caravelle, along with a pair of static airframes for fatigue testing, were officially ordered in July 1953, and by 1956, the aircraft was already visiting locations across Europe and North Africa as trials were underway for French carrier Air France. The type’s first commercial order came from Air France in 1956, and shortly thereafter, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) also placed an order. By May 1959, the Caravelle had received its airworthiness certification, which enabled it to enter passenger service.

The Caravelle proved to be a highly reliable airliner with a low accident rate, which led to lower than average insurance premiums for operators. Its rear entry door had built-in stairs, which meant that mobile airport stairs were unnecessary. It was typically powered by a pair of British-built Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engines, and various models of the Avon engine were adopted for different versions of the airliner, often with increased thrust and additional features such as thrust reversers. The aircraft was furnished with a number of rearward-facing passenger seats, which was an uncommon arrangement among civil aircraft.

Several models of the Caravelle were developed over its lifetime, often in response to the increasing power of available engines. By 1963, there were a total of six different versions of the Caravelle in production, with the Caravelle III considered to be the basic version of the airliner. The Caravelle 10A and 10B, commonly referred to as the Super Caravelle, featured a stretch of the fuselage, an aerodynamic fairing behind the fin of the tailplane, expanded cargo capacity, and higher cabin windows, among other changes.

Despite its commercial success, the Caravelle was eventually displaced from being the focus of Sud Aviation’s development efforts as the majority of the company’s design engineers were reallocated onto an entirely new project that eventually resulted in the development of Concorde. In total, 282 Caravelles of all types were manufactured, with Sud Aviation’s projected break-even point for the type forecast to be around the 200-unit mark. The Caravelle’s design and technological innovations helped pave the way for modern-day commercial aviation.

Service with Filipinas Orient Airways

Filipinas Orient Airways, also known as “Fairways,” was an airline that operated in the Philippines from 1964 until 1972. The airline was founded by the Karam family, who were originally Lebanese refugees, and was granted a franchise to provide air transport services in the country and beyond. Despite legal opposition from Philippine Airlines, FOA began its domestic flight operations in the Philippines on January 5, 1965, using DC-3 aircraft.

However, the airline’s early days were marred by several crashes, including the loss of four DC-3 and one DC-6 within the first four years of operation. Despite these setbacks, FOA continued to operate and went on to use Sud Aviation Caravelles and Nord 262, which were later replaced by the NAMC YS-11.

Sadly, the airline’s flight operations came to an end after the declaration of Martial Law by then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on September 21, 1972. After FOA ceased operations, Philippine Airlines took over the planes and routes of the defunct airline.