Vickers Vanguard variant
Vickers Vanguard Vickers Type 951
First production version for BEA, with a 127-seat mixed-class cabin. Twenty were ordered and only six delivered.
- April 22, 1959
- First flight
- 6
- Units built
- 127
- Passengers
History
BEA's Vanguard
The Type 951 was the model with which BEA launched the programme, with twenty aircraft ordered. All were configured with 127 seats in mixed class: eighteen first and 109 economy.
A converted order
While the Weybridge production line was coming online, BEA realised that, given the short length of its routes, it could adopt a higher-density economy cabin without hurting performance. On 23 July 1957 Vickers announced the Type 953, able to carry payloads of up to 13,000 kg, and the airline immediately converted its order: six Type 951s and fourteen Type 953s. That is why the 951 stopped at six aircraft.
Service
The six 951s and fourteen 953s were all delivered by 30 March 1962 and took over BEA's busiest European and UK trunk routes. The 18 first plus 108 tourist layout was eventually changed to 139 all-tourist, a configuration in which the Vanguard had very low seat-mile costs.