Flying the Vanguard by G.R. Bryce

[VC10]

The main reason for it's lack of success was all in the timing. When Vickers unleashed the Vanguard, jet's had started to creep into airline service so who needed a turboprop :roll:
ATB

DaveB :tab:

In another article I have on the Vanguard Sir George Edwards is quoted as saying in a TV interview in Sept '59

"this sort of hysterical situation about using jets....you don't have propellers on and everyone gets emotional about going a bit quicker. Whether it costs any more to go quicker seems to be secondary....The Vanguard is designed to have maximum economy. By international agreements, and one thing and another, it doesn't get the chance to use it. It's just the same as building a fast aeroplane and putting a speed limit on it. There's no difference in philosophy so far as I can see. I don't understand it".

The author of that article said "Every time I squeeze myself into a DC-9 for a flight to Toronto, I think about the Vanguard's huge windows and roomy seats. Somehow the 14 minutes that the DC-9 saves over the Vanguard's scheduled flight time do not seem a real advantage any more.....If Air Canada's Vanguard flights were available today, i would book myself on them every time. I bet a lot of other seasoned travellers would too".

I once spoke briefly to Sir George about the VC10, he said it was just a couple of years too late, it would have been a world beater. It seems to me that that could equally apply to the Vanguard

Paul

[Garry Russell]

Invicta were forced...or at least put on the spot by tour operators that used their aircraft.

The result was they had to start replacing their ancient Vanguards with far newer more modern Boeing 720's

The fact the 720's were about four years older didn't come into it.

It was just a false perception in the vein of that mentioned above.

If it has no propellers it must be newer and better.

Invicta did not last long after that..the Boeings helped put the airline on the wrong side of the base line.

If anyone does need convincing of the Vanguard's worth when left to just get on with it then they need look no further that Europe Aero Services in France where the type took them into the realms of a major charter force within Europe. That could not have happened without a type that was both reliable and economic. The airline visibly grew from the moment they took the type on.

Garry

[DaveB]

Agree entirely with the last two comments ;-) I'd not seen that critique by Sir George either Paul so thks for posting it

Dare I had a more modern phenomina into the equation.. software!! It's new, it looks a little different so who cares if you need a more powerful computer to run it.. it must be better ;-) No names.. no pack drill

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[airboatr]

I remember a crowd of American gamblers boarding my Vanguard...I was taking them down to Gib or somewhere to play in a casino. There were many comments as they came on board, along the lines of "SAY, is this some kinda ANTIQUE??!!" :think:

should have said:

ohh yeah, we'll be lucky to get off the ground...

then laughed like a madman.....to scare the crap outa them