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weight and performance calculations for the Vickers VC-10 type 1101
***** PRELIMINARY FILE ****
This picture shows nicely the clean lines of the Vickers VC-10.
Vickers VC-10 type 1101
role : jet airliner
importance : ****
first flight : 29 juni 1962 (G-ARTA), te Brooklands, flown by G.R.”Jock” Bryce, Vickers test pilot.
operational : April 1964 (BOAC route London LHR – Lagos, Nigeria LOS):
country : United-Kingdom
design :
production : 12 model 1101, 2 model 1102, 3 model 1103, 14 model 1106 for the RAF and 1 model 1109
general information :
The VC10 was equipped with lots of flaps and slats for good take-off and hot & high performance and could operate from primitive airstrips with intercontinental range. However, the runways at airfields in the 3rd world were extended and hardened for the benefit of the 707
and DC-8, eliminating a strong VC10 point of sale and the good TO
performance only made the VC10 less economical. However, the aircraft became very popular with passengers, because of the spacious 6-seat wide fuselage and the high speed. As a result, the VC-10 achieved an occupancy rate of 71.6% compared to the average of 52.14% on the North Atlantic route, allowing the VC-10 to raise more money than its rival, the 707. The operating cost per flight hour was also significantly lower than that of the 707, 510 GBP versus GBP 486 for the VC-10. In addition, in some cases it was the only large jet airliner that could take off fully loaded from hot & high airports. A big problem was that the BOAC received a subsidy to fly the "uneconomical" VC-10, the BOAC was careful to disclose the true performance figures because otherwise it would lose the subsidy...
Despite the disappointing sales, the 54 aircraft sold were just enough for Vickers to play quite.
It was specially designed for the BOAC, which initially, in May 1957, ordered 35 pieces and an option on 20 pieces. When Vickers offered the larger Super VC10 type 1151 with transatlantic range, BOAC reduced its order to 12 pieces, in favor of the Super VC10.
Other models were the 1103 with cargo door, of which 3 were built for British United Airways (BUA). The 1100 was the prototype, which later went to Laker. The type 1102 was for Ghana Airways (2 pieces). The type 1106 was the VC10C.1 of the RAF, which entered service with 14. Equipped with a fintank, Conway 550 engines as with the Super VC10, an APU, aft-facing seats, AAR tube, a cargo door and a reinforced floor. These were later converted into flying tankers, designated as type 1180 (VC10C.1k)
The type 1112 were ex-BOAC type 1101s that were also converted into tankers for the RAF, designated VC10K.2. They got Conway 550 engines. The first made its first flight on June 22, 1982, and it was commissioned by 101SQ in May 1984.
In 1967, a VC-10 1102 from Ghana Airways was leased to Middle East Airlines, but this aircraft 9G-ABP was blown up on December 28, 1968 at Beirut airport by Israeli commandos.
9G-ABP operated by MEA.
In 1969 Nigeria Airways bought the VC10 1101 G-ARVA from the BOAC, but this aircraft was lost 2 months later on 20 Nov'69 when during the approach to Lagos airport Nigeria , the crew misjudged the altitude and the aircraft flew into the ground. All 87 passengers were killed. Registration 5N-ABD c/n 804
G-ARVA c/n 804
Freddie Laker's BUA merged with Caledonian Airways in 1970 to become British Caledonian and flew the three 1103s and the prototype, G-ARTA, which had to be written off after a hard landing on 28 Jan'72.
Gulf Air took over some 1101s from the BOAC and used them until 1977.
The Omani government had a civilian VC10 (type 1103) in service for the longest time, until 1987, this aircraft is now kept in the museum at Brooklands.
The RAF still had the VC10 in service as a tanker in 1998.
The VC10 was quieter than the 707, due to the turbofans. It is equipped with Fowler flaps.
The VC-10 had a small periscope for the crew to have a look at the tail during flight to check for ice accumulation.
primary users : BOAC (12), British United Airlines (BUA 3), British Caledonian, Ghana Airways (2), Laker (1), RAF (14), Middle East Airlines, Gulf Air, Nigeria Airways, Oman Royal flight, Air Malawi
Oman Royal Flight VC-10 srs 1103 reg. A4O-AB, April 1978 LHR apt
Accommodation:
flight crew : 4 cabin crew : 5
flight crew consist of pilot, co-pilot, navigator and flight engineer
passengers : seating for 142 in two class : 16 business class and 126 economy class seats ( 32 -in pitch)
high density seating for 151 passengers
engine : 4 Rolls Royce Rco.42 Conway 540 turbofan engines of 90.61 [KN](20369.6 [lbf])
dimensions :
wingspan : 44.55 [m], length : 48.36 [m], height : 12.04 [m]
wing area : 264.9 [m^2]
weights :
operating empty weight : 67980 [kg] max. structural payload : 17480 [kg]
Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 85460 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 0 [kg]
max.take-off weight : 142430 [kg] weight fuel : 65189 [kg] (81486 [liter])
performance :
Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.86 [Mach] (933 [km/hr]) at 9450 [m]
normal cruise speed : 886 [km/hr] (Mach 0.82 ) at 10000 [m] (35 [%] power)
service ceiling : 11000 [m]
range with max fuel : 7000 [km] and allowance for 821.9 [km] diversion and 30 [min] hold
description :
low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
tapered multi-cellular wing with flush-riveted stressed skin
with Fowler flaps airfoil : unknown
sweep angle 3/4 chord: 32.5 [°]
engines attached to the tail, landing gear attached to the wings, fueltanks in the wings
construction : all-metal aluminium-alloy stressed-skin construction with pressurized fuselage
fuselage shape : 0
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 5.95 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 5.95 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 5.82 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 7.49 []
seize (span*length*height) : 25939 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 181.2 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 7269.7 [kg/hr] (9087.2 [litre/hr]) at 35 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.12 [km/kg] at 10000 [m] height, sfc : 57.8 [kg/KN/h]
total fuel capacity : 81486 [litre] (65189 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 8400.0 [kg] = 23.18 [kg/KN]
weight 1921.5 litre oil tank : 163.32 [kg]
British Airways VC-10 srs 1101 G-ARVM c/n 815
oil tank filled with 2.3 litre oil : 2.0 [kg]
oil in engine 60.6 litre oil : 54.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 44.5 litre fuel : 32.62 [kg]
weight fuel lines 81.5 [kg]
weight engine cowling 1087.3 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 9821 [kg](6.9 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage aluminium frame : 17690 [kg]
floor loading : 197 [kg/m2]
typical cabin layout for 142 passengers : economy : pitch : 81 [cm] ( 3+3 ) seating in 24.2 rows
pax density (normal seating) : 0.63 [m2/pax]
high density seating passengers : 152 at 6 -abreast seating in 25.3 rows, pitch 81 [cm]
weight 3 toilets : 51.7 [kg]
weight 7 hand fire extinguisher : 21 [kg]
weight 2 galleys : 157.1 [kg]
weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 49.7 [kg]
weight 3 closets : 28.4 [kg]
weight 50 windows : 45.4 [kg]
weight 4 overwing emergency exits : 156.8 [kg]
weight lifejackets : 63.9 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 92.3 [kg]
weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]
weight 4 emergency evacuation slides : 66.4 [kg]
weight 4 entrance/exit doors : 366.0 [kg]
weight 2 freight doors (belly) : 130.7 [kg]
weight ladies" powder room : 16 [kg]
weight men"s dressing room : 12 [kg]
weight diplomatic mail locker : 2 [kg]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 189.13 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.50 [m] cabin length : 28.15 [m] cabin height : 2.26 [m]
BUA VC-10 srs 1011 G-ARTA, the prototype.
floor area : 88.8 [m2]
pressure difference :0.46 [kg/cm2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 262.5 [kg]
weight air pressurization system : 55.7 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 338.4 [m2] duraluminium 4.59 [mm]) : 4088.1 [kg]
weight floor beams : 476.0 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 796.9 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 1009.7 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 245.1 [kg]
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight dual cloud-collision radar : 25.0 [kg]
weight radio direction finding (RDF) equipment : 5.0 [kg]
weight Sperry Integrated Flight System : 11.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizon : 1.1 [kg]
weight instruments. : 38.0 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 45.3 [kg]
weight lighting : 35.5 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 35.5 [kg]
weight controls : 19.5 [kg]
weight seats : 755.0 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 213 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 181 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 26917 [kg](18.9 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (1223 ribs) : 5079 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 81486 [litre] fuel : 4563 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 2.67 [mm]) : 3817 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 5116 [kg]
weight wings : 14012 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 52.90 [kg]
Cabin width : 3.50m length : 28.14m height : 2.26m 3+3 seating
weight rubber de-icing boots : 49.0 [kg]
weight fin & rudder (23.0 [m2]) : 1222.0 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (29.8 [m2]): 1578.4 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 81.5 [kg]
weight fowler flaps (16.7 [m2]) : 446.6 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 21953 [kg] (15.4 [%])
*******************************************************************
wheel pressure : 15667.3 [kg]
weight 8 Dunlop main wheels (1130 [mm] by 174 [mm]) : 1670.3 [kg]
weight 2 Dunlop nose wheels : 208.8 [kg]
weight hydraulic wheel-brakes : 85.5 [kg]
weight pneumatic-hydraulic shock absorbers : 113.9 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 1234.3 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 2796.8 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 6109.7 [kg] (4.3 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 64801 [kg](45.5 [%])
weight oil for 9.5 hours flying : 1718.1 [kg]
weight catering : 392.7 [kg]
weight water : 314.1 [kg]
weight crew : 729 [kg]
weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 25 [kg]
operational weight empty : 67980 [kg] (47.7 [%])
********************************************************************
weight 142 passengers : 10934 [kg]
weight luggage : 2272 [kg]
weight cargo : 4274 [kg]
zero fuel weight (ZFW): 85460 [kg](60.0 [%])
weight fuel for landing (1.0 hours flying) : 7270 [kg]
max. landing weight (MLW): 92730 [kg](65.1 [%])
max. fuel weight : 133169 [kg] (93.5 [%])
payload with max fuel : 100 passengers+luggage 9261 [kg]
published maximum take-off weight : 142430 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 393 [kg/KN]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 324 [kg/kN]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 524 [kg/KN]
max. total take-off power : 362.4 [KN]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 6.3 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 0.9 [g]
design flight time : 5.53 [hours]
design cycles : 2210 sorties, design hours : 12221 [hours]
operational wing loading : 4346 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 247 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.18 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 12.37 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 2.28 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.10 [ ]
British Caledonian VC-10 type 1103, G-ASIW a combi version
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.29 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.15 [ ]
max. lift coefficient full flaps : 1.42 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0048 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0358 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0311 [ ]
lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 8.19 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 135160 [kg]): 304 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 226 [km/u]
V : 394.52 te laag, Cl > Clmax berekening PR nodig klopt niet meer cl : 1.68 line 216
flying weight (fw) : 113305.86140342482
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 92376 [kg]): 260 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 571 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 395 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 5167 [kg/hr] at height : 3048 [m]
max. range speed : 730 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 8.180 [kg/km] at cruise height : 9144 [m]
cruising speed : 886 [km/hr] at 10000 [m] (power:32 [%])
max. operational speed (Mmo) : 933.00 [km/hr] (Mach 0.86 ) at 9450 [m] (power:38.4 [%])
airflow : 386.1 [kg/s]
speed of thrust jet : 2058 [km/hr]
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 1796 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 1442 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 1390 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 374.1 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 2162 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 2241 [m]
Gulf Air VC10 approaching with full flaps. The pod under the wing was used to transport spare engines to remote locations.
landing run : 1316 [m]
landing run from 15 [m] : 2233 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 12.05 [ ]
max. theoretical ceiling : 16700 [m] with flying weight :135160 [kg] line 3359
climb to 1000m with max payload : 0.67 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 1.30 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 1.91 [min]
climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 2.99 [min]
minimum flying speed at 11000 [m] : 641 [km/hr]
theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min. fuel:135160 [kg] ) : 16700 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 7000 [km] with 9 crew and 17014 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel
range : 6943 [km] with 17480.0 [kg] max. useful load (87.4 [%] fuel)
range : 7464 [km] with 142.0 passengers with each 16 [kg] luggage and 93.9 [%] fuel
range max. fuel : 7945 [km] with 9261.2 [kg] useful load and 100.0 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 1059907 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 93062.5 [litre] fuel : 9101 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 70347 [kg]
useful load with range 500km : 142 passengers
production (theor.max load): 62328 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 15487 [tonkm/hour]
VC-10 22 x 6-abreast = 132 + 3 = 135 seats at 33-ins pitch.
production (passengers): 125812 [paskm/hour]
combi aircraft mail/freight/passengers
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.120 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.059 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.010 [eur]
time between engine failure : 626 [hr]
can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
writing off per paskm : 0.035 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.0005 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.034 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.138 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 0.278 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 1.120 [eur]
Literature :
Air international april’98 page 253
Air international mei’98 page 297-303
Jane’s Commercial transport aircraft page 41
Verkeersvliegtuigen nu en straks page 56,57
Verkehrsflugzeuge page 26-29
Verkeersvliegtuigen Moussault page 159
Oddities & Innovations (vc10.net)
Alles over de luchtvaart page 57
The fliers handbook page 84
VC-10 srs 1101 G-ARVL van Nigeria Airways op Ikeja airport, Lagos. Note the Fokker F27 in the back ground
Air Malawi VC-10 type 1103. Note the main door just in front of the wing, in the type -1151 this door is placed behind the wing. Reg 7Q-YKH
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
Ghana Airways VC-10 srs 1102 9G-ABO on final approach to London Heathrow airport, 1972
(c) B van der Zalm 27 June 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4