IATA CRVICAO S210

Aerospatiale (Sud Aviation) Se.210 Caravelle

Aerospatiale

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Europe's first successful short-to-medium range jet airliner.

First flight

1955

Category

Narrow-body jet

Seating

80–139 passengers depending on variant

Range

1,700–3,950 km depending on variant

Engines

Two rear-fuselage-mounted turbojets (Rolls-Royce Avon or Pratt & Whitney JT8D depending on variant)

Status

Retired

The Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle was a pioneering French jetliner that entered service in 1959, becoming the first short-to-medium range jet aircraft specifically designed for commercial airline operations. It was notable for its rear-mounted engine configuration, which placed two turbojets on either side of the rear fuselage, a layout that influenced numerous subsequent designs. Developed by Sud-Est (later Sud Aviation and eventually absorbed into Aérospatiale), the Caravelle was produced in several variants over its production run, with improvements in range, capacity, and engine performance. The aircraft used a nose section derived from the de Havilland Comet, under a licensed agreement. The Caravelle enjoyed considerable commercial success throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, operating with airlines across Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Production ended in 1972 after 282 aircraft were built, and the type was gradually phased out of service as newer aircraft became available.

Notable operators

Major operators included Air France, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Swissair, United Air Lines, and Iberia.

Notable facts

›First jet airliner designed specifically for short-to-medium haul routes.
›Pioneered the rear-mounted twin-engine layout later used on the DC-9, BAC One-Eleven, and Boeing 727.
›The nose and cockpit section were licensed from the de Havilland Comet design.
›282 aircraft were built between 1958 and 1972.
›United Air Lines was the sole American operator, briefly flying the Caravelle VI-R in the early 1960s.