The Avro Canada C102 Jetliner was a Canadian prototype medium-range turbojet-powered jet airliner designed and built by Avro Canada. Its name, "Jetliner", was chosen as a shortening of the term "jet airliner", a term which is still in popular usage for jet-powered passenger aircraft.
The origins of the Jetliner can be traced back to Rolls-Royce's development of the Rolls-Royce Avon (an early turbojet engine) and interest at Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA) in the operation of a jet-powered airliner. During April 1946, a requirement for a twin-engined airliner, capable of seating at least 36 passengers and a range of , was finalised. Avro Canada commenced work under a fixed-price contract that, unusually, included a three-year period in which the manufacturer was not allowed to sell the Jetliner to any other airline except for TCA. TCA pulled out of the project in 1947 after the contract's feasibility was called into question; support from the Canadian politician and engineer C. D. Howe was quickly forthcoming. Due to availability concerns with the Avon engine, it was decided to adopt four Rolls-Royce Derwents instead. In addition to the civil market, models of the Jetliner were proposed for military roles, including as a crew trainer, photo reconnaissance, cargo, and paratroop platform.
On 10 August 1949, the Jetliner performed its maiden flight; it was beaten to the air by only 13 days by the British airliner de Havilland Comet, thereby becoming the second purpose-built jet-powered airliner in the world, while both were preceded by the Nene Lancastrian, and the Nene Viking, both of which were conversions of piston engine airliners. The aircraft was considered suitable for busy routes along the US eastern seaboard and garnered intense interest, notably from Howard Hughes who even offered to start production under license. Furthermore, it drew attention from at least six airlines as well as both the United States Air Force and United States Navy as potential operators.
Design changes
In 1947, Fred Smye, president of Avro, advised Herbert James Symington of TCA that they could not meet the fixed price contract. Symington's response was to pull out of the project. C. D. Howe stepped in and offered $1.5 million to continue the project, at a slower pace. At about the same time, Rolls-Royce informed Avro that the civil certification of the Avon could not be guaranteed in time for the Jetliner's rollout. This, in turn, would lead to higher operational and maintenance costs. Nevertheless, Avro continued with its plan to build the jet, selecting four Rolls-Royce Derwents to replace the two Avons. by this point, the aircraft was reportedly scheduled to begin deliveries in May 1952, and enter service in October, which would have given it a full six years headstart on the 707, which did not enter service until October 1958, Both the United States Air Force and United States Navy were viewed as prospective operators of the militarised type. Regardless, this caused delays to the type's maiden flight, which took place on 10 August 1949, only 25 months after work on the design had started, and only 13 days after the first flight of the de Havilland Comet. On its second flight, on 16 August, the landing gear failed to extend, necessitating the Jetliner to perform a belly landing. However, the damage incurred was relatively minor, permitting the aircraft to return to the air only three weeks later. Despite this incident, the rest of the flight testing programme proceeded relatively smoothly. Around this time, Delos W. Rentzel of the United States Aeronautics Administration publicly declared that the American market was keen to accommodate the Jetliner. The flight was highly publicized and the crew was greeted by a group of officials and a crowd of several hundred onlookers. During mid 1951, the CF-100 programme was placed on indefinite hold following the loss of the second prototype, and senior politicians expressed their concerns over the project and Avro's endeavours. Seeking to increase the pace of the CF-100's development, Cabinet Minister C. D. Howe instructed Avro to suspend work on its other projects, including the Jetliner, to focus its resources on completing work on the CF-100. Although the Jetliner had garnered considerable public attention, this had not immediately translated into orders. Amid the project's unestablished sales prospects, C.D. Howe ordered the program's termination in December 1951. The second prototype Jetliner, nearly completed in the main assembly hangar, was broken up at that time.
Nevertheless, only a few months later, the enigmatic Howard Hughes first learned of the design and leased the Jetliner prototype for testing, flying it for a few circuits when it arrived in Culver City, California.
The Jetliner was later used for taking in-flight photographs of CF-100 development trials such as canopy jettison and rocket firing.
Legacy
Canada Post issued a stamp to commemorate the development of the Jetliner. Jetliner Road in Mississauga, Ontario is named for the airliner at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The "Avro Jetliner Private" street name also commemorates the aircraft at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport.
Specifications Avro C102 Jetliner
thumb|Model of the C102