Avro Canada C102 Jetliner

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 1,200 miles (1,900 km), 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. At one point, the Jetliner was scheduled to enter service in October 1952. However, continued delays in Avro Canada's all-weather interceptor project, the CF-100 Canuck, contributed to a 1951 order from C.D. Howe for the company to discontinue all work on the project. Despite this, flights of the sole completed prototype Jetliner continued until December 1956, shortly after which it was cut up for scrap.