The Avro Canada C102 Jetliner

L.J. Rouse was a freelance writer in Toronto.

In 1950-51, Canada was a leader in the design and development of medium-range intercity jet transport, but Canada failed to exploit this lead, and the Avro Jetliner, a shining example of design and performance, universally admired and praised for its more than seven years of performance, was scrapped.

The story of the Avro Arrow debacle is well known; that of the C102 Jetliner has been allowed to slide almost unnoticed into history. The decision to scrap the jetliner has been described as a “major fiasco,” that “cost us billions of dollars in export earnings as well as incalculable world prestige.”

This history of the ill-fated jetliner begins in the period following the Second World War. Canadians had proven their abilities in that time of all out production; and now there was a tremendous and ever-growing need for transport aircraft to serve in peacetime. The TCA specifications for its needs were, naturally, for speed, capacity and safety the like of which had not so far been available. The C102 Jetliner more than matched up.

This heartfelt account of what was and what might have been — should have been! — is disheartening reading. The jetliner was splendid but the project was abandoned. By 1955-56 lack of support and consequent lack of spares for the one-of-a-kind aircraft resulted in the order that it be dismantled. The author fixes blame for this tragic and wasteful fiasco entirely and directly on the Rt. Hon. C.D. Howe, Minister of Defence.

The might-have-been must of course remain surmise: although the glowing opinions of experts and passengers who had experience of the jetliner’s plans and performance are recorded here, with a plenitude of photographs. Details of the jetliner design, typical flight log reports, and a list of reference materials are included.