Sud Aviation Caravelle 12

Sud-Aviation · France · first flew 1971 · airliner

The Caravelle 12 was the most stretched variant of the pioneering Sud Aviation Caravelle, offering seating for up to 140 passengers — some 30 more than earlier marks. It retained the original Caravelle's clean aerodynamics and rear-mounted engines.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, swept
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, tail-mounted
F — Fuselage	Longest Caravelle variant with extended fuselage for up to 140 passengers
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Longest Caravelle variant with extended fuselage for up to 140 passengers
Twin rear-fuselage-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans
Distinctive large oval Caravelle nose and wing root leading-edge fairings

Distinguished from earlier Caravelles by its longer fuselage with additional window bays; shares the family's characteristic large nose glazing, clean low wing, and twin tail-mounted engines.

Specifications

The Sud Aviation Caravelle 12 has a length of 36.24 m (119 ft).
It has a wingspan of 34.3 m (113 ft).
Its maximum speed is 830 km/h (516 mph).
Typical crew: 3+4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown on 29 October 1971, the Caravelle 12 was the last new variant of the Caravelle family. Only twelve were built, all for Sterling Airways of Denmark, which used them on high-density charter routes. The type entered service in 1972 and remained with Sterling until the airline's collapse in 1993.

Variants

The Caravelle 12 was the final production variant; earlier marks included the original Caravelle I, the 10B Super Caravelle with JT8D engines, and the 11R convertible.

Where you'll see it

Operated almost exclusively by Sterling Airways of Denmark on European charter routes from 1972 to 1993.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.