Air International 1992-10
M.Pilling - Whatever happened to the Romanian One-Eleven?
About 25% of Romaero's business is in repair and overhaul. This Antonov An-2 is being overhauled for the Romanian Air Force.
Rombac One-Eleven Number 10 was originally ordered by the Romanian Army and is fitted with a cargo door. The Army has cancelled the order and the aircraft needs considerable investment to reconfigure it to commercial standards.
The 11th Rombac aircraft covered in plastic sheeting at Romaero's Baneasa facility. Many workstations are tented like this with hot air blowers inside to combat the -25° winter temperatures.
Tarom, which was later to obtain Romanian-built One-Elevens, was the first eastern European carrier to put a western aircraft into service. Its first 84-seat 1-11 went into service on June 20, 1968, flying between Bucharest and Frankfurt.
Prior to the One-Eleven licence production deal, Romanian flag carrier Tarom ordered the aircraft from the British Aircraft Corporation. Here the first fuselage of five Series 500s is transferred to the final assembly line at BAC's Hum, Bournemouth plant in May 1976.