Hi all. Can anyone advise me if it is possible to re-engine the BAe Vickers VC 10 and Super VC 10 with V2500 units in place of the old Conways, and how much more efficient and ecologically acceptable would this be?

I have tried contacting Rolls Royce who frankly were no help at all.

Thanks, best regards, Aviatorchris

I don't know if such an operation is feasible or desirable .....

The only thing I know is that these are old aircraft nearing withdrawal .....

"The VC10 and Lockheed Tristar tanker/transports are due to be replaced in RAF service by the Airbus A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft Project." (source: Wikipedia)

A330 MRTT (RAAF)

Hi. Thanks for your reply to my earlier post. Yes I remember the RB 211 experiment which wasn't a roaring success as it bent the engine support to the airframe!!

I still don't have the real answer i.e replacing the Conways with V2500's. Is it possible?

The reason I asked is because I love the plane, having flown on many to the Middle East during the late 60's and early 70's and I would hate that they just die in the fashion of Concorde. Yet more great British design and build put to the sword, so although nostalgic, my question was that of attempting to upgrade from a green clean point of view. Yes, I realise the airframes are very old now, despite much of the metalwork being milled from the solid, but then you could say that of DC3's!!

Anyway, thanks again for your response.

 The VC10 was the the RB211 flying test bed.

As for re-engining , 2xRB211 + VC10 = Boeing 757 . Incidentally both exceptionally elegant machines.

That A330MRTT? Worthy successor .

So would you say in an ideal world the super VC10 could be thus re-engined or alternatively 4 x V2500?

Any lottery win of mine would buy a super vc10 from the RAF!!!

..... Any lottery win of mine would buy a super vc10 from the RAF!!! .....

And ..... why not an Ilyushin Il-62 ? .....

You jest, of course!!!!

 VC10 looks way cooler than the '62, is faster and gets off in smarter fashion.

KNEW A GUY THAT PUT A PORCHE ENGINE IN HIS VW BEETLE................

 Now there's an image - Porsche powerd VC10?

aviatorchris:

I still don't have the real answer i.e replacing the Conways with V2500's. Is it possible?

I guess anything is possible with the right money, but investing so much in such old aircraft, especially as there aren't that many of them and there's a glut of airliners at the moment would seem to indicate no!

As an engineering job the biggest problem would be the extra weight - modern high bypass engines are quite a lot heavier than those conways. You might have to fill the nose up with concrete or only hire really heavy pilots.

 That extra weight cantilevered behind the main gears could lead to interesting effects in the event of a heavy landing

Perhaps a pair of RB535s (as in a 757) would be lighter?

Airline economics aside, it would be a cool personal jet if you had the pockets of an Abramovich or Arabian royalty 

Quick too if it could retain its 0.86 Mach cruise speed.

 I don't think it's the right thing to do.For example, you replace your engine then

your engine's torque change and so the control surfaces also will have this

experience.Likewise,most of your systems will have to change and then there comes

the real problem:how can you get the airworthiness certification?

With regards