Old Aircraft to Become Cafe at Southampton Aviation Museum

The front half of a passenger jet was towed through the streets of Southampton towards an aviation museum on Saturday, November 25, according to the Southern Daily Echo.

The jet, a BAC 1-11, was being taken to Solent Sky Museum where it will to be turned into a cafe, according to AeroTime.

Before being bought by the museum, the jet was at risk of being scrapped after the attraction it was being displayed at in the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Center was closed down, according to the Daily Echo.

Due to space constraints, only the cockpit and the forward section of the cabin have been preserved, according to AeroTime. The wings of the plane were also removed.

Solent Sky Museum said that they “hope to make this wonderful aeroplane accessible to the public soon.”

This footage by Chris Smith, an aviation historian at Solent Sky Museum, shows the front half of the jet arriving at its new home. Credit: Chris Smith via Storyful

Video transcript

[ENGINE RUNNING]

- Right there [INAUDIBLE]. Right there. Right there. Move back, mate. Move back, mate, [INAUDIBLE].

[BEEPING]