Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2018British Aerospace’s original projections
had been that 70% of sales would be of the
short-fuselage 146-100. However, it was
soon evident the 146-200 was more popular.
But even that was not as large as the Fokker
100, launched in November 1983, which
entered service three years later.
To counteract this, BAe announced the
lengthened 146-300 in September 1984.
BAe Hat eld chose to rebuild the 146-100
prototype G-SSSH as the prototype 146-- So, re-registered as G-LUXE, it made a
second maiden ight on May 1, 1987.
The 146-300 was 8ft (2.4m) longer than
the 146-200 and catered for 112 passengers
with six-abreast seating. The powerplants
and wings of the new variant were the
same, but the 146-300 did have structural
strengthening, uprated brakes and a
modi ed cabin interior.
Dan-Air was the rst operator of the
146-100, introducing two aircraft into service
in May 1983. It later replaced its -100s with
ve -300s, using them until it stopped trading
in 1992.
Another early British operator was Air UK,
which received two -200s in 1988 and later
had -300s. In the 1990s British European,
now Flybe, was a signi cant user of 146s
and its later development, the Avro RJ, as
was British Airways. Whereas none of the
early British operators now y 146s, German
charter rm WDL rst received 146s in 1998
and currently has three -200s and a -300,
which are on lease to easyJet.
Air Wisconsin was the launch airline
for both the -200 and the -300 and used a
total eet of 15 146s until 2006. Other US
operators, AirCal and WestAir, also bought
146s. These airlines were soon taken over
and their new owners such as USAir, which
bought PSA, claimed the 146s were costly
to use and parked all 18 of its eet in the
Mojave Desert where some remained for
many years. Other carriers returned their
aircraft to BAe.The 146 proved popular in Australia and
New Zealand. Ansett Australia, East-West
Airlines and TNT started purchasing -200s
and -300s in 1984 and Qantas Airlink ew
ten 146s from 1991 until 2006. Ansett’s NewAbove: The prototype 146-100, G-SSSH, which made a successful rst ight from Hat eld on
September 3, 1981. Reg Bonner/Key Collection
Right: The RJ test ight trio in formation: RJ70 G-BUFI, RJ85 G-ISEE and RJ100 G-OIII. Reg
Bonner/Key Collection
Below: TNT Global Express used 21 BAe 146-200QT freighters that featured a permanent cargo
oor. QT stands for ‘quiet trader’.Northwest Jet Airlink RJ85, N505XJ, during
an airtest as G-6-313 before delivery in 1997.50