BAE Systems

146-100s was placed as part of a massive

re-equipment programme for CAAC

supplemented by eight stretched

146-300s delivered between 1992 and

1994. Elsewhere in Asia early users were
      Thai Airways whose fleet eventually
      stabilised at five 146-300s used domestic
      routes from 1982 to 1998, but these were
      replaced with 737s.

Sssh! The Quiet Trader

The British Aerospace146 is an ideal

freighter with its high wing, capacious

fuselage floor, proximity to the ground

and quietness - so important for much

airfreighting which often takes place at

night, when airports are promoting their

‘good neighbour’ policies. Typical freight

aircraft are often noisy, gas-guzzling,

elderly types, demoted to freight work

from passenger flights. The 146-200QT

carries up to nine LD3 cargo containers

and the 146-300QT ten.

Recognising the QT’s versatility for

night operation out of noise-sensitive

airfields, TNT bought 21 QTs and nine of

these QTs remain in operation with ASL

Airlines of Spain covering the TNT Express

network.

Quiet Convertible

Building on the success of the Quiet

Trader a Quiet Convertible (QC) 146 was

developed employing the same freight

door installation as the QT. The QC is easy

to distinguish from the QT, as it has

virtually the full complement of windows

whereas the QT has none. The QC can be

changed from a passenger to an all

freight or mixed layout in less than 30

minutes. The QC proved to be an

unsatisfactory option, as it was more

expensive and heavier than the passenger

146.

QT/QC production and QT

programme relaunch 2007

Between 1986 and 1994, 13 146-200QTs,

ten 300QT freighters and five 200QCs

46 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017

were assembled at BAe Woodford. The

manufacturer relaunched a QT conversion

programme in early 2007. A 146-200 was

converted and flew in June 2008 but was

broken up for spares. The second

conversion, a 146-300 has been leased to

Cobham Aviation Services as VH-NJZ. The

majority of the QTs and QCs are still in

service today and BAE Regional Aircraft is

currently proposing a QT version of the RJ.

Military 146s

Military developments of the HS146 had

been envisaged from the outset and

British Aerospace’s relaunch of the 146 in

1978 was predicated on the sale of 100

military rear-loaders but none were ever

built. The closest BAe ever got to a

dedicated military version was the

Sideloading Tactical Airlifter demonstrator,

G-BSTA. The second 146 built, a 146-100,

was fitted with a freight door like a QT, a

16 seat forward cabin to demonstrate a

military VIP role, a middle cabin

demonstrating both the Casevac and

Paratroop role and a rear cabin fitted with

a roller floor to facilitate pallet loading

through the freight door. Despite

demonstrations and sales tours, none

were sold but the aircraft is still flying as a

freighter with Cobham / National Jet

Systems in Australia.

The RAF’s 146 CC2s

In the early 1980s the Queen’s Flight

determined to replace its HS 748s with

two new BAe 146-100 CC Mk 2s with

luxury cabins and wing-root fuel tanks to

extend their range to 1,700 miles. The

CC2s have three passenger cabins, the

most luxurious at the rear, a large

bathroom, dressing room and two further

cabins forward, a toilet and a large VIP

service galley. ZE700 and ZE701 were

handed over in April and July 1986

respectively and remain in service. A third

146 CC Mk 2, ZE702 was sold at the end of

2001. In 1995, the Queen’s Flight was
      amalgamated with No 32 Squadron,
      which had previously operated Ministerial
      and Military VIP services, and was
      renamed No 32 (The Royal) Squadron and
      based at Northolt.

Quiet City

When air services started at London City

Airport in 1987 they proved very limited

as only the slow turboprop De Havilland

Canada Dash 7s operated into there.

When the following year the BAe146

entered the equation the prospects for

London City Airport began to improve

radically. The 146 demonstration at

London City Airport in July 1988 proved a

great success as the aircraft was able to fly

the 5½° approach required and its

quietness defied any opposition. The

introduction of the BAe 146-200 and

146-300 changed the whole perspective

of operation from London City as they

were able to quickly and easily reach such

major European centres as Copenhagen,

ˆ Swiss RJ100

HB-IYS landing at

London City bearing

“Shopping Paradise

• Zurich” livery. The
  Swiss RJs are being
  replaced by
  Bombardier C-Series
  twin-jets during

2017. (Andrew Goldsmith)

‡ The dominance of

the 146 at London

City has passed but

in the 1990s a sight

like this was

commonplace. 146s

and RJs from

Malmö, Lufthansa,

Alitalia, Crossair

and KLM UK.

(BAE Systems)