BAE Systems

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

programme by the first Avro RJX100

G-IRJX on 23 September 2001.

The End

BAE Systems Chief Executive, John

Weston made a surprise announcement

on 27 November 2001 that the Regional

Jet business was no longer viable. At the

various BAE sites, 1,669 employees lost

their jobs. After cancellation G-ORJX never

flew again and in 2011 was transported to

BAE Prestwick. G-IRJX was initially stored

and then donated to the Manchester

Aviation Heritage exhibition, making its

last flight into at Manchester Airport on 6

February 2003.

The delivery of the final

British-built airliner

The final British-built airliner, an Avro RJ85

OH-SAP was delivered on 26 November

2003 to the Finnish airline Blue 1, bringing

to a close 22 years of BAe 146/RJ

production. More significantly it the end

of a history and tradition of airliner

manufacture in Britain, which began with

the De Havilland 16 in 1919 and

continued with many other firms

throughout the ensuing century.

G-LUXE - Atmospheric

Research Aircraft

Though RJ85 OH-SAP was the final British

airliner delivery, the last civil aircraft

delivery from BAe Woodford was on 10

May 2004 when G-LUXE, the original

146-100 prototype and later 146-300

prototype, was handed over to Facility for

Airborne Atmospheric Measurements

(FAAM) reconfigured as an Atmospheric

Research Aircraft.

New roles for the 146/RJ

Though the 146/RJ has been out of

production 15 years, BAE SYSTEMS

continues to promote the aircraft in new

roles. Recently it has adopted a new role

with the RAF, has become as a trainer for

the Empire Test Pilots School, is in use on

for Fly in – Fly out operations in Australia

and most strikingly has become a

Firefighting aircraft in North America.

New role – RAF C3

In 2011 an Urgent Operational

Requirement was identified by the RAF to

find an aircraft to augment tactical

aircraft, during the withdrawal from

Afghanistan in 2013-14, transporting

people around theatre. In June 2012 BAE

Systems was contracted to convert two

BAe 146-200QCs to military configuration

for the Royal Air Force. Two aircraft were

sourced from TNT for the role. BAE

Systems Regional Aircraft at Prestwick was

responsible for the design and overall

management of the programme, with the

actual conversion handled by Hawker

Beechcraft at Broughton. As the 146 C3s

(ZE707, ZE708) were built as 146-200QCs

they are equipped with a large 131in x

76in rear upward-opening freight door

giving a large aperture for the easy

loading of pallets, containers and

awkwardly-shaped cargo. The passenger

layout of 94 seats is to full commercial

aircraft standards.

New role – Test Pilot trainer

In 2011 as a replacement for the Empire

Test Pilots’ School’s two elderly BAC

One-Elevens, an Avro RJ70 and Avro

RJ100 were acquired by QinetiQ for the

ETPS. The RJ70, G-BVRJ is being

substantially modified with flight test

instrumentation and a ballast transfer

system installed for its new role and will

become QQ102. The RJ100 was delivered

to the ETPS as QQ101 in October 2012.

New role - FIFO – Fly in – Fly out

The 146/RJ has always had a good short

take-off and landing performance and in

Australia, Cobham has opened-up

hundreds of gravel air strips to

commercial passenger jet aircraft for the

first time, unlocking huge benefits to

mining and energy companies for FIFO

operations using 82-seat Avro RJ85s

equipped with a special protection kit

allowing them to land on gravel runways.

The approval follows a project carried

out by BAE to increase payload by four

tonnes, an additional 700 nautical miles

range, or a mix of the two. The aim was to

increase the number of passengers that

can be carried on Cobham routes from

Perth in Western Australia to serve the

important mining operations across the

vast state.

New role – Firefighter

In a new departure the British jet is

carving out a prominent niche in the fire

bomber market, as suitably modified

examples of the BAe146/Avro RJ85 are

well-suited for this demanding role. Three

‡ ZE708 taking off

from Broughton

following

conversion to the

RAF C3

configuration. Note

the DIRCM

defensive sensors

and pods under the

forward fuselage

and aft of the

forward door and at

the rear.

(BAE Systems)

Cobham’s 146-100 VH-NJC equipped with a

special ‘Unpaved runway protection kit’ allowing

it to land on gravel runways which is necessary

for FIFO ‘Fly in, Fly out’ support contracts to

Australian minerals fields. (Cobham)