for the role by Field Aviation at Calgary,
Canada, and had the rear loading ramp
deleted.
Production of all the 330 variants totalled
139 examples, with the USA taking 52% of
production and the UK 13%. The type is still
in service with cargo carriers in many remote
parts of the world, including Alaska.SHORTS 360
With the 330 selling well, Shorts began
looking at ways of capitalising on its
usefulness by producing a new version with
an increased seating capacity. Its design
studies initially produced the Shorts 333
project, a 33-seater. This was superseded
on the drawing boards by the Shorts 335
with 35 seats, before the company decided
on a 36-seat design, initially designated
the SD3-60, but soon commonly known as
the Shorts 360 (the nickname ‘Shed’ wasoften used to refer to the 330 and 360). This
utilised the fuselage of the 330 to speed
up the production process, but it had a new
single-swept n and an upgraded engine,
the PT6A-45R, giving a 10% increase
in power. The rst example, registered
G-ROOM, made its maiden ight on June 1,
1981, some six months ahead of schedule.At the 1982 Farnborough Air Show the 360
Series 100 G-WIDE joined 330 G-BKDO and
Skyvan 3M G-BJDC in a formation ypast.
The rst deliveries of the 360 were to the
US commuter carriers Suburban Airlines
and Simmons Airlines. With the trouble-
free introduction of the 360 into service,
production of the 330 was terminated. This
later caused some problems for Shorts when
the US Army announced that it wished to
procure a further 28 Sherpas. The dilemma
was solved in an ingenious fashion, with
Shorts buying back used 360s from various
users and sending them to the Bombardier
Inc West Virginia Air Center at Bridgeport.
Here, the 360 tail unit was removed and
replaced by a new-build Sherpa twin- n unit.
A rear-loading door was installed and other
modi cations made to meet the military
speci cations. The conversion worked well,
and the rebuilt aircraft were delivered to the
US Army as C-23B+ Sherpas.
Like the 330 before it, the 360 sold well
to a variety of airlines worldwide. In 1984,
approximately 30 examples were ordered,
and the selling price for each aircraft was
quoted at $4.1 million. Among the new
customers that year were the Britishhttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 23customers that year were the Britishthe Shorts 360 (the nickname ‘Shed’ wasAt the 1982 Farnborough Air Show the 360
Series 100 G-WIDE joined 330 G-BKDO and
Skyvan 3M G-BJDC in a formation ypast.and Simmons Airlines. With the trouble-
free introduction of the 360 into service,the US Army announced that it wished towas solved in an ingenious fashion, with
Shorts buying back used 360s from variousA rear-loading door was installed and otherAbove: Gill Air Shorts 360-100 G-OLAH at
Aberdeen. The airline began passenger
schedules in June 1989 and went on to y
a mixed eet of Shorts 330s and 360s.
Key Collection
Left: CityFlyer was the rst operator under
the BA Express franchise. This is a -100
variant of the Shorts 360. AirTeamImages.
com/Carl Ford
Below: Jersey European Airways Shorts
360-200 G-OBLK joined the airline
in 1987 and served until 2001.
Key-Dave AllportA USAF C-23A Sherpa being loaded via the rear ramp. The air arm operated 18 C-23As in
Europe until November 1990. Key Collection20-24_shortsDC.mfDCDC.mf.indd 23 03/02/2017 15:07