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News Archive 2002
This page contains an archive of news items relating to the BAe 146, Avro RJ, and Avro RJX regional jetliners built by BAE Systems, from January to December 2002.
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| Avro RJX-100 G-6-391 makes her first flight. (BAE Systems) |
First production RJX flies
In what will probably be both the first and the last "first flight" of a production RJX, the first production RJX-100 took to the air from Woodford on 9 January. Msn E3391 is the third RJX and the first built to production standard. She was to be the first RJX delivered, to British European. She was rolled out in late October. Ordinarily, she would no doubt already have been painted in British European colors, and probably registered either with her intended civil registration or with a customized registration. Instead, she took to the air devoid of any markings except for test registration G-6-391. The RJX test program, which had been suspended following the program's cancellation on November 27, has resumed in case either British European or Druk Air decide to take delivery of the RJXs they have ordered. [2002-01-11] |
Air Jet starts domestic services
French BAe 146 operator Air Jet is planning to take over the route from Paris Orly to Saint Etienne that Air France is dropping. Air Jet will start services on the route on March 4. Air Jet operates two BAe 146-200QCs, but is considering acquiring more. [2002-01-26]
British European cancels RJX order
The other shoe has finally dropped. British European announced that it has cancelled the twelve RJX-100s, with eight options, that it had ordered. British European had planned to use the RJX to replace its fleet of seventeen BAe 146 jets (six series 300s, eight series 200s, and three series 100s). The RJX would have been perfect for the airline's London City routes, as well as its profitable charter operations into restricted airports. The close fit of the type to British European's requirements led it to consider carefully the option of taking delivery of the RJXs even though they would be orphans. Eventually, however, it decided against it. Neither BAE Systems nor British European would comment on what kind of compensation British European received for agreeing to cancel the contract. British European has already been contacted by several other manufacturers eager to sell aircraft in the current flat market. [2002-01-26]
DAT survival efforts continue
After a tumultuous few months, efforts to assure the survival of Delta Air Transport (DAT) and build a new Belgian national airline around it seem to be bearing fruit. A key part of the rescue effort fell into place when creditors of Sabena Interservice Centre (SIC), the in-house banking arm of defunct SABENA, agreed to accept equity in the new airline in lieu of repayment of its debt. Reduced lease rates for the airline's Avro RJs and BAe 146s have also been negotiated, thanks in part to the not-so-subtle threat of flooding the market for the type. Talks are continuing with rival Brussels-based Virgin Express about the possibility of a merger of the two airlines, although DAT executive chairman Rob Kuipers said DAT had "stand-alone viability." In late December, all of DAT's shares were transferred to a new company, Airholding. [2002-01-31]
Crossair to go Swiss
Crossair is already Swiss, of course, but it is now formally adopting the name as a new Swiss national airline is built around it. The new airline, which will join Crossair with the remnants of bankrupt Swissair, will be formally known as "Swiss Air Lines" and advertize itself as "Swiss". It will officially begin flying on April 1. Crossair's entire fleet, which includes four Avro RJ85s and fifteen RJ100s, will form the core of the new airline's fleet, along with 26 of Swissair's Airbus A320s, 13 A330s, and 13 McDonnell Douglas MD-11s. One of the former Swissair A320s has already been painted in the new colors, which combine an all-white fuselage with a traditional Swissair-style tail with the Swiss flag. The name "Swiss" appears on the forward fuselage, either in English or in one of Switzerland's four national languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansch). This will be the third color scheme worn by Crossair's Avro RJs. The BAe 146s it operated before switching to Avro RJs wore a fourth, earlier color scheme. [2002-01-31] |
Air Canada Regional resumes BAe 146 operations
Air Canada Regional airlines AirBC and Air Nova are to continue flying their BAe 146s. Air Canada had announced that all ten series 200s operated by the two airlines would be parked as part of the airline's post-September 11 cutbacks, along with all the Fokker F28s operated by Canadian Regional. An initial plan to park all ten 146s rapidly was changed when the impossibility of retraining all the pilots on Dash 8s in time became evident. Instead, it was decided to park the five AirBC aircraft in early November 2001, along with one Air Nova aircraft. The remaining aircraft would then be parked in January 2002. The AirBC aircraft were parked as scheduled, with the crews being displaced onto Dash 8s. In the first of what would be several changes of plan, however, plans to park the Air Nova aircraft were put on hold in mid-November after a new labor agreement was concluded with the Air Line Pilots Association, International. Air Canada Regional used the retention of jet operations as a carrot in the negotiations, along with a stick of substantial layoffs. "This agreement with our pilots enables us to continue to operate regional jets and to provide service to our customers with the economics we need," said Joseph Randell, President of Air Canada Regional. Air Nova pilots who had been displaced were quickly retrained and placed back on 146 duty, although the airline operated a reduced schedule. AirBC's 146 pilots, however, continued to convert to the Dash 8. Revised plans now saw AirBC's 146s moving east, to be used in central and eastern Canada, with six newly-acquired Bombardier CRJs replacing them in the west. When the cost this would entail in terms of personnel moves became clear, however, it was decided to retain the 146 fleets in their respective bases at Vancouver and Halifax, with the CRJs being introduced in central Canada. One AirBC 146 has been flying for Air Nova since January, covering for maintenance on Air Nova's own 146s, including the engine mods needed to lift the icing restrictions. [2002-02-11] |
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| Former Malmö Aviation BAe 146s stored at Exeter (John Hoyes). |
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BAe 146 ZK-NZI is one of five former Air New Zealand stored at
Melbourne's Essendon Airport (George Canciani). |
Back to the bad old days?
In the early 1990s, pictures of lines of BAe 146s stored in the desert were a major embarrassment for BAe. So when Airclaims data showed 45 BAe 146s as being parked recently, it was natural to fear that the bad old days were back. The numbers, however, are not quite as bad as that. The number of 146s parked never reached 45. Moreover, several aircraft that had been parked have returned to the air. The largest single group of stored 146s are the twelve Ansett aircraft (seven series 200s, two series 200QTs, and three series 300s), grounded when the airline went bankrupt. Some have since operated some charters, but all are now back on the ground, at various airports across Australia (one is in New Zealand, where she had been undergoing maintenance). In the same part of the world, six Air New Zealand series 300s are also in storage, at Essendon and Tullamarine. These former Qantas New Zealand aircraft are owned by Air New Zealand, who leased four to its Mount Cook subsidiary; two remain with that carrier. Another bankruptcy led to the four National Jet Italia series 300s being placed in storage. All four are now at Exeter. Also at Exeter are two series 200s that had been operated by bmi regional until they lost their contract with Lufthansa, and three former Malmö Aviation series 200s. Over at Southend, a former Flightline series 200 has been in storage for almost a year. Another three series 200s and a series 300 of the same airline were also stored there, following the loss of the Swissair Express contract, but all are now flying again. Across the Atlantic, four of AirBC's five series 200s are parked at Vancouver, a casualty of Air Canada's post-September 11 cutbacks. Air Nova's five series 200s were also to be parked, but only one was, the others remaining in operation. Finally, Air Botswana's series 100 is in storage at Gaborone, and Air Zimbabwe's series 200 is essentially derelict at Harare. The total number of 146s currently in storage is thus 35. Presumably, Airclaim's count included all ten AirBC and Air Nova aircraft that Air Canada had announced would be parked, and the four Flightline aircraft that were parked briefly. The count is set to fall to 28 when all the AirBC and Air Nova aircraft return to the air, and the two former bmi Regional aircraft return to British Regional Airlines. Rumors indicate that two of the former NJI aircraft will soon be sold, which would reduce the count further. On the other hand, the last two series 300s in service with Mount Cook will soon be parked, and the two series 200s still in bmi regional service might also be parked. Even so, the count in stored aircraft is well below that given by AirClaims. It is interesting to note that all the stored aircraft are 146s. There isn't a single RJ in the list of stored aircraft, although one airBaltic RJ70 is used only as a backup and is being offered for sale or lease. [2002-02-11] |
Air Jet adds to BAe 146 fleet
French BAe 146 operator Air Jet is leasing a BAe 146-300, and negotiating for another. The two aircraft in question are former National Jet Italia series 300s which are currently in storage at Exeter. The first 146 will join Air Jet in March. Assuming negotiations are concluded successfully, the second would follow in April. Air Jet already operates two BAe 146-200QCs, which it operates on Air France franchise flights, ad hoc and ACMI charters, and night cargo flights. [2002-02-12]
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| Atlantic BAe 146-200 G-CLHE is flying for bmi regional (Daniel Alaerts) |
bmi regional continues BAe 146 operations
bmi regional (formerly British Midland Commuter) lost its contract to operate five BAe 146-200s on behalf of Lufthansa, but continues to operate the type. All five 146s were expected to be returned to lessors when the Lufthansa contract ended, and three were in fact flown to Exeter for maintenance and storage prior to return to lessors. However, the collapse of SABENA created an opportunity to boost services to Brussels, so one 146 was retained to fly from Manchester to the Belgian capital. Another was retained to cover for maintenance of bmi aircraft. A third, which had already been returned to Atlantic Airways and repainted in its colors, was leased again to cover for unexpected maintenance to one of the airline's Embraer ERJ-145s. This latter aircraft will be returned soon; it is unclear how much longer the other two will remain with bmi regional. [2002-02-13] |
CityFlyer Avro RJs to move from Gatwick
In an effort to restore it's loss-making Gatwick operations to profitability, British Airways is planning to move the sixteen former CityFlyer Avro RJ100s to Birmingham and Manchester. At Birmingham, the RJ100s will displace eight A319s that will move to Heathrow, while four 737s will move from Manchester to Gatwick. The moves are a result of BA's 'Future Size and Shape' review. They will allow BA to focus its regional operations at each airport on a single type, thus helping reduce costs and -- BA hopes -- achieve profitability. Of course, BA had had a profitable operation at Gatwick: CityFlyer, which had never lost money until its ill-advised merger with BA's EOG division. Having dismantled CityFlyer's operations, BA must now hope its latest restructuring will give its other Gatwick operations a profitability they never had. [2002-02-13]
Manx loses its identity
As a result of British Airways' 'Future Size and Shape' review, Manx will lose its identity on September 1 and adopt the parent airline's corporate identity. Manx was acquired by British Airways in 2001, along with sister airline British Regional Airlines (BRAL), but had remained separate. BRAL is being merged with Brymon to form British Airways CitiExpress. Manx will also adopt the British Airways CitiExpress name, but in a separate division based on the Isle of Man. In the meantime, Manx's service from the Isle of Man to London, which it operates with its BAe 146, will switch from Heathrow to Gatwick on March 31. [2002-02-13]
New name for DAT
Delta Air Transport (DAT) has announced that it is adopting the name SN Brussels Airlines. The change marks the culmination of efforts to build a new Belgian national airline from the former subsidiary of defunct SABENA. The rather awkard new name combines SABENA's long-established "SN" code with the name of the airline's base. It was chosen from among 50 proposed names. SN Brussels Airlines has also acquired the rights to SABENA's "S" logo, and adopted a new livery derived from the last SABENA livery. The first Avro RJ should be painted in the new colors by the end of the month. The new airline will combine DAT's six BAe 146-200s, fourteen Avro RJ85s, and twelve RJ100s with some of SABENA's Airbus A319s and A320s. Airbus A330s will also be obtained, initially on a wet-lease basis, to re-open some of SABENA's long-haul routes, including its routes to Africa. Talks with Virgin Express about a possible merger are continuing. [2002-02-15] |
Azzurra separates from Alitalia
Italian Avro RJ operator Azzurra Air is ending its franchise agreement with Alitalia, which had seen it operating as Alitalia Express for the last few years. The franchise agreement will end on March 31, and will be replaced by a much looser code-share agreement. Azzurra plans to continue scheduled flights from Milano's Malpensa airport to Porto, Bilbao, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Hamburg, Thessaloniki, and Rome on its own account, in its own colors and using its own "ZS" code. Several of the airline's Avro RJs have already been repainted in the airline's colors. Azzurra currently operates three RJ85s and four RJ70s, but will reduce this fleet to five aircraft in light of more limited route network to be operated. Azzurra also operates several Boeing 737-700s on charter flights. [2002-02-26]
SN Brussels ends merger talks with Virgin Express
SN Brussels Airlines has announced it is ending talks with Virgin Express about a possible merger. The talks apparently foundered on the amount that Virgin Express was willing the invest in the new airline and the share of equity it demanded in return. SN Brussels' executive chairman Rob Kuipers has often stressed that the airline could stand on its own. The first Avro RJ100, OO-DWC msn E3322, has been repainted in SN Brussels Airlines' new livery by QAPS in Amsterdam. The others will follow in the coming months. [2002-03-01] |
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| Flightline BAe 146-200 G-DEFL at Aberdeen on February 5 (Gary Watt). |
Flightline wins Aberdeen, Croatia contracts
Southend-based BAe 146 operator Flightline has won two important contracts, assuring its future. The first is a three-year contract to operate oil industry support flights from Aberdeen to Scatsta. Flightline has been operating the services on an interim basis since it took them over from bankrupt British World Airways in December 2001. Its performance in the last few months was a major factor in winning it the permanent contract against strong competition. Flightline is basing the three former Debonair BAe 146-200s which it had operated for Swissair Express at Aberdeen to provide the flights. They typically operate five round trips a day, compared to the eight BWA's BAe ATPs had operated. Flightline has also won a contract to fly a BAe 146-200 for Croatia Airlines beginning at the end of March. A second 146 will then be added in the fall. Flightline had previously operated a BAe 146 on Croatia Airlines' behalf during 2000. The airline won out over Malmö Aviation for the Croatia contract. [2002-03-02] |
Italian post office buys Mistral Air
The Italian Post Office has bought a 75% interest in BAe 146QT operator Mistral Air from TNT. Mistral Air operates two BAe 146-200QTs on internal Italian freight routes, connecting to TNT's broader system. Mistral will continue to operate for TNT for the next five years. [2002-03-18]
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| BAe 146 C-GRNU is ready for her new paint job (John Davies) |
Air Canada jazzes up its regionals
After many delays, Air Canada has announced that its merged regional airlines will be known as Air Canada Jazz. The new airline has been formed from AirBC, Air Nova, Air Ontario, and Canadian Regional. Air Canada has gradually been integrating the operations of these four airlines, who have been operating essentially as a single airline since late last year. The announcement of a common brand has been repeatedly delayed, however, first by labor disputes and Air Canada's focus on integrating Canadian into its mainline operations, and then by the impact of September 11. The name Jazz was chosen following a long evaluation, which culminated in a short-list of five names. Along with the predictable Air Canada Express and Air Canada Regional, were the livelier names Jazz, Tango, and Zip. Liveliness won out over predictability (the name Tango was used for Air Canada's new low-cost subsidiary). Jazz's color scheme consists of a stylized maple leaf logo and large "Jazz" lettering in one of four colors: yellow, orange, red, or green. The new airline's fleet includes ten BAe 146-200s which had been previously operated by AirBC and Air Nova. AirBC's 146s and one of Air Nova's 146s were parked as part of the post-September 11 cutbacks but all returned to service early this year. The 146s' leases run for another year. In the long run, the 146s are likely to be replaced by Bombardier CRJs, of which Jazz has already ordered ten. [2002-03-28] |
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| Air Jet BAe 146-200 F-GOMA at Edinburgh on March 24 (Jim Woodrow). |
New colors for Air Jet
BAe 146-200QC F-GOMA (msn E2211) of Air Jet has been repainted in a new Air Jet color scheme -- although 'color' scheme might be misnomer, given the preponderance of white. She had previously been operated in Air France colors. [2002-03-28] |
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| Avro RJ85 HB-IXF flew the first Swiss flight (S. Pagiola collection). |
Swiss takes off
Swiss, the new Swiss national airline built around Crossair and the remnants of bankrupt Swissair, took to the air on March 31. The inaugural flight, LX2991 from Basel to Zürich, was flown by Avro RJ85 HB-IXF (no doubt chosen because she is the only RJ to have already been painted in the new airline's livery). She took off from Basel at 06:42 with 65 passengers on board, including the company's chief executive, Andre Dosé. She landed at Zürich at 06:57, and was met by a water-gun salute. The new Swiss airline's fleet includes four RJ85s and fifteen RJ100s. A legal challenge by Swissair's receivers over the use of the name Swiss was rejected in court. [2002-04-01] |
bmi regional ends BAe 146 operations
bmi regional (formerly British Midland Commuter) has ended its BAe 146 operations. bmi regional leased five series 200s in YEAR to take over the franchise services previously operated by Debonair on behalf of Lufthansa. The contract was to run until now but was terminated at the end of November 2001 as part of the German airline's post-September 11 cutbacks. Nevertheless, bmi regional continued to operate several 146s on some of its own routes, allowing the airline to take advantage of opportunities created by the collapse of SABENA and to cover for maintenance of its Embraer ERJs. Very few of the airline's 146 pilots, who had been hired specifically for the 146 operation, have been given the opportunity of transferring to other aircraft in bmi regional's fleet. [2002-04-02]
Flightline BAe 146 begins flying for Croatia
BAe 146-200 G-OZRH (msn E2047) of Flightline began a 30-month lease to Croatia Airlines at the end of March. She flew her first service, a roundtrip from Zagreb to Brussels, on April 3. Current plans call for the 146 to also be used on flights from Zagreb to Skopje, Zürich, London Heathrow, Münich, and Roma Fiumicino, as well as on domestic services to Split and Dubrovnik. [2002-04-12] |
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| Southern BAe 146 VH-YAE flies for QantasLink (S. Pagiola collection) |
Turmoil at Southern Australia
Australian BAe 146 operator Southern Australia has been thrown in turmoil by a proposed re-organization of Qantas' regional subsidiaries, which operate as QantasLink. For some time, Qantas has been thinking of consolidating its five regional airlines into two, one operating jets and one operating turboprops. Most of them operate either jets or turboprops, so the move would mean merging with the others. But for Southern, with its mixture of BAe 146s and Dash 8s, the problem is more complicated. This week, Qantas announced Southern's Dash 8s would soon be transferred to sister airline Eastern. The 146s would remain until the end of the year, when they would be transferred to National Jet Systems. The announcement came as a major surprise to Southern, who has been consistently profitable and has recently been operating an expanded four-jet schedule, supplementing its own three 146s with an additional example leased from NJS. It caused a major uproar among Southern's staff, most of whom would have no guarantee of employment under the new structure. Only recently, Southern's 146 crews had had to relocate, on short notice, from Tasmania to Canberra when Qantas replaced the 146s with Impulse's 717s on the trans-Tasman runs. Now they face another relocation, at best, or the loss of their jobs, at worst. The uproar resulted in the planned re-organization being put on hold, but few doubt that its basic thrust will ultimately be followed. In other news, Qantas has indicated it will announce its choice for a new regional jet by year's end. The Avro RJX had been a prime contender, but its cancellation has left the field to the Embraer 170 and the Fairchild Dornier 728. [2002-04-12] |
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| British Airways CitiExpress BAe 146-300 G-OINV (S. Pagiola Collection) |
Goodbye BRAL, Hello BACX
British Airways has taken a further step in its plan to re-structure its regional operations by merging its subsidiaries British Regional Airlines (BRAL) and Brymon to form British Airways CitiExpress (BACX). BRAL was bought by British Airways in March 2001, and the plan to merge it with Brymon was announced in May 2001. The merger took effect on March 31, 2002. BRAL's sister airline Manx will also be integrated into BACX, in September. BACX's fleet includes four BAe 146s: one series 100, two series 200s, and one series 300. Manx will add another series 200. [2002-04-12] |
Last Avro RJ flies
The very last 'first flight' for a British-built commercial airliner took place on April 26, when Avro RJ85 G-CBMH msn E2394 built took to the air from Woodford. [2002-04-27]
BAE Systems denies plans to revive RJX
The surprise resignation of BAE Systems Chief Executive John Weston, the bankruptcy of Fairchild Dornier, which places its 728 regional jet program in jeopardy, and the revival of the global economy, have led to numerous rumors that BAE Systems was re-thinking its abrupt cancellation of the Avro RJX program. The RJX had been only a few months short of certification when BAE Systems pulled the plug in late November, 2001. But BAE Systems scotched these rumors in a press briefing that detailed its post-RJX plans in the commercial airline market. The company will focus its regional aircraft activities on three programs, Customer Support, Engineering, and Asset Management, managed by newly appointed Managing Director Alan Fraser. The Asset Management business will focus on ensuring that the company's large portfolio of aircraft, including a large number of BAe 146s and Avro RJs, remains profitably employed, while the Customer Support business will concentrate on providing spares and other support to operators. The Engineering business will work on improvements and modifications for the in-service fleet. [2002-04-30]
Air Botswana resumes BAe 146 operations
Botswana's national airline, Air Botswana, has resumed BAe 146 operations after a hiatus of several years. Last year, the airline had arranged to lease its remaining 146-100 to Italian start-up Goldwing Airlines, but the deal fell through. After a period of storage in Europe, the aircraft returned to Gaborone in August 2001 and placed in storage. Rather than keeping the aircraft idle, however, the airline decided to place her into service. She entered service on April 1, replacing a wet-leased Fokker F28 on the route from Johannesburg to Maun, the gateway to the popular tourist destinations in the Okavango Delta area. She also steps in for the airline's ATR42s when needed. Plans call for the 146 to be flown for an initial nine-month period, during the busy tourist season. Although the airline would prefer to sell the aircraft, it is considering continuing to operate her in the long term. [2002-05-02]
buzz to merge with Basiq Air
Stansted-based BAe 146 operator buzz will be merged with KLM's other low-cost airline, Basiq Air, into a single airline. In March, KLM had signaled its intention to eventually consolidate its two low-cost subsidiaries by placing them under a single management team headed by Floris van Pallandt. KLM did not indicate which would be the surviving brand. buzz operates eight BAe 146-300s, but they are expected to be replaced by Boeing 737s as their leases expire. [2002-05-14]
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| British European's experimental colors (British European) |
British European experiments with new color scheme
British European is experimenting with a new color scheme to replace its current scheme, which is a modification of that of it's previous identity, Jersey European. The new scheme includes pale blue undersides, new styling for the titles, and a large "Fly be" slogan on the tail and aft fuselage. It has been applied to a Dash 8Q-400, and may be extended to the rest of the fleet if responses are positive. British European operates sixteen BAe 146s: two series 100, eight series 200, and six series 300. [2002-05-15] |
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| Flightline BAe 146-200 G-TBIC at Aberdeen (Gary Watt) |
Stored BAe 146 returns to the air
After over a year in storage, BAe 146-200 G-TBIC (msn E2047) of TBI is once again flying for Flightline. She has joined several other Flightline 146s in Aberdeen, operating oil industry support flights. She wears the titles of the Integrated Aviation Consortium, the group of oil companies that has contracted for Flightline to provide support flights. Flightline has also added BAe 146-200 G-FLTB (msn E2024, formerly G-CLHA of bmi regional). G-FLTB was delivered to Flightline on May 9, and entered service the next day on flights from Dublin. [2002-05-15] |
Labor trouble grounds Aer Lingus
Facing a strike by its pilots, Irish airline Aer Lingus suspended operations on Thursday, May 30. The pilots' union, IMPACT, called the strike to protest against changes in work rules that the company instituted as part of its restructuring plan. Although the strike was called for a single day, the airline suspended operations indefinitely. Eventually, an agreement was reached when both sides accepted the recommendations of the nation's Labour Court and flights resumed on June 4. Under the recommendation, crew rest periods will be reduced from 13 hours to 12, rather than the 10 hours Aer Lingus had sought. Aer Lingus operates eight BAe 146-300s on routes from Dublin to UK regional airports. Two were to have been returned off-lease this spring, but the airline decided to retain them. While flights were suspended, all eight were parked at Dublin, along with the rest of the airline's fleet. [2002-06-01, updated 06-06] |
Jazz adopts capacity purchase contract
Air Canada's new regional subsidiary, Jazz, is adopt a capacity purchase model, replacing its existing revenue sharing arrangement with its parent airline. Beginning on August 1, Air Canada will pay jazz a flat fee per flight. The arrangement is similar to that in place between most US airlines and their regional partners. Jazz operates ten BAe 146-200s. [2002-06-28]
Air New Zealand ends BAe 146 operations
Air New Zealand's regional subsidiary, Qantas New Zealand, has retired its last BAe 146. series 300s are also in storage, at Essendon and Tullamarine. Mount Cook used four former Qantas New Zealand BAe 146-300s on domestic services from Auckland to Queenstown and from Christchurch to Rotorua and Queenstown. Three were retired earlier this year, and flown to Melbourne's Essendon airport for storage. One, ZK-NZN, remained in service until June 15. She joined the rest of her former fleetmates on June 27, ferrying from Christchurch to Essendon via Hobart. She had been scheduled to make the flight a week earlier, but engine problems delayed her. [2002-06-28]
Air Jet expands scheduled services
French airline Air Jet is adding several more scheduled routes to the Paris-Saint-Etienne service it began in March. After a difficult start, the Saint-Etienne-Paris route is now breaking even, and Air Jet is optimistic that it will become profitable by the end of the year. As a result, Air Jet has decided to expand its scheduled services. Services from Bordeaux and Toulouse to Geneva was added in late June, and from Paris to La Rochelle in July. The first two routes were formerly flown by Swissair, while the latter route, like Air Jet's original Saint Etienne route, was abandoned by Air France as part of its restructuring. Air Jet is also examining other routes given up by the national carrier. The airline will be code-sharing with Swiss on servics to Geneva. Air Jet operates two BAe 146-200QCs and one 146-300. Another series 300 is expected to join the fleet. [2002-06-28] |
Air Jet flies for Ciao Fly
Italian start-up airline Ciao Fly began operations between Parma and London Luton on July 1. The airline, which is owned by a Swiss-based financial group, had initially planned to launch services to Barcelona, Bruxelles, and Paris on June 1, using BAe 146-300s. Both the route structure and the schedule changed several times, before the airline settled on Luton as its first destination. Although the airline indicated that it would be taking delivery of a leased BAe 146-300 to operate the route, service began using a wet-leased BAe 146-200 from French airline Air Jet, and operated under Air Jet's AIJ call sign. The Parma-Luton service is operated six times a week. The schedule called for a roundtrip from Luton to Paris Beauvais to be flown before the aircraft returned to Parma, but this does not seem to have begun yet. [2002-07-02]
buzz takes over KLM's Amsterdam-Stansted route
Stansted-based BAe 146 operator buzz will take over KLM's route from London Stansted to Amsterdam from the end of October. The move will allow KLM's full-service subsidiary, KLM uk, to focus its operations on other routes. buzz will operate five times a day between Stansted and Schiphol, using one of its BAe 146s, released by the end of seasonal service to 'summer' destinations. buzz operates eight BAe 146-300s. [2002-07-10]
British European becomes Flybe
Exeter-based BAe 146 operator British European is changing its name to Flybe. The airline had been using Flybe as a marketing brand for its low-fare services since last November. It had initially been used on the London-Belfast routes, where British European competed with several low-fare carriers. The brand was later expanded to other routes on which the airline offered low fares. A new color scheme which incorporated the brand name was launched in mid-May, but at the time "flybe" was still seen as a marketing slogan, as in "fly British European next time you fly". The name change is accompanied by an advertising campaign stressing the 'new deal' the airline offers to passengers, embodied in a Customer Charter which includes the abolition of overbooking. Flybe operates sixteen BAe 146s, including two series 100, eight series 200s, and six series 300s. One has already been painted in the new colors. [2002-07-18] |
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| Former Ansett BAe 146-200 VH-JJQ (S. Pagiola collection) |
Former Ansett BAe 146 parted out
Former Ansett BAe 146-200 VH-JJQ (msn E2038) has had all her useful parts removed at Brisbane. The fuselage will be used by the local Aviation Australia training facility for engineering and cabin crew training. A similar fate has befallen VH-JJX (msn E2127) at Townsville. She will be used by the airport fire department as a training aid. [2002-07-31] |
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| Turkish Avro RJ100 TC-THH (BAE Systems) |
Turkish Avro RJs to be transferred to new airline
Turkish Airlines (THY) will transfer most of its Avro RJs to a new low-fare regional airline, TurkJet, which is to be established in early 2003 to carry domestic feeder traffic. The new carrier will be based in Ankara and take over most of THY's domestic services. Unlike nationally-owned THY, TurkJet will be majority-owned by the private sector, although THY and Turkey's Ministry of Transport will also have stakes. THY currently operates three RJ70s and nine RJ100s. It expects to transfer seven or eight of these aircraft to the new airline. [2002-08-12] |
National Jet opens maintenance center in Brisbane
National Jet Systems (NJS) opened a new maintenance and engineering base at Brisbane, in Queensland, on August 6. The new facility includes a 4,250 square meter hangar, allowing up to three aircraft to be serviced at one time, a workshop, and office and storage space. NJS operate twelve BAe 146s on regional passenger services for QantasLink and three 146QT freighters on behalf of Australian Air Express. [2002-08-14]
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| Ansett BAe 146-300 VH-EWS leaves Brisbane (Anonymous contributorS) |
Last Ansett BAe 146 leaves Brisbane
BAe 146-300 VH-EWS (msn E3197) was the last Ansett aircraft to leave Brisbane. She had been undergoing a D check when the airline went bankrupt, and completion of the check was obviously delayed. It ultimately had to be completed in the open after the maintenance base was sold to Qantas. She was given a water salute as she taxied out for her ferry flight to Melbourne on August 16. [2002-08-20] |
Air Wisconsin adds service to Aspen
Air Wisconsin will add a new seasonal jet service from San Francisco to Aspen over the 2002-03 ski season using its BAe 146s. Air Wisconsin, which operates as United Express, also serves Aspen year-round from Denver with its 146s, and seasonally from Los Angeles. The BAe 146 and Avro RJ are the only jets allowed to operate into the restricted airfield at Aspen. Mesaba also operate a seasonal service to Aspen, with its RJ85s, on behalf of Northwest Jet Airlink. [2002-08-29]
Ciao, Ciao Fly
Less than two months after beginning services, Italian low-fare airline Ciao Fly has suspended operations. The airline began services with a BAe 146-200 wet-leased from Air Jet on July 1. Initial services linked Parma to London Luton. A roundtrip from Luton to Beauvais was added later, sandwiched between the flights from and back to Parma. Although the airline had announced that it would be taking delivery of its own leased BAe 146-300, this never happened. Instead, the Air Jet 146 was later replaced by another series 200 wet-leased from WDL Aviation, and then by a series 300 wet-leased from Flightline. Services were initially suspended on August 19, then resumed before being suspended indefinitely from August 26. The airline has indicated that it would try to re-start operations, with services from a "major hub" in northern Italy to Paris where it would face less intense competition than on routes to the United Kingdom. [2002-08-29]
buzz to replace BAe 146s as leases expire
Taking advantage of low lease rates, Stansted-based buzz has agreed to lease six Boeing 737-300s. The 737s will replace six of the airline's eight BAe 146-300s as the 146's leases expire over the next two years. Three will be replaced in 2003 and three in 2004. buzz parent KLM uk owns the two other 146s outright. buzz already operates two 737s. KLM has announced plans to consolidate buzz with KLM's other low-cost airline, Basiq Air, into a single airline. The two airlines are already being managed by a single management team. [2002-09-05]
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| Strong winds blew the 146s into each other (Anonymous contributor) |
Storm thrashes stored Ansett 146s
A violent windstorm that swept through the Melbourne area on September 2 caused substantial damage to several of the former Air New Zealand and Qantas New Zealand BAe 146s parked at Essendon airport. The winds caused most of the 146s to break their moorings; several were then pushed into each other. Five of the 146s suffered various degrees of damage; two were un-damaged. The 146s were placed in storage at Essendon earlier this year, after being retired from service in New Zealand. They had been taken over by Air New Zealand after the collapse of Qantas New Zealand. Air New Zealand later placed four of them into service for some time. The 146s reverted to Ansett after Air New Zealand cut its ties to its former subsidiary, which then went bankrupt. The 146s are being managed by Ansett administrators. The damage will certainly complicate efforts to sell the aircraft. [2002-09-05] |
British Airways begins to transfer Avro RJ100s to CitiExpress
British Airways has begun transferring its Avro RJ100s to newly-formed regional subsidiary British Airways CitiExpress (BACX). BACX was formed in March by merging Brymon and British Regional Airlines. British Airways Regional is also being merged into BACX. The RJ100s were formerly operated by Gatwick-based CityFlyer, which was integrated into British Airways earlier this year. One RJ100 was transferred at the end of July, one in mid-July, one at the beginning of September, and a fourth in mid-September. All four are based at Manchester. Two more are scheduled to be transferred in October, to be based at Birmingham, with the rest following at the rate of about two a month. BACX already operates five BAe 146s. The operation of the RJs by BACX is the subject of intense labor negotiations within BA. [2002-09-30]
Air Malta sells, leases back Azzurra Avro RJs
BAE Systems' trading and services arm, in conjunction with HSBC Bank, has negotiated a sale-and-leaseback deal involving the three Avro RJ70s and three RJ85s operated by Air Malta subsidiary Azzurra Air. HSBC will manage the leases of the seven jets. Earlier, Azzurra had renewed its Jetspares spares inventory and repair contract with BAE Systems. Azzurra operates its RJs on charter flights and on code-share services with Alitalia (but no longer under the Alitalia Express brand). [2002-10-03] |
Club Air receives first BAe 146
Italian start-up Club Air has taken delivery of its first BAe 146. The former Flightline series 200 was delivered from Southend to Brescia on October 3. A second will follow in mid-October. Club Air has been formed by tour operator Valsole Viaggi, primarily to undertake flights to Romania. Valsole had previously chartered ATR42s and 737s from TAROM. Cooperation with TAROM will continue, and the 146s may in turn operate some routes on behalf of the Romanian airline. Both 146s are on three-year leases from owner IMP Group, a deal arranged through broker Cabot Aviation, and will be operated under the AOC of freight operator SixCargo. Spares support will be provided by CASCO. A third 146 might be added next year. [2002-10-03]
Turkish renews Avro RJs leases
Turkish Airlines (THY) has extended the leases on all twelve of its Avro RJs. THY operates nine Avro RJ100s and three RJ70s on domestic and regional routes. This is the third time that THY renews the leases on the RJs. THY is planning to transfer several of the RJs to a new low-fare regional airline, TurkJet, which is to be established in early 2003 to carry domestic feeder traffic. [2002-10-15]
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| N528XJ's nose section was embedded in the jetway (Anonymous) |
Northwest Avro RJ85 severely damaged at Memphis
An Avro RJ85 operated by Mesaba on behalf of Northwest Jet Airlink was severely damaged in a taxiing accident at Northwest's Memphis hub on October 15. The aircraft, N528XJ (msn E2353), was being taxied back to the terminal after a maintenance check, with no passengers on board, when it slammed into a jetway at the C Concourse. Both the nose and the left wing hit the jetway. The number one engine was torn off, and the nose section suffered substantial damage, being bent to the right. The concourse was evacuated briefly while firefighters secured a fuel leak from the damaged aircraft. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Mesaba is examining the structural damage on the aircraft to determine whether she is repairable. [2002-10-18] |
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| Southern's BAe 146s are now operated by NJS (S. Pagiola collection) |
End of the runway for Southern Australia
Australian BAe 146 operator Southern Australia is no more. As part of an effort to rationalize its regional subsidiaries, Qantas has transferred the airline's three 146s to National Jet Systems, where they will continue to operate under the QantasLink brand, while the Dash 8s were transferred to Eastern. 146s VH-YAD and YAE operated their last services for Southern on October 26, and then transferred to NJS. VH-YAF had transferred earlier in the week. Most of Former Southern staff are extremely bitter at the way Qantas has handled the situation. Southern's 146 flight crews are now flying 146s for NJS, on a 12-month secondment, following which they will be forced to choose between being made redundant or retraining on the Dash 8s, with a substantial pay cut. Most flight attendants have transferred to Qantas mainline, while the administrative and operational staff have been laid off, although some found positions with Qantas. Of the 200-odd people once employed by Southern only about 30 engineering staff remain, as a maintenance provider to Eastern, Sunstate, and NJS. [2002-10-28] |
buzz to expand operations, but without BAe 146s
KLM has announced a substantial expansion of its low-cost subsidiary, buzz, so as to compete with EasyJet and Ryanair in the fast-growing low-cost airline market. A second hub will be opened at Bournemouth in March, and a third at another UK airport later in the year. The airline's eight BAe 146-300s will not be part of the expansion, however, as they are slated to be replaced by Boeing 737s as leases expire. buzz is being split off from KLM uk, which will be merged with regional subsidiary KLM CityHopper. buzz will continue as a separate company, under KLM uk's AOC. The split is causing considerable dismay among KLM uk's flight crews, who are being forced to choose which side to stay with, many under substantially less attractive terms. A strike is being threatened. [2002-10-31]
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| China Northwest BAe 146-300 (BAE Systems) |
China Northwest merges with China Eastern
Xian-based BAe 146 operator China Northwest merged with the Eastern Air Group, parent of China Eastern Airlines, on October 11. The move is part of the consolidation of Chinese airlines ordered by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). At present, China Northwest and China Yunnan, which was also aquired by China Eastern, continue to operate independently. Over the next year, however, their assets and operations will be "injected" into China Eastern. China Northwest operates three BAe 146 series 100s and seven series 300s. The airline's series 300s are unusual in being fitted with LF507-1H engines, instead of the ALF502R-5s that are typical for BAe 146. Unlike the LF507-1Fs fitted to Avro RJs, however, the -1H has hydromechanical controls rather than a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC). The merger may see BAe 146s once again flying with China Eastern colors -- China Eastern operated three BAe 146-100s from its formation in 1989 until 1995. [2002-10-31] |
Air Jet BAe 146-300 impounded in Italy
BAe 146-300 G-BTUY (msn E3202) of Air Jet was impounded at Bergamo in June, due to outstanding bills incurred by her previous operator, bankrupt National Jet Italia. Her owners had initially warned Air Jet against flying her into Italy, but had subsequently assured them everything had been resolved. That advice proved to be incorrect, and she was impounded. The affair is now proving a boon to lawyers, as the owners argue with Italian authorities to try to recover her while attempting to force Air Jet to make lease payments. [2002-11-01]
Club Air begins operations
New Italian BAe 146 operator Club Air began operations on November 24. Charter flights to Romania are being flown on behalf of Valsole Viaggi. The initial schedule calls for flights from Verona to Bucarest (six times a week), Timisoara (six times a week), Arad and Oradea (three times a week), and Cluj (twice a week non-stop and once via Timisoara). Sofia is also served twice a week. Beginning on December 10, additional flights will link Bari to Bucarest and Timisoara (three times a week). The airline was to have begun flying on November 12. No reason was given for the delay. Club Air took delivery of two former Flightline series 200s on three-year leases from IMP Group in October. [2002-11-29]
New German low-cost airline eyes BAe 146s
A proposed new German low-cost airline, Express-Airways, is considering using BAe 146s. Express-Airways had been operating Shorts 360s on behalf of FedEx as part of the Farnair Group. The end of the FedEx contract left the company looking for other opportunities. The current proposal calls for about six 100-seat BAe 146s to be operated primarily between secondary German cities such as Augsburg, Braunschweig, Dresden, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, and Lübeck, with connections to Berlin-Schönefeld and Cologne/Bonn. Flights to international destinations such as Vienna and Budapest would be operated on weekends, and freight flights at night. The airline is hoping to differentiate itself from the growing list of German low-cost airlines by offering a "no games" price policy, with all flights within Germany costing EUR69 one way (EUR49 on weekends) and international flights costing EUR149. If investors can be found to support the effort, operations would begin in the spring of 2003. The airline has approached BAE Systems about leasing 146s, but no deal has yet been reached. [2002-11-29]
airBaltic Avro RJ70 returns home
airBaltic's Avro RJ70 YL-BAK (msn E1223) has returned from her lease to Druk Air and is now flying airBaltic services from Riga. This is a much-travelled RJ70. Originally built for US airline Business Express, she was acquired by airBaltic in 1996. The then young airline did not have enough work for her, and so she was leased out to Australia's National Jet Systems from 1997 to 2000. During this period, she also operated for Norfolk Jet Express and Air Niugini. Upon hre return to Europe, she commenced a new lease, to Azzurra Air, who employed her on flights operated on behalf of Alitalia Express. [2002-11-29] |
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| Flightline BAe 146-200 G-FLTB with Audi sticker (TZ Aviation) |
Flightline flies for Audi
Flightline's BAe 146-200 G-FLTB (msn E2024) recently flew a series of charter flights on behalf of Audi, wearing a small Audi logo. Many auto manufacturers are frequent Flightline customers. [2002-11-29] |
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| Air Zimbabwe's BAe 146 during better days (S. Pagiola collection) |
Air Zimbabwe works on parked BAe 146
Air Zimbabwe is apparently working to restore its single BAe 146 into service. The series 200 has been parked at Harare since April 2000, a result of the route cutbacks forced on the airline by fuel shortages and plumetting passenger loads due to the country's tense political situation. It is believed to be in poor condition, as no efforts were made to prepare it for storage -- not even to the extent of placing covers on the engines. A team of engineers from South Africa is carrying out a C check on her. It is unclear whether the airline intends to place her back into service or try to sell her. Selling her might prove difficult, as she is actually owned by the Ministry of Defence, and thus falls under the restrictions that many countries have placed on dealing with Zimbabwe's government. The presence of the South African engineers came to light when the airline's union complained at their hiring while many of Air Zimbabwe's own maintenance staff have been dismissed for going on strike. [2002-12-08] |
Avro RJX competitors stumble
Over a year after BAE Systems abruptly cancelled the Avro RJX program, most of its competitors have encountered problems. The Fairchild Dornier 728 program has fallen victim of the company's bankruptcy. Although the prototype was rolled out, it never flew. Frantic efforts to save the program appear unlikely to succeed, and what is left of the company appears likely to be broken up. Lufthansa CityLine, who had placed a major order for 728s, thus appears likely to fly its Avro RJ85s longer. Across the Atlantic, the Embraer 170 family has experienced several delays. Although certification and initial deliveries were supposed to occur before year-end, they have been pushed back into 2003. The type also appears likely to need a supplementary airbrake to be able to operate into London City, as promised to launch customer Crossair (now Swiss). Swiss, too, will thus likely retain its Avro RJ85s and RJ100s longer than originally envisaged. The Airbus A318, already delayed by technical problems with its P&W PW6000 powerplant, has been hit by numerous cancellations that have whittled down its orderbook substantially, placing the future of the program in doubt. British Airways was the latest defector, replacing an order for twelve A318s with other members of Airbus' narrowbody family. Had BAE Systems not rashly cancelled the RJX just short of its certification, its head start over its competitors would have lasted for several years. [2002-12-15]
China Eastern offers its BAe 146-300s for sale
China Eastern is offering the seven BAe 146-300s it acquired in its recent take-over of China Northwest for sale via broker JJM Aviation. All seven were delivered new to China Northwest between late 1992 and early 1994. They have an average 22,000 hours and 15,000 cycles. Unlike other 146s, they are fitted with LF507-1H engines with hydromechanical controls and so have better hot-and-high performance. They are also all fitted with EFIS flight controls. During 1998, Malmö Aviation considered buying them to replace its series 200s, but could not reach an agreement. [2002-12-15]
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| The large cargo door on a TNT 146QT (S. Pagiola) |
BAE Systems explores BAe 146 freighter options
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is exploring new freighter variants of the BAe 146. As with other aircraft types, falling residual values as the aircraft age make freight conversion attractive. The 146's legendary quietness makes the type particularly well suited for the nocturnal freight market, and there are few other options in its 11-13 tonne size range. During the 1980s, fourteen series 200s and ten series 300s were built as QT freighters, and five series 200s were built as QC quick-change models. All were fitted with a large aft cargo door by Pemco World Air Services, of Dothan, Alabama. This option is now once again on offer. It includes the installation of a large 3.33x1.93m upward-opening freight door in the rear fuselage and of a roller floor and associated cargo handling equipment. In addition, the possibility of offering a smaller door suitable for taking Europallets (0.79x1.20m) in the forward fuselage is being studied, as is the option of converting the interiors alone, with freight being loaded through the existing passenger door using trolleys. Other studies are also underway aimed at making the 146 more attractive in a variety of markets. Fitting the belly tanks designed by Cranfield Aerospace for the BAe 146-300 Atmospheric Research Aircraft program would increase range by up to 400nm, making the 146 more appealing to the corporate aircraft and special mission aircraft markets. Further afield, BAE Systems is investigating water-bombing and oil dispersal versions, building on design work done for the BAe 748 in the water-bombing role. [2002-12-15] |
CitiExpress adds London City services with Avro RJ100s
British Airways CitiExpress (BACX) will fly their newly acquired Avro RJ100s from London City to Frankfurt, Glasgow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle beginning in April 2003. This will be the first time that British Airways will serve London City. The move is part of an extensive re-structuring of the regional airline, which will eventually see it become an all-jet airline operating Embraer ERJ-145s, BAe 146s, and Avro RJ100s. The airline has already agreed to transfer its twelve Jetstream 41s to Eastern Airways, and is looking to dispose of its Dash 8s and ATPs. The sixteen Avro RJ100s formerly operated by CityFlyer are gradually being transferred to BACX. [2002-12-18]
Flybe expands
Exeter-based BAe 146 operator Flybe is planning a significant route expansion in March 2003, with several new services from Southampton and Birmingham. The airline will establish a new hub at Southampton, and operate services to Milano Bergamo, Geneva, Dublin, Belfast City, and Jersey with a mixture of BAe 146s and Dash 8-Q400s. A further expansion will see services to Barcelona and Nice being added with the winter 2003 schedule. Other cities being considered for service include Brussels, Copenhagen, Lyons, Toulouse, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. From Birmingham, Flybe will add services to Milano Bergamo and to the Isle of Man. Flybe already serves ten other destinations from Birmingham. Flybe recently signed a five-year extension to its JetSpares contract with BAE Systems Regional Aircraft. The US$29 million contract provides spares support for the airline's fifteen BAe 146s regional jets. [2002-12-19] |
Honeywell sues over Avro RJX cancellation
Honeywell is suing BAE Systems for cancelling the Avro RJX. Honeywell was to have provided its new AS977 engine for the new type, as well as other equipment. It has filed two writs in the High Court, claiming US$21 million in damages, alleging that it has not been paid for developing and manufacturing equipment for the RJX. [2002-12-24]
Former Queen's Flight BAe 146 on the move
BAe 146-100 ZE702 (msn E1124), formerly of 32 Squadron (The Royal) of the Royal Air Force, was registered to Tronos plc as G-CBXY on November 18, and flown from Northolt to Southend on November 25. She had been in storage at Northolt since being withdrawn from use at the end of 2001. [2002-12-24] |
Preliminary Crossair crash report shows no aircraft problems
The preliminary report on the crash of Crossair's Avro RJ100 HB-IXM msn E3291 indicates that nothing appeared to be wrong with the aircraft. HB-IXM went down in bad weather in a wooded area about five kilometers from Zürich airport on November 24, 2001, while on approach to the airport's runway 28. Completion of the investigation into the crash has been delayed, ironically, by unsafe conditions in the offices of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (BEAA), which were found to contain unacceptably high levels of asbestos. Nevertheless, analysis of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and other systems has been completed. Although investigations are still underway, tests undertaken to date indicate that engines, APU, and hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems all appear to have been functioning normally at the time of impact. Further reinforcing this conclusion, the initial recommendations emerging from the investigation all point to other factors as having potentially played a role: they touch on pilot training and crew pairing procedures; on operational procedures related to non-precision approaches; and on the need to ensure that all obstacles are accurately depicted on approach charts. The only recommendation that touches on aircraft system is to accelerate the introduction of Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS). Crossair's newest RJ100s were delivered with EGPWS, but models delivered earlier (including, unfortunately, HB-IXM) had the less sophisticated GPWS. [2002-12-29] |
Continue to January 2003 news.
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