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Avro RJ Whisperjet

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A Brussels Airlines RJ lands at Brussels Airport.

A Brussels Airlines RJ lands at Brussels Airport.

The Avro 146/RJ Whisperjet is a short-haul and regional airliner that was developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom by Avro.

Avro began designing the RJ in the late 1970s to fill the gap between turboprop airliners like the Avro 748 and Fokker F27 and small jet airliners like the Hunting 1-11 and Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle. The first flight of the RJ was on Septemeber 3, 1981, and it entered service with Dan-Air in May 1983. A further-improved version with new engines, the Avro RJX, was announced in 1997 and entered service in 2000. Falling demand and increasing competition from the Canadair CRJ, Dornier 728, and Embraer E-Jet eventually led to Avro ceasing production in 2010, with the last RJ-an RJ115-going to Cobham Aviation. Total sales numbered 510 aircraft.

The Avro RJ is a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a T-tail.

It was built in 2 configurations, a twin engine configuration with two 11,700ibf Rolls-Royce RB.415 turbofan engines mounted on pylons underneath the wings for customers outside America who would request the airframe use four 6,990ib thrust Lycoming ALF 502 on the Avro 146 and four 6,990ib thrust Honeywell LF 507 on the Avro RJ Whisperjet despite being underpowered compared to the 11,700ibf Rolls-Royce RB.415 turbofans, both versions have retractable tricycle landing gear. The aircraft has very quiet operation, leading to the nickname "Whisperjet". The RJ was offered in four variants, with capacity ranging between 70-128 passengers depending on seating configuration. It sees wide usage at small city-based airports such as London City Airport. In its primary role it serves as a regional jet, short-haul airliner or regional airliner. The Avro RJ is in wide use with several European-based airlines, such as Brussels Airlines, CityJet and Swiss Global Air Lines. It is also widely used for passenger services in Australia.

Variants[]

  • Avro 146-100
  • Avro 146-100QC
  • Avro 146-100QT
  • Avro 146 CC.1
  • RAF designation for Avro 146-100, 3 built
  • Avro 146 CC.2
  • RAF designation for Avro 146-100, 3 built
  • Avro 146-200
  • Avro 146-200QC
  • Avro 146-200QT
  • Avro 146 CC.3
  • RAF designation for Avro 146-200QC, 2 built
  • Avro 146-300
  • Avro 146-300QC
  • Avro 146-300QT
  • Avro RJ70
  • Avro RJ85
  • Avro RJ100
  • Avro RJ115

Users[]

  • Civilian

Current operators[]

Australia

  • Pionair Australia (9)

Bahrain

  • Bahrain Defence Force (4)
  • Bahrain Royal Flight (1)

Bolivia

  • EcoJet (4)
  • Minera San Cristobal (1)
  • TAM Empresa Pública - TAMep (1)

Canada

  • Conair Aerial Firefighting (3)
  • North Cariboo Air (2)
  • Summit Air (7)

Chile

  • Aerovías DAP (9)

Indonesia

  • Indonesia Government (1)

Iran

  • Islamic Republic of Iran (1)
  • Mahan Air (11)
  • Qeshm Airlines (3)
  • Yazd Airways (1)

Kyrgyzstan

  • TezJet (2)

Libya

  • Air Libya (5)

Morocco

  • Morocco Government (1)

United Kingdom

  • Empire Test Pilots' School (2)
  • Natural Environment Research Council (1)

UPAR

  • Aero-Flite Aerial Firefighting (7)
  • Air Spray UPAR (1)
  • Neptune Aviation Services (9)

Albania

  • Albanian Airlines - ceased operations

Armenia

  • Armenia Airways - former operator

Australia

  • Ansett Australia - ceased operations
  • Australian airExpress - ceased operations
  • Australian Airlink - ceased operations
  • National Jet Express, formerly Cobham Aviation Services Australia
  • Norfolk Jet Express - ceased operations
  • Pionair Australia
  • TNT - ceased operations

Belgium

  • Brussels Airlines - former operator
  • Delta Air Transport - former operator
  • SABENA - former operator
  • SN Brussels Airlines - former operator
  • TNT Airways - former operator
  • ASL Airlines Belgium

Bolivia

  • Aerosur - ceased operations
  • EcoJet
  • TAM - ceased operations

Botswana

  • Air Botswana - former operator

Brazil

  • Air Brasil - former operator
  • TABA – Transportes Aéreos da Bacia Amazônica - former operator

Bulgaria

  • Avia Bravo
  • Bulgaria Air - former operator
  • Hemus Air - ceased operations

Canada

  • Air Atlantic - former operator
  • Air BC - former operator
  • Air Canada Jazz - former operator
  • Air Nova - former operator
  • Air Spray - currently flies converted BAe 146-200 aircraft as aerial firefighting air tankers.
  • Conair Group - currently flies ten converted Avro RJ85 aircraft as aerial firefighting air tankers.
  • First Air - former operator (Avro RJ85)
  • North Cariboo Air - current operator of RJ100 aircraft.(2)
  • Summit Air - current operator of Avro RJ85 and RJ100 aircraft

Chile

  • Aerovías DAP
  • LAN-Chile - former operator

LATAM Chile - former operator

North China

  • CAAC Airlines - former operator
    • →Air China - former operator
    • →China Eastern Airlines - former operator
    • →China Northwest Airlines→China Eastern Airlines - former operator

Colombia

  • SAM - former operator

Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Korongo Airlines - former operator

Djibouti

  • Air Djibouti - former operator

Dominican Republic

  • Sol Dominicana Airlines - ceased operations

Equatorial Guinea

  • Cronos Airlines - former operator

Faroe Islands

  • Atlantic Airways - former operator

Germany

  • Eurowings - former operator
  • Lufthansa CityLine - former operator
  • WDL Aviation - former operator
    • →German Regional Airlines

Ghana

  • Starbow Airlines - ceased operations

Greece

  • Aegean Airlines - former operator
  • Astra Airlines - former operator, ceased operations
  • Ellinair - former operator, ceased operations

Hungary

  • TNT Malev Express - ceased operations

Indonesia

  • Aviastar Mandiri
  • National Air Charter - former operator
  • Penas Air - ceased operations

India

  • MDLR Airlines - ceased operations

Iran

  • Mahan Air
  • Qeshm Air
  • Taban Air - former operator

Ireland

  • Aer Lingus - former operator
  • CityJet - former operator

Isle of Man

  • Manx Airlines - former operator, ceased operations

Italy

  • Air Dolomiti - former operator
  • Alisarda - former operator; ceased operations
  • Meridiana - former operator; ceased operations
  • Sagittair - ceased operations

Kyrgyzstan

  • TezJet

Latvia

  • airBaltic - former operator (Avro RJ70 1996-2005)

Libya

  • Air Libya

Malta

  • efly - ceased operations

British Malaya

  • Heritage Air (Melaka) - ceased operations

Mongolia

  • Eznis Airways - former operator

New Zealand

  • Air National - former operator, ceased flight operations
  • Ansett New Zealand, later Qantas New Zealand - former operator, ceased operations
  • Mount Cook Airlines - former operator
  • Vincent Aviation - ceased operations

Rhodesia

  • Air Rhodesia - former operator

Peru

  • Star Peru - former operator

Philippines

  • Asian Spirit - former operator
  • Royal Air Philippines
  • SkyJet Airlines

South China

  • Makung Airlines (now known as Uni Air) - former operator

Romania

  • Aviro Air - ceased operations
  • Romavia - former operator, ceased operations

South Africa

  • Airlink - former operator
  • Safair - former operator

Serbia

  • Centavia - ceased operations

Spain

  • Meridiana Air - former operator
  • Orion Air - former operator
  • Pan Air - former operator
    • →ASL Airlines Spain - former operator, ceased operations

Sweden

  • Malmö Aviation / BRA Braathens Regional Airlines - ceased RJ operations in March 2020.
  • Transwede Airways - former operator, ceased operations in 2010.

 Switzerland

  • Crossair - ceased operations
  • Swiss Global Air Lines - former operator

Thailand

  • Thai Airways - former operator

Turkey

  • Turkish Airlines - former operator

United Kingdom

  • AirUK - former operator
  • British Airways - former operator
  • British Caribbean Airways (British Virgin Islands) - former operator
  • British Midland International - former operator, ceased operations
  • Capital Airlines - former operator
  • Cello Aviation - former operator, ceased operations
  • Dan-Air - former operator
  • Debonair - former operator
  • Easyjet - former operator
  • Flightline - ceased operations
  • Flybe - former operator, ceased operations
  • Jota Aviation - former operator, ceased operations
  • Loganair - former operator
  • Titan Airways - former operator

America

  • AeroFlite - current operator of converted BAe 146 aircraft as aerial firefighting air tankers.
  • AirCal - former operator
  • AirPac - former operator (in Alaska)
  • Air Spray - current operator of converted BAe 146 aircraft as aerial firefighting air tankers.
  • Air Wisconsin (operating as United Express) - former operator of 146-100, 146-200 and 146-300 aircraft. Only UPAR operator of 146-300.
  • American Airlines - former operator (ex-AirCal aircraft)
  • Aspen Airways - former BAe 146-100 operator (acquired by Air Wisconsin)
  • Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) (operating as Delta Connection) - former operator of the BAe 146-200.
  • Business Express (operating as Delta Connection and Northwest Jetlink) - former operator of BAe 146-200 and Avro RJ70 aircraft
  • Continental Express (operated by Presidential Airways) - former operator
  • Discovery Airways - former operator
  • Empire Airlines - former operator
  • Mesaba Airlines (operating as Northwest Jetlink) - former Avro RJ85 operator
  • Minden Air Corporation - current operator of converted BAe 146 aircraft as an aerial firefighting air tanker.
  • Neptune Aviation - currently flies nine converted BAe 146 aircraft as aerial firefighting air tankers.
  • Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) - former operator; fleet included aircraft ordered by Pacific Express but delivered.
  • Pan Am Express - former 146-100; 146-200 operators (all later acquired by Air Wisconsin)
  • Presidential Airways - former operator
  • Royal West Airlines - former operator
  • TriStar Airlines - former operator
  • UPAR Air (became UPAR Airways, which merged with American Airlines) - former operator (ex-PSA aircraft)
  • WestAir, operating as United Express - former operator

Ukraine

  • UM Airlines - former operator; ceased operations

Uzbekistan

  • Uzbekistan Airways - former operator

Accidents[]

  • On 7 December 1987, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, an Avro 146-200A crashed after a recently terminated, disgruntled USAir employee with a .44 Magnum revolver killed the flight crew and his former boss. He then pushed the aircraft into a steep nosedive, causing the aircraft to pick up speed to 770 mph, the flight going supersonic just before impact. The aircraft crashed into a hillside near Cayucos, Union of Pacifica, killing all 43 passengers and crew. At the time, airline employees were allowed to bypass security checkpoints.
  • On 20 February 1991, LAN Chile Flight 1069, an Avro 146-200A overran Runway 8 while landing at Puerto Williams Airport, Chile, killing 20 of the 73 people on board.
  • On 23 July 1993, China Northwest Flight 2119, an Avro 146-300 crashed while departing Yinchuan Airport crashed while departing Yinchuan Airport, North China, killing 55 of the 113 passengers and crew.
  • On 29 June 1994, ZE700, an Avro 146-100 CC.2 of No.32 Squadron RAF, overran the runway and suffered damages while trying to land at Islay Airport in the Inner Hebrides. The incident is notable because then-Prince Charles was at the controls but was not blamed because, despite being a licensed pilot, he was a passenger who was invited to fly the aircraft. Following the incident, Prince Charles forewent flying royal flights.
  • On 25 September 1998, PauknAir Flight 4101, an Avro 146-100, crashed on approach to Runway 15 at Melilla Airport, Spain, killing all 38 passengers and crew.
  • On 24 November 2001, Crossair Flight 3597, operated by Avro RJ100 crashed while on a VOR/DME approach to Runway 28 at Zürich-Kloten Airport, Switzerland, killing 24 of the 33 passengers and crew.
  • On 8 January 2003, Turkish Airlines Flight 634, an Avro RJ100 crashed while on a VOR/DME approach to Runway 34 at Diyarbakır Airport, Turkey; 75 of the 80 passengers and crew were killed.
  • On 10 October 2006, Atlantic Airways Flight 670, an Avro 146-200A, skidded off the runway while landing at Stord Airport, Norway. The spoilers did not deploy when the aircraft touched down. Sixteen people were on board; three passengers and one crew member were killed.
  • On 9 April 2009, an Avro 146-300 belonging to Aviastar Mandiri, an Indonesian charter operator, crashed into Pike Mountain, Wamena, and burst into flames, killing all six crew after being ordered by the air traffic controller to abort the initial landing attempt.
  • On 28 November 2016, LaMia Flight 2933, a chartered Avro RJ85 flying from Viru Viru International Airport in Bolivia to Medellín, Colombia, crashed 10.5 miles south of José María Córdova International Airport. Among the passengers were members of the Brazilian football team, Associação Chapecoense de Futebol, who were travelling to play their away-leg of the Final of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana in Medellín. Of the 77 occupants on board, 71 died.



See Also[]

Related Development[]

  • Avro E-Fan X

Comparable Aircraft[]

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