BAe 146-301 ARA

The British Aerospace 146 was a four-engine regional airliner that was developed to have excellent short airfield performance whilst remaining quiet enough to operate from regional airfields. Fitted with a full airbrake in the tail, the aircraft was quiet enough to be marketed as the Whisperjet and became one of the first jet airliners to be cleared to operate from London City Airport. Avro International Aerospace began to market an improved and updated 146 as the Avro RJ series in 1992 however production ended in 2001. The RJ series included modern digital avionics and more efficient engines. Whilst still used as an airliner and VIP transport, the 146/RJ has become a successful water bomber in the USA for use against wildfires. 

The Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements was established by the Met Office, Natural Environment Research Council and UK universities who contracted BAE systems to heavily modify the BAE 146-100 prototype and operate it as the Atmospheric Research Aircraft. From climate change and air pollution to weather and environmental disaster response, FAAM Airborne Laboratory’s atmospheric research aircraft has completed 1400 science flights across 30 countries, 5 continents, and supported over 120 UK and international science projects. Capable of flying with up to 4 tonnes of scientific instruments, as low as 50 feet over the sea and 35,000 feet high in the atmosphere, flights can last between one and six hours, covering up to 2000 nautical miles. In the past year, the research aircraft took to the skies to monitor methane emissions from Scottish wetlands, improve summer storm predictions in southern England, detect changes in the North Atlantic marine environment, and test the use of blended sustainable aviation fuel.  The FAAM Airborne Laboratory’s research aircraft is owned by UK Research and Innovation and the Natural Environmental Research Council. It is managed through the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, and leased through the University of Leeds. The aircraft is supported, modified and upgraded by BAE Systems, operated by Airtask Group, and maintained by Avalon Aero.

Join the FAAM Airborne Laboratory in celebrating 20 years of science flying this summer, by visiting their specially adapted BAE-146 aircraft on static display as part of the Pushing the Boundaries in Air and Space theme.

Photo Credit: FAAM