The BAE 146 short to medium-range regional airliner is flown by 54 operators worldwide. 229 BAE 146 were built between 1983 and 1993, including the Statesman for the Queens Flight of the Royal Air Force and for the Abu Dhabi Royal Flight. As of August 2008, about 140 aircraft are in service.

Three different length versions of the BAE 146 were built: the series 100 with 70 to 84 seats; the 200 series with 85 to 100 seats; and the 300 Series with 100 to 112 seats. The 146 provides versatile and low noise operation for noise-sensitive approach and take-off paths, capability of short steep approaches into city airports or onto difficult airfields with minimal ground facilities.

One BAE 146 is to be used by the UK's Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement for gathering data for studies of pollution, global warming, etc.

Capacity

The 146 family of aircraft provides seating capacities of 70 to 112 and in the Statesman configuration various VIP layouts. Passenger access is at both ends of the cabin for fast boarding and disembarkation. The doorsills suit airstairs as well as passenger jetways.

Two baggage holds each equipped with a large access door allow simultaneous loading. The low fuselage means that baggage can be hand loaded directly from trolleys without the need for airport conveyor equipment. The very easy and fast baggage handling contributes to the 146 regularly achieving in-service turnarounds of just 12 minutes.

Flight deck

The flight deck is ergonomically designed for two crew operation with the important controls and indicators within reach and view of both pilots. A forward facing observer seat folds and stows behind the first officer position. The aircraft is fitted with a BAe and Normalair Garrett air conditioning and air pressurisation system and the flight deck is fitted with air conditioning controls separate from those in the main cabin.

The aircraft is equipped with a Honeywell electronic flight instrumentation system, (EFIS) with a Smiths LED display. The main vertical panel in the flight deck houses the engine instruments and the systems controls and indicators are installed in the overhead panel. The Smiths SEP 10 autopilot and main navigation are set at eye level.

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is introducing an upgrade to older analogue displays, which will be replaced with five Rockwell Collins FPI-920 LCD. The upgrade involves the removal of the two electromechanical attitude director indicators (ADI), two electromechanical horizontal situation indicators (HSI) and two radio altitude indicators (RAI).

The first customers for the upgrade are Eurowings of Germany and Air Dolomiti of Italy. Certification of the system is expected by the end of 2005, with installations commencing in 2006.

Engines

Four turbofan engines, type ALF 502R-5 from Textron Lycoming (now Honeywell), each rated at 31kN are installed in underwing pods. The high bypass ratio fan jet results in the aircraft's outstandingly low noise operation and, gives a ground footprint for approach and take-off less than half the area than a typical twin turboprop aircraft.

Landing gear

The aircraft is fitted with large landing gear. The dual rate shock absorbers and wide wheel track give stable handling in crosswinds and when taxiing. The tricycle type landing gear designed by Dowty is hydraulically retractable. The twin Dunlop wheels on each unit can be fitted with optional low pressure tyres for operation from unpaved, low bearing airstrips or from semi-prepared strips. The aircraft is fitted with multi-disc carbon brakes with brake cooling fans on the axles.

Ground operations

The auxiliary power unit, GTCP 36-150, supplied by Garrett-AiResearch is installed in a fireproof bay in the rear fuselage. The APU powered systems, the on board airstairs and the waist high baggage holds allow the 146 aircraft to be completely independent of the ground services. Only the refuelling operation requires ground equipment, i.e. step ladders. All other service points and service hatches, including the baggage hold access are accessible from ground level.

BAE 146QT (quiet trader) freighter

About 30 BAe 146QT and QC (quick change) freighter aircraft were originally built and converted new off the production line in the mid-late 1980s. The aircraft has a strengthened floor and a rear freight door. A safety bulkhead rated at 9g is installed immediately aft of the forward passenger and service doors. The aircraft can accommodate pallets or can be converted for the carriage of livestock, for example up to ten horses and nine grooms in a 300-QT aircraft

The aircraft carries Class E cargo compartment certification, which with a 10ft (3.05m) underwing clearance allows easy access by tractors and dolly trains. The BAe146QT aircraft in service achieve turnaround times of less than ten minutes.

Two freighter conversion programmes for the BAe 146, with Pemco World Air Services of Alabama and Hireplane Cargo Conversions (with Cranfield Aerospace) of the UK provide the conversions were unsuccessful and the conversion programme was closed down.

In July 2007, the programme was relaunched with Aerostar of Romania responsible for the conversion. First flight of the relaunched BAE 146QT was in June 2008.

A BAE 146 tanker conversion has been developed by Minden Air, with BAE Systems Regional Aircraft, for firefighting operations. The aircraft has been test-flown for evaluation by the US Forest Service.