BAe 146

British Aerospace · United Kingdom · first flew 1981 · airliner

The BAe 146 is a four-engine, high-wing regional jet, unique as the only commercial jet with four turbofans mounted beneath a high wing, and famed for its quiet operation.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	4 × turbofan, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	28.6 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Four turbofans on a high wing
T-tail above tall fin
Whisper-quiet regional jet

Unmistakable for its four turbofans slung under a high straight wing, a tall fin topped by a T-tailplane, and a stubby low-slung fuselage with no leading-edge slats.

Specifications

The BAe 146 has a length of 28.6 m (94 ft).
It has a wingspan of 26.2 m (86 ft).
Its maximum speed is 789 km/h (490 mph).
Typical crew: 2 flight crew.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1981 and in service from 1983, the BAe 146 used four Lycoming ALF 502 turbofans to give short-field, low-noise performance. It was later updated as the Avro RJ family with FADEC-controlled engines. Around 387 of all versions were built.

Variants

The -100, -200 and -300 offered progressively longer fuselages, mirrored by the Avro RJ70, RJ85 and RJ100. Dedicated QT/QC freighter and quick-change versions extended the type's working career.

Where you'll see it

BA CityFlyer and its predecessors flew the BAe 146 and Avro RJ into London City Airport, where its steep-approach capability and low noise were ideal. Flybe-heritage and other UK regionals operated the type from airports across Britain on short-haul and domestic routes.

Related aircraft

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