Update – Avro International RJ70

At the time of the launch of the RJ series the British Aerospace Regional Jet Division was being restructured in anticipation of a joint venture with Taiwan Aerospace (TAC). TAC were seeking a 50% stake in the British Aerospace Regional Jet business for £120 million which would entail the planned joint production of the RJ series of airliners in the UK and Taiwan. In early 1993 the regional jet division of British Aerospace became a separate entity with a change in name to Avro International Aerospace. In turn the British Aerospace RJ70 became known as the Avro International Aerospace RJ70 Avroliner.

The Avro International Aerospace family of airliners offered a comprehensive range of aircraft carrying from 70 to 120 passengers with four different models to be produced. Options include 5 abreast or 6 abreast configuration, 100% airframe commonality, 100% engine commonality and pure freight and convertible variants. The RJ70, RJ85 and RJ100 offer 70 seats, 85 seats or 100 seats respectively in a five abreast configuration while the RJ115 seats 116 in a six abreast configuration. The RJ70 and RJ85 also offered 82 seats or 100 seats in a six abreast configuration all at a 79cm (31in) pitch, while the RJ100 also offered 112 seats in a six abreast configuration at 32 inch pitch.

The RJ70 Avroliner incorporates a number of major technical changes and new innovations over its predecessor the BAe 146-100. Principal changes include the new Textron Lycoming LF507 engines each of which are rated at 7000lb (31.4kN) thrust; all digital avionics including CAT IIIA, updated EFIS displays, TCAS and Windshear Detection and a Digital Flight Guidance System; the new look ‘Spaceliner’ interior with features including new overhead bins, centralised Passenger Service Units, redesigned ceiling and sidewall panels incorporating indirect lighting and universal cabin divider tracking. Avro is also marketing the very innovative JetSpares package with the RJ series of airliners. JetSpares enables the airline to obtain spare parts by paying a fixed amount based on the utilisation of the aircraft.

Powerplant

The RJ70 is powered by four new Textron Lycoming LF507 engines which are built by the Textron Lycoming Turbine Engine Division at Stratford, Connecticut. The LF507, each of which is rated at 7000lb (31.4kN) thrust, received type certification on the RJ in March 1992. The LF507 is built on the experience gained from the ALF502 which powers the BAe 146. The LF507 retains the basic configuration of the ALF502 some 1000 of which are in service and has gathered for Textron Lycoming more than six million hours of regional airline experience. The greater thrust of the LF507 over the ALF502 along with increased design weights give the RJ70 an increased payload and range capability. Lycoming’s target for the LF507 is to reduce maintenance costs by 20% over those of the ALF502. The LF507 engine also features FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) which provides consistent engine control, facilitates cooler starting, monitors engine speeds and limits engine temperatures.

Production and Sales

Avro International Aerospace build the RJ series of airliners at Woodford near Manchester. RJ production took over from the BAe 146 family of airliners of which 212 were built either at Hatfield or at Woodford. The RJ85 made its first flight on March 23 1992 and the RJ100 on May 13 1992. The first RJ Avroliner to be delivered was an RJ85 which was handed over to the Swiss operator Crossair in April 1993 while the first RJ100 to be delivered was to Turkish Airlines in June 1993. The first RJ70 to be handed over to an airline was in September 1993 to Business Express in the United States.

At presstime, orders for the RJ series stood at 46 aircraft as follows: RJ70: Air Malta (4), Business Express (20). Total (24). RJ85: Crossair (4), Malmo Aviation (5), Meridiana (4), Pelita Air Services (1). Total (14). RJ100: Turkish Airlines (8). Total (8).

Orders for the RJ70 and RJ100 got off to a good start in 1994 when in January Air Malta signed for four RJ70s and Turkish Airlines signed a repeat order for three RJ100s.

RJ70 Sales Potential in Australasia

Avro International Aerospace must be looking at Australia and New Zealand as prime candidates for the RJ series of aircraft. Of the 212 BAe 146 aircraft produced, 29 or 14% are operated in Australia and New Zealand while a further 19 or 9% are operated by Ansett Australia parent company TNT.

Australian involvement with the 146 commenced in April 1984 when the then Airlines of Western Australia, later Ansett WA, ordered two 146-200 aircraft with the first aircraft VH-JJP being delivered to Perth on April 26 1985. Ansett parent company TNT then ordered 75 QT aircraft. However, in effect only 21 of these aircraft were actually produced. The bulk of the TNT order for the BAe 146QT are operated in Europe, however Pacific East Asia Air Cargo operates two -200QTs from Manila while Ansett Air Freight took delivery of two -200QT VH-JJY and VH-JJZ in May and June 1989.

Ansett New Zealand ordered its first two BAe 146-200s in October 1988 and followed this with an order for five -300s in January 1989. The first -200 ZK-NZA was delivered to Christchurch in July 89 while the first -300 ZK-NZF was delivered the following December.

National Jet Systems in Adelaide took delivery of -100 VH-NJC in June 1990 with the aircraft initially being used during the day on a Santos passenger contract and at night as a cabin loaded freighter by Australian Air Cargo. National Jet later imported a further three -100 in July 1991 for operation by Australian Airlink. Eastwest Airlines ordered eight BAe 146-300 in January 1990 with the first two aircraft in the fleet being delivered to Tamworth the following August. Six of the Eastwest aircraft were later transferred to Ansett Australia while the remaining two joined the Ansett New Zealand fleet.

The current Australia/New Zealand BAe 146 fleet is as follows: Ansett Air Freight -200QT x 2; Ansett Australia -200 x 6, -300 x 6; Ansett New Zealand -200 x 1, -200QC x 1, -300 x 7; Australian air Express -300QT x 1; Australian Airlink -100 x 4; National Jet Systems -200QC x 1. Fleet total 29: -100 x 4, -200 x 7, -200QC x 2, -200QT x 2, -300 x 13, -300QT x 1.

The current TNT BAe 146QT fleet is as follows: Air Foyle, UK -200QT x 4, -300QT x 5; Malmo Air, Sweden -200QT x 1, 300QT x 2; Mistral Air, Italy -200QT x 1; NFD, Germany -200QT x 1; Pacific East Air Cargo, Philippines -200QT x 2; Pan Air, Spain -200QT x 2, -300QT x 1. TNT fleet total 19: -200QT x 11, -300QT x 8.

RJ70 Demonstration Tour

Avro International Aerospace demonstrated one of its RJ70 aircraft at Asian Aerospace in Singapore between February 22 and 27. The aircraft flown to Singapore was G-OLXX which carried the markings of Air Malta who had ordered four RJ70 aircraft in January 1994 with delivery between September 1994 and March 1995. Although G-OLXX carried the colours of Air Malta the RJ70 will not be delivered to that airline as it is the present Avro International company demonstrator. The registration G-OLXX has been cleverly chosen for this aircraft as broken down it translates to GO 70 (LXX being the Roman numerals for seventy).

G-OLXX departed from the UK on February 18 for the Singapore air show and on its termination the RJ was then demonstrated to a number of airlines in South East Asia. From Singapore G-OLXX was flown to Kuala Lumpur and Manila before it arrived in Port Moresby on March 5 where it was demonstrated to Air Niugini. It was during the Port Moresby stopover that Australian Aviation was afforded a chance to fly in this new Regional Jet aircraft. The RJ70 operated a couple of typical Air Niugini sectors from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen and from Goroka to Port Moresby. From Port Moresby G-OLXX was flown to Indonesia via Darwin where it was demonstrated to Garuda at Surabaya and Jakarta.