BAe HP.137 Jetstream

LZ-HBB British Aerospace 146-200 c/n E2073 - Hemus Air - Groningen Airport Eelde in Holland - 14 December 2005

The British Aerospace BAe 146-300 is a four engine shoulder-wing short-haul regional jet airliner for up to 120 passengers. Development of the BAe 146 started in 1973 as the Hawker Siddeley HS.146. Due to the economic recession in Britain that followed soon, the project was temporised. Development continued on a limited scale. In 1977, Hawker Siddeley and the British Aircraft Corporation merged into British Aerospace. In July 1978, the project was officially relaunched as the British Aerospace 146. The prototype British Aerospace 146-100, G-SSSH s/n E.1001, was flown first on 3 September 1981. Certification was granted in 1983 and the 146 entered airline service with Dan Air on 27 May 1983. Production began in 1981 with the BAe 146-100 series, for 71-93 passengers, and ended in 1993 when the Avro 146-RJ that was evolved from the BAe 146 succeeded the model in production. A total of 221 BAe 146 airliners were built: 37 BAe 146-100, 113 BAe 146-200 and 71 BAe 146-300 series.

On 14 December 2005, the 1987-built Hemus Air BAe 146-200 LZ-HBB was photographed at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands. The LZ-HBB was flown first on 8 April 1987 as G-5-073 and delivered on 4 June 1987 as N367 to PSA. On 9 April 1988, the aircraft was registered as N191US with US Air. On 13 August 1990, the aircraft delivered to Crossair in Switzerland. It was returned to BAe and registered as G-BVFV on 3 December 1993. The next operator was Cityjet who registered the aircraft as EI-JET on 23 December 1993, followed by National Jet Systems on 21 September 1996. National Jet Systems operated as Qantaslink and used the registration VH-NJU. On 30 May 2004, the aircraft was registered LZ-HBB with Hemus Air.