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BAe HP.137 Jetstream

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SX-BSR BAe HP.137 Jetstream 3102 c/n 718 - Aviator (AVW) - Groningen Airport Eelde in Holland - 4 August 2005 Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ)

The British Aerospace Jetstream 31 is a transport aircraft for up to 19 passengers, developed from the earlier Handley Page H.P.137 Jetstream. Development of the Jetstream started in 1965 when Handley Page Ltd. decided to enter the executive turboprop market. The HP.137 Jetstream was a pressurized 12/18 seat low-wing monoplane with a retractable undercarriage, powered by a pair of 840 hp Turbomeca Astazou XIV turboprops. The design garnered interest when it was first introduced, and before the drawings were complete, Riley placed an order for 20 for the United States feeder liner market. The prototype H.P.137 (G-ATXH c/n 198) flew first on 18 August 1967, powered by the Astazou XII. The first four aircraft were powered by the French Astazou, the fifth aircraft was fitted with the US-built Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 instead to improve sales prospects in the US. This re-engining lead to an order by the US Air Force for 11 Jetstream 3M or C-10A as a mission support transport aircraft. Early 1969, however this order was cancelled on the grounds of late delivery. The Jetstream 1 had entered production by this time; with the first production model Jetstream 1 flying on 6 December 1968. Over the next year, 36 would be delivered. The Astazou XIV engines however proved to be generally underpowered for the design. Due to these engine problems the Jetstream 1 was re-designed as the Jetstream 2 with more powerful 1073 hp Astazou XIVCs, starting deliveries in late 1969. By this point the late delivery and engine problems had driven costs to high and Handley Page ran into serious financial difficulties. Only three Jetstream 2's would be completed before Handley Page went bankrupt, and the production line eventually shut down in 1970. Only 39 aircraft had been completed by the time of Handley Page's collapse in 1970. Although Handley Page was wound up as a company, the Jetstream lived on. Ten further aircraft were completed, five by Jetstream Aircraft and five by Scottish Aviation. Scottish Aviation continued production of the Jetstream 2 although they referred to it as the Jetstream 200. The Royal Air Force ordered twenty-six Jetstream 200’s as navigation and multi-engine trainers known as the Jetstream T.1. The Royal Navy later subsequently took over some of these as T.2's. In 1977, Scottish Aviation was nationalized along with the British Aircraft Corp. and Hawker Siddeley Aviation to form British Aerospace. BAe decided the design was worth further development, and started work on a "Mark 3" Jetstream. The new version was re-engined with two 1020 hp Garrett TPE331-12UAR turboprops that offered significant advantages over the Turbomeca units. This allowed the aircraft the ability to operate at maximum load from a much greater range of airfields. The new British Aerospace Jetstream 31 entered production 28 March 1980 and was a success with 220 built. In 1985 development of a further upgrade started resulting in the Jetstream Super 31, also known as the Jetstream 32, with more powerful engines that flew in 1988. In 1991, the 29-seat Jetstream 41 was introduced. Production of the Jetstream 31/32 ended in 1993, while the production of the Jetstream 41 ended in 1997. Jetstreams built since the early start in 1965 until the production ended in 1997 are: 38 H.P.137 Jetstream by Handley Page Ltd; 5 H.P.137 Jetstream by Jetstream Aircraft Ltd; 5 H.P.137 Jetstream by Scottish Aviation Ltd; 26 Jetstream T.1 by Scottish Aviation; 220 Jetstream 31 by British Aerospace; 161 Jetstream Super 31 by British Aerospace; 100 Jetstream 41 by British Aerospace.

On 4 August 2005, BAe HP.137 Jetstream 3102 s/n 718 SX-BSR "Millennium star" of Aviator Airways came in at Groningen Airport in the Netherlands on an ambulance-flight. The Jetstream SX-BSR is fully equipped as an airborne medical unit. This 1986-built Jetstream 31 was registered before as G-31-718, N417MX and G-OAKI. Aviator Airways was established in 1992 and operates from the Athens International Airport in Greece.

page last updated: 06-08-2005
Photo Copyright © Jack Poelstra, the Netherlands
 

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