At BAE Systems, we help our customers to stay a step ahead when protecting people and national security, critical infrastructure and vital information. The aerospace industry of the United Kingdom is the second-largest national aerospace industry in the world [needs update] and the largest in Europe, [needs update] with a global market share of 12% in 2018. The BAe 146/Avro RJ is a high-wing The BAe 146 was produced in -100, -200 and -300 models. A "The programme was initially launched with backing from the UK government, which agreed to contribute 50% of the development costs in return for a share of the revenues from each aircraft sold.Low-key development proceeded, however, and in 1978, British Aerospace, Hawker Siddeley's corporate successor, relaunched the project. In economy class, the BAe 146 can either be configured in a standard five-abreast layout or a high-density six-abreast layout, making it one of few regional jets that can use a six-abreast layout in economy class.The BAe 146 is also renowned for its relatively quiet operation, a positive feature that appealed to those operators that wanted to provide services to noise-sensitive airports within cities.According to the BAe 146's chief designer, Bob Grigg, making the aircraft as easy to maintain as possible and keeping operators' running costs as low as possible were considered high priorities from the start of the design process.Drawing on experience from the The engines are not fitted with thrust reversers, instead the aircraft has a clamshell The BAe 146 was the second aircraft, after the The BAe 146 is powered by four Avco Lycoming ALF 502 Early on, the decision to adopt four engines for a feeder airliner rather than two was viewed as atypical by some commentators. Changes included the replacement of the original Lycoming In 2000, British Aerospace announced that it was to replace the Avro RJ series with a further-improved Avro RJX series; plans to produce the Avro RJX were officially cancelled in November 2001.British Aerospace promoted the BAe 146 to airlines as a "feederliner" and short-haul regional airliner.The aircraft proved to be useful on "high-density" regional and short-haul routes.
The first flight of the -100 occurred on 3 September 1981, with deliveries commencing in 1983. An RJ115 variant, the same physical size, but with an increased MTOW and different emergency exits, was marketed, but never entered production;Throughout the production life of the BAe 146, British Aerospace proposed a number of specialised military versions, including side- and rear-loading transports, an BAE Systems announced the BAe 146M programme in 2009, designed to provide ex-civilian BAe 146-200 and -300 aircraft to military operators, available either in passenger or freighter configurations.The RJX-70, RJX-85, and RJX-100 variants represented advanced versions of the Avro RJ Series. The freight-carrying version carries the designation "QT" (Quiet Trader), and a convertible passenger-or-freight model is designated as "QC" (Quick Change). In 1999 it purchased Marconi Electronic Systems, the defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of the General Electric Company plc, to form BAE Systems. 1 - 2