The Beginning
The development of the BAe 146 goes back as far as 1973 when on 29th August, Hawker Siddeley launched a project for a 70-seat regional airliner, with a first flight pencilled for 1976. After securing 50% investment from the British government, Hawker Siddeley chairman Sir Arnold Hall cancelled the project, saying it would no longer be profitable. After a turbulent world economy and the OPEC fuel crisis of 1974 the HS146 would remain on the drawing board for a few more years. In 1978 British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and Hawker Siddeley (HS) were nationalised and became British Aerospace (BAe). With this new merger the project was re-launched in July 1978 and BAe predicted 350 worldwide sales. LAPA Argentina were the launch customer for the 146-100 with an order placed in 1980, however the order was cancelled due to route approval issues in Argentina, paving the way for UK airline Dan-Air to become the launch customer in 1983.
G-SSSH E1001
G-SSSH, with the construction number E1001, was rolled out at Hatfield on 21st May 1981. After several months of ground testing the first flight was carried out on 3rd September 1981, and following an extensive testing campaign G-SSSH became a company demonstrator. After the BAe 146-200 British Aerospace saw the requirement for a larger version of the jet and announced the 300 series at the 1984 Farnborough Airshow. E1001 was to become the series 300 prototype, with the conversion taking place at Hatfield in 1987. The airframe was then given the new construction number E3001.
G-LUXE E3001
With the British class B test registration G-5-300, E3001 was rolled out as the prototype BAe 146-300 in March 1987, with two plugs stretching the fuselage by 16ft. Now registered G-LUXE the first flight was carried out on the 9th May 1987. Life as a demonstrator would see out G-LUXE’s career with BAe until 1999, when it was heavily modified at Woodford as a BAe 146-301 ARA (Atmospheric Research Aircraft). This extensive conversion started in 2001, and lasted up to handover in 2004.
BAe 146-301 ARA
The conversion at Woodford added a number of external sensors and unusual fairings to the aircraft. The most obvious one is a large radiation blister on the port side, this has three separate instrument bays inside. Other noticeable additions are the two instrument pylons on each wing. Both hang on hardpoints beyond the outer engines and with ten probe mounting points between the two, a multitude of instruments can be used at any one time.
There is also the ability to remove window plugs to allow extra exterior probes. The predecessor Hercules W.2 XV208 was famous for its long nose probe to measure turbulence, G-LUXE has a more subtle way to measure this particular weather phenomenon, with four small holes on the nose cone that carry out the same function as Snoopy’s red and white nose probe.
The interior is just as versatile as the exterior, with the ability to change the equipment racks and seats inside. This allows up to eighteen science crew to fly, and the changeable interior shows the versatility needed for the different mission profiles flown by FAAM. One notable piece of equipment is a dropsonde ejector . Once launched the dropsonde will slowly fall to earth with the aid of a small parachute; during the descent measurements of temperature, atmosphere, humidity and wind speed/direction can be collected. Like much of the equipment onboard, the dropsonde has been used across the world, covering monsoon patterns in India to dust particles in the atmosphere from the Sahara desert.
From Snoopy to the BAe 146
The history of meteorological research flights go back to 1942 with early flights from A&AEE Boscombe Down with meteorologists aboard. These flights were carried out by the RAF High Altitude Flight (HAF) Early expectations were to improve meteorological instruments in aircraft, but as soon as 1943 it was becoming obvious that there were more scientific data to be had and by 1944 DH Mosquitos were flying at 40,000ft measuring temperature. 1946 saw HAF be renamed Meteorological Research Flight (MRF) A long history of British-made aircraft followed, with the Mosquito and Hasting being the backbone, until the first EE Canberra arrived in 1953. This allowed a vast improvement in stratospheric measurements.
In 1973 XV208 Lockheed C130K W2 Hercules was transferred from the Royal Air Force to MRF after an extensive conversion. XV208 was famously known as “Snoopy” with its red and white striped 22ft long nose probe. Snoopy flew all around the world in its 28 years of flying for MRF and was finally retired in 2001. In the same year Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) was created as a collaboration between the Met Office and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the University community. In 2004 FAAM introduced G-LUXE into service. In 2016, NERC took sole ownership of the aircraft and the facility was renamed the FAAM Airborne Laboratory.
The Science
Several High-profile missions have been carried out by the FAAM crew. One such mission involved flying while the rest of Europe’s commercial traffic was grounded due to the 2010 Eyjafjallajökul eruption in Iceland. The mission involved flying above the volcanic cloud with a specially-fitted laser to illuminate the particles in the ash cloud while a Dornier Do228 from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) was flying underneath the cloud. Pairing the airborne data with ground-based data allowed scientists to build a picture of how the plume was moving. Domestically, FAAM has launched Research Runway; this pilot scheme has allowed smaller projects to use up to 10 flying hours in the airborne laboratory. AeroResource joined the FAAM team on one such Research Runway flight from Cranfield. The flight profile was unique in that it was conducted between 600ft and 1200ft, flying three wide circuits around the West Midlands. The June 21st flight was the first of two Birmingham Aerosol Transport Study (BATS) flights around the Midlands, flying over eight points where the onboard scientists from the University of Birmingham would measure the fine particulate matter around the West Midlands. This harmful air pollutant contributes to around 29,000 UK deaths each year. The data received from these flights along with data from ground observations will aid the West Midlands Combined Authority with essential data on the air quality around the local urban area.
Because of the low-level element of this flight all three AirTask pilots were on the flight deck with the extra eyes being required for any other low-flying aircraft that could potentially conflict with the 146. The FAAM crew have flown many low-level flights over sea, but low-level flights over land are rarer. 2024 marks 20 years that the FAAM Airborne Laboratory have been flying missions with G-LUXE.
Airtask Group are the operators of G-LUXE and they hold the Air operating certificate (AOC).
The Airtask team dedicated to the operations of G-LUXE and the FAAM scientists all share a building at Cranfield; this joint office oversees the day-to-day operations. The close-knit office setup allows interaction with all elements of the FAAM team, for instance a science brief can be put forward to the operations team for it to be translated into an active flight plan and have a NOTAM created if required. Along with the scientist and operations, the three pilots and the cabin crew also share this space.
On a flight day, two hours before departure a science brief is held by the Flight Manager and all flying crew, this allows all departments to discuss the day’s flight. Meanwhile a crew of three from Avalon pull the jet from the hangar and prepare the aircraft, while internally a FAAM team member will be preparing the equipment onboard for the mission. On landing the crew then head for a debrief with the flight manager to discuss the flight.
The FAAM aircraft has three pilots that have a long history of military and civil flying, from the backbone of French Air Force jet trainers like Magisters and Alphajets to the Royal Air Force Nimrods, C-17’s and the trusty C-130. Keeping current on a jet like the 146 involves simulator use in Milan, Italy and regular pilot currency flights. Transit flights, such as the upcoming trip to RAF Fairford to attend this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, can also be used as training flights.
Maintenance companies for the 146 family are becoming harder to find. Avalon Aero, also based at Cranfield, operates in the hangar next door to G-LUXE. They provide round the clock support to the FAAM Airborne Laboratory and have three dedicated engineers to support the aircraft daily. Avalon, a BAe 146 maintenance repair organisation (MRO), have over the years built up a spares package at Cranfield for G-LUXE. With the FAAM aircraft being the only BAe 146 now flying in the UK (QINETIQ fly Avro RJs) the challenge to keep her flying until 2040 isn’t just down to the airframe. With fewer and fewer 146/Avro RJs left in the world spares parts and engineers with experience on this aircraft are harder to find.
With an average of 400 hours flown yearly, G-LUXE is considered a low utilisation airframe. However because of the nature of the flights carried out by FAAM, for every one mission flight the aircraft has twelve cycles added to the airframe. This is a very conservative estimate for safety and although this shortens the airframes life, it still allows a planned retirement in 2040.
With a sustainable future in mind, FAAM has flown several flights with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Using a blend of up to 50% SAF and traditional jet fuel, these flights have an estimated 35% reduction in CO2 emissions. FAAM have also introduced an electric powered ground power unit and aircraft tug. These additions play a part in the UK Research and Innovation and the Natural Environment Research Council’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2040.
Mid-Life Upgrade
An extensive Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) programme has started on G-LUXE which would see an out-of-service date in 2040, some 59 years after its first flight as G-SSSH. The £49 million investment by UK Research and Innovation started in 2021 and will be complete in 2027.
Several Stakeholders are playing an important role in the Mid-Life Upgrade programme. Supporting the FAAM Airborne Laboratory involves a range of delivery partners:
UK Research and Innovation
Natural Environmental Research Council
National Centre for Atmospheric Science
University of Leeds
BAE Systems
Airtask Group
Avalon Aero
Cranfield Airport at Cranfield University
AeroResource would like to thank the FAAM Airborne Laboratory team for their hospitality and help with this article.
We would also like to thank Chris Lofting and Ken Haynes for their image use.
You can find out more about FAAM here; https://www.faam.ac.uk
Browse our article database here: https://www.aeroresource.co.uk/articles/
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