Second Wind CityJet Avro RJ85 Aero- Fli t e Avro RJ85 Ai rt ank er Layi ng a li ne of ret ardant on t he Ei ght M i le Fi re - I daho, USA Phot o by M eli ssa Ki m sey By Ai dan Nolan New Beginnings for Former CityJet Avro's N355AC Aero-Flit e Avro-RJ85 Quenching flam es Phot o by Ian Gains In today?s disposable society, an returned after the lease period has important ?first world? dilemma is passed, without taking a financial just how long should one expect to hit as the aircraft ages, the get from a pair of the latest remainder are purchased outright trainers or that must have kitchen by airlines. When spending $100 appliance for squirting out million on a Boeing 737, miniature cups of coffee or whats accountants are looking for value the realistic life expectancy of the and the big question is, what is the class leading, driveway impressing, aircraft's flight-life-time. all-look-alike SUV. Questions which their tie's with moist palms. Apart The answer is, it varies. Some many ponder. from the many concerns aviation is aircraft endure hectic lives with far However, these concerns not only infamous for, of major concern to more than average, short cycle keep Joe Consumer awake at night, airline senior management is aircraft careers, reducing life span in some scaled up to more lofty levels depreciation. While approximately half cases to just ten years. Many enjoy where serious finances are at stake of all commercial aircraft are leased, in gentle and well maintained we find airline executives loosening which case the aircraft can be operations seeing their 30th Ci t yJet Avro RJ85 (EI - RJT) wi t h a poweri ng depart ure Phot o by Thom Lut t enberg " Ci t yJet - The Go- To Ai rli ne f or busi ness & lei sure t ravelers" Anniversary, and even som e, Airport, the I rish airline becam e Antonov An-12's in particular, the go-to-airline for business rem ain active well into their and leisure travelers dashing off twilight years, approaching half to London City or Paris CDG century's and not out. rather than an airline of choice for sun, sea and sand seekers. The For enthusiasts, one of the long-tim e preferred aircraft was m ore unpleasant sides of of course the BAe-146 & later aviation-interest m ust be an Avro RJ series. The distinctive aircraft departing an airline for wing-over-fuselage design found it's final flight. I f it's lucky to a favour with passengers and desert bone-yard to live-out it's enthusiasts alike, giving clear days or if less fortunate, to face uninterrupted views below and the pneum atic jaws of an bringing som ething different to excavator. the "spotters table". Age catches up on us all and "WhisperJets" as they becam e aircraft are not im m une either. affectionately known, stood out Only so m uch m aintenance and from m ost other aircraft, with servicing can keep them flying that im pressive T-tail, wings safely and econom ically. above the fuselage, four Eventually that difficult decision turbofans hanging from the wing needs to be m ade............To stay undersides like icicles and that or to go? " Whi sperJet s - sound............in fact, very little CityJet, experienced a engine noise as it happens. A as t hey becam e transform ation from an airline friend of m any residents living af f ect i onat ely k nown" previously perform ing close to London City Airport for scheduled services with it's own not being an early m orning aircraft to a wet-lease operator, wake-up call and enjoyed by providing aircraft for other pilots for it's STOL capability, airlines and crew when required. crucial for services into and out This brave transition appeared of the UK's capital in the heart of positive in it's approach but the city. som e observers are of the belief BAe-146 & Avro RJ aircraft also it was as m uch to do with fam iliar to m any in close survival as it was with spotting proxim ity to Dublin Airport not an opportunity in the m arket. to m ention several other Tim e will tell. European airports served by Spok ane - Washi ngt on St at e Com m ons Wi k i m edi a.org From it's base at Dublin reasonable num bers ot the type N354AC Aero-Flit e Avro RJ85 In Act ion - California Phot o by St even Whit by in the past but not so for m any other enthusiasts. However as tim e m arches on and the dynam ics of CityJet continue to evolve, sadly the num ber of Avro RJ's will only decline. With a fleet renewal within CityJet well underway, RJ's have been slipping away from the airline in recent N366AC Aero-Flite Avro RJ85 tim es, each usually on a one-way Photo by Rei Ueda ticket. Spokane Int ernat ional Airport Washingt on, USA IATA: GEG I t's true to say, the British 3/ 21 3,353m 8/ 26 2,499m designed and m anufactured Avro Com m ons Wikim edia.org RJ, the sam e Avro responsible for producing the iconic Vulcan However, while news of their V-Bom ber, required som e regular departure m ay at first appear TLC to keep on the right side of disheartening for those who hold reliability. The four Lycom ing RJ aircraft in high regard, bouts ALF502 turbofans on BAe-146's or of depression have been diverted Aero-Flite Canadair CL-415 Pioneer Fire - Photo by Kari Greer H o n e ywell LF507's on RJ's could when one takes a closer look at be 'diva-like' in operation. what the future has in store for each of the aforem entioned Several aircraft in particular planes. have in m ore recent tim es, departed the CityJet fleet, One in particular, EI -RJX including EI -RJX, EI -RJH & EI -RJT becam e quite a 'hit' on the scene and while not m any tears were with spotting folk due to the shed, these are three m ore interesting livery it had operated aircraft that will be m issed by the in since May 2012 - Leinster N354AC Aero-Flite Avro RJ85 enthusiast com m unity. Rugby. Photo by Joost De Wit This RJ85 began operations with Mesaba Airlines in the US before joining CityJet in 2007. The 95 seater was a firm favourite with enthusiasts whenever it arrived at their local. EI -RJX perform ed it's last " t he sam e com m ercial flight for CityJet on Avro 5th of April 2019 when it returned CityJet Avro RJ85 (EI -RJX) Photo by Hervé Cham pain to Dublin from Paris CDG. I t responsi ble would be nice to think the f or produci ng Captain m ade his passengers t he i coni c aware of this significant final Vulcan flight on approach to Dublin. V- Bom ber" Shortly after, titles were rem oved at the CityJet hangar, Dublin Airport and the aircraft prepared for retirem ent from the fleet. With preparations com plete it was tim e for EI -RJX to bid CityJet Avro RJ85 (EI -RJT) farewell to Dublin, it's hom e for Photo by Bas Bonsel the previous 12 years, I reland and indeed Europe, as this RJ85 was CityJet Avro RJ85 (EI -RJT) beginning its next chapter on the Photo by Guillaum e Besnard opposite side of the world, on the US - Canadian border. The m ulti-sector flight departed Dublin on 21st of April last, bound for Aero-Flite in Spokane, Washington State where EI -RJX would be converted from 'Jum bolino' to aerial firefighter. Ferry flight included tech-stops at Keflavik, (Bom bardier) CL-415's and the latest additions to the fleet, Avro RJ's. Kangerlussusq, I qaluit, Tim m ins, Since joining Aero-Flite the 'next generation' RJ's have proven efficient, Regina, Bellingham , Abbotsford quick and reliable retardant delivery aircraft. arriving Spokane 24th of April. Where the CL-415 is capable of reloading from various water sources Quite the journey, transiting the and delivering large volum es of water in a short period of tim e in North Atlantic and the entire support of wildland fire m anagem ent and ground firefighting, the Avro width of Canada where a new RJ fleet does not 'scoop up' water m id flight but returns to an airfield to registration N403AC was waiting. replenish it's vast 3,300 US gallon tanks by pum ped system or reloading Aero-Flite have been fighting with powder fire retardant. A benefit of the Avro RJ's aerial firefighting fires from the Air since 1963 and capability is its fast dash perform ance at high speeds, enabling it's fire have operated an array of retardant to be delivered accurately on target. aircraft suitable for the task in Of the 13 or so BAe-146 / Avro RJ's listed with Aero-Flite, currently hand, including Boeing B-17's, seven are form er CityJet aircraft, with others from Brussels Airlines and Douglas C-54's & DC-4's, Lufthansa CityLine. I n July 2019, EI -RJB (N635AC) reported for duty with Canadair CL-215's and currently Aero-Flite having com pleted it's term with CityJet after flying with the I rish airline since 2007.