British Aerospace Jetstream 31

BAe Jetstream 31 G-PLAH (c/n 640) was built by British Aerospace Regional Aircraft at their Prestwick factory and flown on 30 July 1984. It was delivered to Eastern Metro Express of Atlanta, USA as N410MX on 27 October for use on commuter services. On the demise of Eastern Metro in January 1991 the Jetstream returned to the UK where it was re-registered as G-BUFM on 8 April 1992. Over the following years it saw a number of operators, including as G-LAKH with Lakeside Aviation, G-OAKA with Air Kilroe, G-LOVA with Love Air and then as G-PLAH with Platinum Air 2000 in 1999. (Note the use of personalised registrations). Platinum Air ceased flying at the end of 2001 and G-PLAH remained out of use at Blackpool, slowly deteriorating. In October 2007 it was acquired by the RAF Millom Museum (Cumbria) but when this closed in 2010 G-PLAH was broken up. The forward cockpit section was saved and later displayed for a while at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum. As it did not really fit in with their collecting policy it passed to the Bournemouth Aviation Museum in August 2020.

The Jetstream goes back to the late 1960s when Handley Page designed the HP.137 as a small commuter airliner or executive aircraft. It was a sleek looking aircraft with large passenger windows, achieving a number of sales to US airlines. It was first flown on 18 August 1967 but, after limited production, Handley Page went out of business in 1970 with design and production taken over by Scottish Aviation (part of British Aerospace from April 1977). Production switched to Prestwick where the ‘new’ Jetstream 31 was developed and flown on 28 March 1980. On this version the original French Tubromeca Aztazou engines were replaced by American Garrett TPE331s turbo-props. Over the next few years Jetstream 31s were sold around the world, including many to the USA. It was used by commuter airlines to bring passengers to major hubs where they could connect with long distance services. Production ended in 1993 when it was replaced by the larger Jetstream 41. As well as civilian operators, Jetstreams were used by the RAF and Royal Navy as pilot/navigation trainers and transports. Over the years airline, executive and military Jetstreams have visited Bournemouth. Jetstream 31s were operated by Bournemouth based Euro Direct Airlines for a few months in 1994. A small number of Jetstreams still remain in service around the world in the 2020s.