A rare Avro RJ85, C-FERJ, flown by Summit Air landing at Vancouver International Airport, YVR.
Posted by 9Twiggy9@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 58 comments
The company's website lists it as an Avro RJ85. They only have two 85's in their fleet in addition to seven RJ100s. Im also aware that the airframe can also be called a BAe 146 200. Never saw this plane in person before, thought it was pretty cool.
comptiger5000@reddit
Technically the Avro RJ named variants are the updated version of the BAe 146. So the RJ85 is the newer model with updated avionics and engines compared to the BAe 146-200.
Fickle_Force_5457@reddit
The avionics allowed full Cat 3 landings, also the RJ got space liner interior, 35000ft ceiling due to digital pressure controller gear and increased operating weights. The basics are still 146 in there and built like a brick outhouse.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I was kinda torn what to put in the title, since their website said one thing but when looking up the aircraft I got the other one.
Stunning_Juice9238@reddit
Question - are those just 4 meh powered engines? Why 4 for such a little guy.
vanityprojection@reddit
I believe the joke is 5 APUs.
Fickle_Force_5457@reddit
The real reason is we couldn't fit 6 engines
gsmitheidw1@reddit
They're a version of a helicopter unit, hence no reverse thrust and large air brakes and spoilers and powerful ceramic disc brakes.
But they're heavy aircraft, weigh as much as an A320 so climb rate...is not amazing. They're tough though and can operate from fairly rough airfields.
Launch operator was Dan-Air in 1983, I was on one of the earliest flights as a kid.
There was supposed to be a follow up version called the RJX but it was shutdown by internal competition from the A318 which Airbus saw as potentially successful. It wasn't as we all know now.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
That's pretty cool to know
oioioifuckingoi@reddit
Also factually wrong.
reductase@reddit
The A320 and BAe 146 are not remotely close in weight.
RiamuDelMar@reddit
The aircraft was designed to be very quiet for urban airports
superiorrabbit@reddit
Those RJ85s have such a cool old-school look honestly
NoDoze-@reddit
Is it rare? I've seen these at SEA too.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
This particular variant is rare in Canada at least
oioioifuckingoi@reddit
I think North Caribou sold theirs so it’s just Summit and Conair who are left.
mattman840@reddit
Literally just saw this guy doing foscheck drops earlier today for a wild fire near me in so cal. Never seen anything like it before!
oioioifuckingoi@reddit
AeroFlite if it was an RJ, Neptune if it was a 146.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
That's pretty neat for sure
YuutaW@reddit
North Cariboo Air used to operate the RJ100 variant in and out of YVR for charter services. Here's a photo just months before they were retired late 2025. Unfortunately never caught them takeoff / landing.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
That's a slick looking plane, nice pic
nbus18@reddit
I got to fly on one of Summit’s RJ100s (C-GZRJ) last May as part of an enthusiasts’ charter around CYYC and the Banff area. Super cool scenery and a really interesting plane, although it is definitely TIGHT in a 3-3 economy config. The sounds on that thing are second to none though.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Dude! I watch the video of that done up by Alex, neat man.
Apprehensive-Role420@reddit
I flew on them regularly on Northwest Connection in the Midwest in the 90s. Super cool to sit behind the control surfaces and the view was superb with the high wing mount. Also, zero thrust reversers made for quiet landings. Now my local fire base uses them as tankers all summer; I still see them fly a lot.
Ruepic@reddit
My dad use to fly the 146 for Air Nova back in the day.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
What was it like, did he say?
Ruepic@reddit
Was fun to fly, smooth landings, wasn’t very fast. Carbon brakes would hold moisture and freeze so sometimes they’ll land on a wet runway and the tires would get rubber reversion. One time one of the engines wouldn’t shut down so they had to pull the fire handle.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Damn, older aircraft certainly had charm
WhenWillIBeAPilot@reddit
Why does it look like a baby C17
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I don't question the intimacy of planes, lol.
Tig57ers@reddit
Didn’t Aspen Airways fly these? I think I remember seeing these at Stapleton.
NoChapter1894@reddit
I tried to post pics of these planes in yellowknife when i worked for the company, but the kept getting deleted. Glad to see em on here.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Have you tried recently if you still have them?
yuchix@reddit
Wow, that's so cool! High-wing planes just look so tough.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Had to do a double take honestly
Dear_Ad6674@reddit
Used to fly on these pretty regularly from London City to Amsterdam - fun little go-karts. Especially on the endless taxi at Schiphol
No_Greed_No_Pain@reddit
Ditto from London City to Zurich. Not comfortable and cramped. But they did the job.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Fair, kinda like the Dash 8 on "long haul" flights i suppose.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Was was the seating configuration like?
Dear_Ad6674@reddit
not the best, and if you accidently got a seat under the wing you got no overhead storage
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
That's fair, at least you got a good engine view at least.
Preindustrialcyborg@reddit
oh hey my buddy just took a photo of that exact plane the other day and sent it to me freaking out about it lmao. it parks in the south side of the island if anyone's curious. right below the talon air office
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I just got lucky with the timing of the shot honestly
Admirable_Site_8337@reddit
Such a good looking little plane. But I watched too much crash investigation shows over the years and always just think “I am the problem” when I see one. 🤦♂️
And I am aware that incident was probably a BAe 146 and not the RJ85.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I feel you man, I have taken at least two pictures of planes over the years that have since crashed with fatalities.
Admirable_Site_8337@reddit
Ok, that is clearly a whacked feeling to have. Wow.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Yea one was a First Air plane that crashed in 2011, took the picture of the plane in like 2009 or 2010. And the other one was the recent Air Canada plane in NY, got that plane again like a year prior.
riceman090@reddit
they made my a340 small and silly yo
Dry_Complaint_3569@reddit
I loved taking a ride on these on intra Western Australia flights.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
That's awesome, what stood out to you about them?
Dry_Complaint_3569@reddit
Four Engine Fetishist
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
Lol, i don't judge. 4 engines are pretty exciting
Ill_Elk7424@reddit
BAE bringing another engine
IStream2@reddit
Very cool looking plane. I flew on one out of Brussels, if I recall correctly, back in the early 2000's. Sad to say it was pretty loud and claustrophobic on the inside.
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I would love to fly on one someday. A320s and 737s are not really unique.
RiamuDelMar@reddit
146 my beloved
9Twiggy9@reddit (OP)
I was pretty happy when I saw the plane approach. To me I found it to be pretty unique from all the other aircraft movement going on.
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