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Avro 748

From Alfawiki
Avro (later part of Hawker Siddeley)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAerospace, Aircraft manufacturing
PredecessorAvro
Founded1910; 116 years ago (1910)
FateIntegrated into Hawker Siddeley group
SuccessorHawker Siddeley Aviation
Headquarters
Woodford, Cheshire
,
United Kingdom
ProductsAircraft including the HS 748 turboprop airliner
ParentHawker Siddeley (from late 1950s)

Overview

The Hawker Siddeley HS 748, initially known as the Avro HS 748, is a medium-capacity turboprop airliner that was originally conceived and manufactured by the British company Avro. This model represents the final aircraft project completed by Avro before it was integrated into the Hawker Siddeley group.

Developed in the late 1950s, the HS 748 marked a strategic shift for the company towards civil aviation and expanding export opportunities. Equipped with the widely used Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engine, it was engineered as a contemporary feederliner intended to replace the then-ubiquitous Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Although initially planned to accommodate fewer passengers, market analysis revealed that an approximate capacity of 40 seats would best meet demand. To set itself apart from competing models, the aircraft was designed with robust performance features, including notable short takeoff and landing capabilities and enhanced durability. Its maiden flight took place on 24 June 1960, with the series 1 HS 748 commencing commercial operations in 1961.

Upon entering service, the HS 748 carved out a role within the short-distance aviation sector. Multiple variants of this regional airliner emerged over time, frequently incorporating more powerful Dart engines and increased maximum takeoff weights. The most recognizable derivative was the HS 780 Andover, a specialized military transport version created for the Royal Air Force (RAF). This model featured a sizeable rear cargo ramp alongside a unique squatting main landing gear arrangement to facilitate loading of oversized freight.

Production of the HS 748 concluded in 1988, by which point a total of 380 units had been manufactured collaboratively by Hawker Siddeley, the parent company of Avro, and Indian manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). In the following decade, an extended development based on the HS 748 platform, known as the BAe ATP, was introduced in an effort to rival established competitors like the de Havilland Canada Dash 8 and ATR 42. Despite these efforts, sales remained modest before production ceased.

Background

After the publication of the 1957 Defence White Paper, in which then-Minister of Defence Duncan Sandys declared the cessation of nearly all manned military aircraft projects, Avro shifted its focus more heavily toward the civilian aviation sector. A decade earlier, the company had introduced the Avro Tudor line of civilian airliners, which unfortunately experienced limited commercial success. Consequently, in 1958, Avro initiated the development of an entirely new design that would later be known as the HS 748. The project, initially called the Avro 748, was made public on 9 January 1959.[1]

By this time, the larger segment of the short-haul market was already dominated by the four-engine Vickers Viscount. As a result, Avro opted to create a smaller-scale regional airliner powered by two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines. The aircraft was intended to serve as a modern replacement for the numerous aging DC-3 Dakotas that were nearing the end of their economic usefulness. According to aviation magazine Flight International, a key objective for the design team was ensuring that the new aircraft could operate from any airfield accessible to the DC-3.[2]

The initial design envisioned a 20–30 seat configuration somewhat resembling that of the soon-to-be competitor Fokker F27 Friendship. However, after engaging with several prospective customers, Avro decided to pursue a low-wing layout accommodating 40 passengers. This configuration ultimately became the basis for the 748 project. Another critical design consideration was meeting both British and American airworthiness standards. To this end, it became one of the earliest medium-sized aircraft to implement fail-safe structural design principles instead of relying on the then-standard safe-life approach.[2] The airframe was designed without a predetermined service life; during testing phases, it underwent rigorous evaluation in a water tank simulating up to 100,000 flight hours.[2]

Avro was not alone in recognizing the market need for a DC-3 successor; development on its direct rival, the Dutch-built F27 Friendship, was already well underway. To set itself apart from this competition, Avro concentrated on creating a more robust airframe that delivered enhanced short takeoff and landing capabilities. This allowed operation from smaller, less developed airports—even those lacking paved runways.[3] The aircraft’s STOL performance was achieved through several design elements, including a long-span, high lift wing equipped with an innovative single slot flap featuring a hinged flap tab along its trailing edge. Positioned low on the fuselage with dihedral from the root, this wing arrangement provided ample ground clearance and facilitated mounting sturdy landing gear. Pilots could select from three different takeoff flap settings to tailor STOL performance according to operational requirements.[2]

Additionally, simplicity and reliability were prioritized by incorporating straightforward systems and utilising well-established components wherever feasible.[2] For operational ease, internal ignition systems were installed on the engines; other systems and structural elements were designed to allow easy inspection and maintenance even at remote or unimproved airstrips lacking advanced ground support equipment. These practical features helped generate strong interest among airlines operating in isolated regions, largely due to the aircraft’s ability to function from short, rough fields without ground service assistance while carrying payloads exceeding 10,000 lb.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

Into flight

File:BKS Avro 748 at Manchester 1964.jpg
BKS Air Transport Avro 748 Series 1 at Manchester in 1964
File:HS748 LV-HHE Aerolineas Bs As 26.04.72 edited-2.jpg
Aerolíneas Argentinas Avro 748 Series 1 at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires, in 1972

The Avro 748 performed its inaugural flight on 24 June 1960, taking off from the company's manufacturing facility located in Woodford, Cheshire.[3] Testing of the two prototype aircraft swiftly confirmed the model’s capability for operations on short runways. A total of eighteen Avro 748 Series 1 units were constructed; the first production deliveries were made in April 1962 to the launch customer Skyways Coach-Air Limited. Nevertheless, most Series 1 aircraft were sold internationally, with Aerolíneas Argentinas being a major operator.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] In the early 1960s, following the absorption of Avro into the Hawker Siddeley Group, the aircraft was rebranded and marketed under the parent company’s designation as the HS 748.

Following completion of the original Series 1 production run, manufacturing shifted to the enhanced Series 2 variant. This version closely resembled its predecessor but featured more powerful Dart RDa 7 Mk 531 engines and an increased maximum takeoff weight. Aviation publication Flight International reported in 1960 that the base price for a new Avro 748 Series 1 was £176,000, while the Series 2 was priced around £196,000.[1]

The introduction of the Series 2A occurred in 1967, retaining the fundamental airframe but upgrading to Mk. 532 engines and further increasing allowable weight. From 1971 onwards, customers gained access to various optional features such as a large rear freight door and reinforced cabin flooring. The Series 2B arrived in 1979 with a four-foot wingspan extension, adoption of Mk 536-2 powerplants, a modernized passenger cabin interior, and enhancements to fuel systems, water-methanol injection, and engine fire suppression mechanisms.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

In a statement from Hawker Siddeley Manchester’s sales engineering manager Eric Johnson in 1976, investigations were underway into fitting an HS 748 variant with turbofan engines, with preference given to the Rolls-Royce/SNECMA M45H engine used on the VFW-Fokker 614 jetliner.[2] Additional modifications would likely include lift dumpers and adaptive braking systems to improve landing performance, alongside redesigned electrical, hydraulic, and air conditioning systems. A dihedral wing angle would be necessary externally to prevent tailplane exposure to jet exhaust. This reengined model was projected to accommodate up to 64 passengers.[2]

Production of the Avro 748 extended beyond Britain; India was an early international customer.[1] Both Series 1 and Series 2 models were license-built by Indian manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), with these aircraft designated as HAL-748. The first HAL-assembled aircraft took flight on November 1, 1961.[3] By production’s end, HAL had delivered a total of eighty-nine units—seventy-two for the Indian Air Force and seventeen for India's national airline Indian Airlines.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

Although initially aimed primarily at commercial operators, numerous HS 748s found roles within military fleets worldwide. Hawker Siddeley developed the HS 780 Andover based on this platform for service with the Royal Air Force. The HS 780 retained much of the HS 748’s design but incorporated a redesigned rear fuselage and tail assembly featuring a large rear loading ramp and squatting main landing gear to facilitate loading oversized cargo. It also employed more powerful RDa.10/1 engines delivering approximately 3,245 hp (2,419.80 kW) at15,000 rpm with water/methanol injection.[3]

Production of the HS 748 ceased in 1988; notably, the final British-built aircraft completed its maiden flight on December 1 of that year.[3] Subsequently, BAE introduced an improved stretched derivative known as the BAE ATP61 powered by PWC126/127 engines; however, only sixty-seven units of this variant were produced. According to BAE Systems, which succeeded Hawker Siddeley, total production across all variants—including Andover and HAL-built models—amounted to three hundred eighty-one aircraft.[3]

Operational history

During the first ten years following its introduction, the HS 748 experienced relatively strong sales; by 1976, a total of 312 units had been sold, with exports accounting for 259 of these aircraft. Within a decade of its debut, India had become the largest single market for this model, with Indian Airlines operating the biggest fleet of 26 HS 748s. The aircraft found considerable favor among various commercial operators; in the Caribbean and Latin America alone, 63 HS 748s were operated by 11 different companies.

The HS 748 managed to secure notable successes against competitors such as the F27 Friendship. Prior to replacing its F27s and remaining DC-3s with the HS 748, Philippine Airlines was the largest operator of the F27, making this shift a significant victory for Hawker Siddeley. Other prominent civil operators included Aerolíneas Argentinas, VARIG, Thai Airways, LAN-Chile, and Bouraq Airlines. Many of these airlines took advantage of the aircraft's Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities; Flight International reported that more than one-third of scheduled flights involved operations from rudimentary airstrips with limited infrastructure.

Another important segment for the HS 748 was its use as an executive transport; it was frequently selected as the official aircraft for numerous heads of state including those from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, India, Venezuela, Zambia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Notably, the HS 748 was among the final aircraft flown by renowned aviator and entrepreneur Howard Hughes. In 1972, Hughes conducted several flights aboard this type alongside Hawker Siddeley test pilot Tony Blackman from Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire.

The Australian Defence Forces also procured several HS 748s. The Royal Australian Air Force acquired ten units beginning in 1968 primarily for navigation training and VIP transport. The Royal Australian Navy operated two HS 748s starting in 1973 as navigational trainers. After Cyclone Tracy, these aircraft were utilized to deliver relief supplies in Darwin. Later in the late 1970s, after being equipped with electronic countermeasures (ECM), they were employed in electronic warfare training roles.

Configured typically for passengers, the HS 748 accommodates approximately 40 to 48 economy seats arranged four abreast; however, many later passenger versions operated as quick-change combi aircraft featuring a movable partition that separates cargo in the forward section from between four and forty seats positioned aft. The model has also seen extensive use as a dedicated freighter with a maximum payload capacity near 12,000 pounds. Additionally, several operators have adapted it to carry bulk fuel using seven or eight fixed tanks installed within the cabin, holding roughly 7,500 liters (approximately 1,650 US gallons).

In flight planning contexts governed by ICAO standards, the HS 748 is identified by the designator A748.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has announced that the Type Certificate for this aircraft will be withdrawn on July 1st, 2025 at the request of BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd., the current Type Certificate holder.

Variants

  • 748 Series 1 – The initial Avro 748 model, a twin-turboprop airliner designed for short to medium distances, equipped with two Rolls-Royce Dart RDa 7 Mk 514 engines. A total of 24 units were produced.
  • 748 Series 2 – Production began in 1961 featuring an increased maximum takeoff weight and powered by Mk 531 engines. This version saw 111 aircraft built.
  • 748 Series 2A – Launched in 1967, this variant offered a further boost in takeoff weight along with Mk 532 or Mk 534 engines. With 157 units constructed, it became the most widely produced and successful model within the 748 family.
  • 748 Series 2B – Following Hawker-Siddeley's integration into British Aerospace, the 2B became the primary production variant. It incorporated a wingspan extension of four feet, higher maximum gross weight, Mk 536 engines, updated cabin interiors, and enhanced systems. Twenty-eight aircraft were manufactured.
  • 748 Series 5 – Planned to feature Rolls-Royce M-45H turbofan engines mounted above the wings and a fuselage lengthened by 78 inches to accommodate 64 passengers. This model was never realized.
  • Super 748 – Essentially a Series 2B fitted with engine noise reduction kits; eight units were built.
  • Hawker Siddeley HS780 Andover – A military adaptation of the 748 tailored for the Royal Air Force, including a kneeling landing gear, elevated tail assembly, and rear cargo ramp.
  • Coastguarder – A maritime surveillance adaptation of the design.
  • 748 Andover – Military transport variants derived from the basic 748 platform.
  • 748AEW – An airborne early warning version designated AST.400; this model was not constructed.
  • 748AEW (FASS) – A proposed AEW variant powered by four Avco Lycoming T53-21A turboprop engines; it remained unbuilt.
  • 748B – A planned configuration seating 36 passengers that did not enter production.
  • 748COD – A concept for a U.S. Navy deck-landing fleet support aircraft which was never developed.
  • 748CF – Civilian version of the Type 780 design; not produced.
  • 748E – A Series 2 derivative featuring an extended fuselage length of 76 feet to carry between 52 and 60 passengers and utilizing wings from the Type 780; this model was not manufactured.
  • 748 Super E – An evolution of the 748E with reduced allowable gross weight and an expanded wingspan; it remained unbuilt.
  • 748EW – Intended as an AEW platform for Sweden with twin rudders and fins; never constructed.
  • 748 Executive – A VIP/executive adaptation of the Series 2; not built.
  • 748F – Freighter version based on Series 2, equipped with a large cargo door and reinforced flooring. Marketed as Series 2 LFD but never produced.
  • 748J – Turbojet-powered variant featuring rear-mounted engines and a T-tail configuration; not realized.
  • 748L – Proposed large-diameter fuselage (10 feet 6 inches) version of Series 2; unbuilt.
  • 748ML – Maritime reconnaissance configuration that did not reach production.
  • 748SFV – Designed to meet U.S. STOL requirements for carrying forty passengers based on Series 2A; never built.
  • 748STOL – STOL variant intended for U.S. carriers with four Avro Lycoming T53-21A engines; unproduced.
  • 748X – Executive version of Series 2 with enhanced fuel capacity; not constructed.
  • 748-502 – Turbojet variant powered by two Avco Lycoming ALF502 engines, which evolved into the Series 5 design but was itself unbuilt.
  • 757 – Strengthened floor and updated avionics variant of Series 1 for the Indian Air Force, also known as the 748M; this model was not manufactured.
  • 758 – High-wing configuration of the 748, also referred to as the 748R; never produced.
  • HAL 748 – Licensed production by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Bangalore, India. Indian-built models were adapted for multiple roles including trials for an Airborne Early Warning system equipped with a large radome known as the Airborne Surveillance Platform (ASP). A total of eighty-nine units were completed.
  • HAL 748 Series 2M – The final twenty aircraft produced for the Indian Air Force featured a large freight door and were designated as Series 2M models.
  • C-91 – Brazilian Air Force designation assigned to HS 748 Series 2A aircraft.
  • B.L.5 (Thai: บ.ล.๕) – Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the HS 748-208 model.

Present Civil Operators

As of July 2020, there were 13 HS 748 aircraft (across all models) actively flying with airlines. By May 2023, Transport Canada (TC) recorded 7 HS 748s in Canada holding valid Certificates of Registration.

The current operators include:

  • Air Creebec (operating 2 aircraft; TC registers 3)[4][5]
  • Avro Express (1 aircraft)
  • Planes For Africa (1 aircraft)
  • Wasaya Airways (4 aircraft registered with TC)[6][5]
  • Zone 4 International (2 aircraft)[7]

Previous Civil Operators

File:Hawker Siddeley HS-748 Srs2A-288LFD, Belgium - Air Force AN1188407.jpg
Belgian Air Force Hawker Siddeley HS-748
Template:Country data Afghanistan
Template:Country data Botswana
Template:Country data Antigua & Barbuda
Template:Country data Argentina
File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria
File:Flag of the Bahamas.svg Bahamas
Template:Country data Bophuthatswana
Template:Country data Brazil
  • Varig (11 aircraft: one Avro 748 Series 2 prototype plus 10 production models)
Template:Country data British Virgin Islands
File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
Template:Country data Cape Verde
Template:Country data Chile
File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
File:Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji
File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
Template:Country data Guyana
File:Flag of India.svg India
  • Vayudoot (defunct)
  • Indian Airlines (currently part of Air India)
  • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited BH-572 (used by HAL Chairman)
File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia
  • Bouraq Indonesia Airlines (defunct)
  • Bali Air (defunct, operated 4 aircraft)
  • Airfast Indonesia
File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland
  • Ryan Air (two aircraft, operated from 1986 to 1989, initiating Dublin-London Luton service)
Template:Country data Kenya
  • 748 Air Services
  • Safe Air Company
Template:Country data Madagascar
Template:Country data Malawi
Template:Country data Marshall Islands
Template:Country data Mexico
  • Aeronaves de México (now Aeroméxico)
  • Aerocaribe (one aircraft, acquired from Atlantic Airlines de Honduras)
File:Flag of Nepal.svg   Nepal
  • Nepal Airlines
  • Necon Air
File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
  • Mount Cook Airline
Template:Country data Panama
  • Copa Airlines
File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines
  • Philippine Airlines
File:Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal
  • SATA Air Açores
Template:Country data Samoa
  • Polynesian Airlines (two aircraft)
File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
  • Air Cape
  • AirQuarius (operated six aircraft)
  • Executive Aerospace (operated thirteen aircraft)
  • Intensive Air
  • Stars Away Aviation
  • South African Airways (operated five aircraft between 1970 and 1983)
Template:Country data Sri Lanka
  • Aero Lanka (one aircraft)
  • Air Ceylon (two aircraft)
  • Lionair (one aircraft)
File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand
  • Bangkok Airways
  • Thai Airways Company
Template:Country data Trinidad and Tobago
  • Trinidad and Tobago Air Service (TTAS)

Template:Country data Oman

  • Oman Aviation Services
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
  • British Airways
  • Dan Air
  • Emerald Airways
  • Janes Aviation (two aircraft)
  • Skyways Coach-Air Limited (five aircraft)
File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
  • Air Illinois
  • Air Virginia (AVAir)
  • Cascade Airways
Template:Country data Venezuela
  • Aeropostal
Template:Country data Zambia
  • Zambia Airways

Current military operators

File:Flag of India.svg India
  • Indian Air Force - 57 units are still operational, gradually being succeeded by the Casa C295[8]. Initially utilized for transport missions, their role has shifted predominantly to training and communication purposes[9]

Former military operators

File:Avro 748 A10-604 RAAF East Sale Lavtn 18.04.71 edited-3.jpg
Royal Australian Air Force HS.748 at RAAF Laverton in 1971
File:N15710atYSNW.JPG
An HS 748 of 723 Squadron Royal Australian Navy
File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
Template:Country data Benin
Template:Country data Brazil
  • Brazilian Air Force
    • Twelve units operated from 1962 until retirement in 2005 under the designation C-91.
File:Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei
Template:Country data Burkina Faso (Template:Country data Upper Volta)
Template:Country data Cameroon
File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador
File:Flag of India.svg India
Template:Country data Madagascar
File:Flag of Nepal.svg   Nepal
File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea
Template:Country data Sri Lanka
Template:Country data Tanzania
File:HS 748 Royal Thai airforce.JPG
HS 748 Royal Thai Air Force, Children day 2016, Bangkok, Thailand, 2016
File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Template:Country data Venezuela
Template:Country data Zambia

Accidents and incidents

  • On 10 July 1965, an Avro 748-101 Series 1 registered G-ARMV, operated by Skyways Coach-Air, was completely destroyed following a landing mishap at Lympne Airport. All 51 occupants survived the event. This marked the inaugural incident resulting in the total loss of an Avro 748 / HS748 aircraft.
  • On 15 August 1967, two separate accidents involving HS-748-222 Series 2 planes from Channel Airways Limited took place within approximately 90 minutes at Portsmouth Airport. The first involved G-ATEK, conducting a scheduled flight from Southend to Paris via Portsmouth. Amid rainy weather, it failed to stop within the available grass runway length, veering sideways off the runway and coming to rest on an embankment. Around an hour and a half later, G-ATEH, on a scheduled route from Jersey through Guernsey to Portsmouth, also skidded during landing, breached a perimeter fence, and halted on the main Eastern Road. Neither accident caused injuries; however, both aircraft incurred significant damage. An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report attributed the incidents to insufficient braking caused by the extremely slick grass surface overlying hard, dry, and nearly impermeable subsoil.
  • On 4 February 1970, Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 707, an Avro 748–105 model, crashed after pilots lost control near Loma Alta in Argentina, resulting in the deaths of all 37 individuals aboard.
  • On 21 April 1970, Philippines Airlines Flight 215, operating an Avro 748-209, was destroyed following a bomb detonation onboard. All 36 passengers and crew perished.
  • On 9 December 1971, an Indian Airlines HS 748 was descending toward Madurai near Chinnamanur when it collided with elevated terrain approximately 50 miles (80 km) from the airport. The crash claimed the lives of all four crew members and seventeen passengers; ten passengers survived. The accident occurred during daylight hours under conditions of reduced visibility.
  • On 20 January 1976, a TAME HS 748-246 Series 2A with registration HC-AUE crashed while flying over mountainous terrain at about 10,000 feet altitude. The right wing struck trees leading to loss of control and impact with a mountainside. The flight was en route from Loja, Ecuador to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Six crew members and twenty-eight passengers died; eight passengers survived.
  • On 3 March 1978, a Línea Aeropostal Venezolana Hawker Siddeley HS 748 crashed shortly after takeoff from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of all forty-seven onboard.
  • On 7 September 1978, Air Ceylon’s HS 748 registered as 4R-ACJ was destroyed by fire while parked at Colombo-Ratmalana airport due to a bomb planted by terrorists. No casualties were reported.
  • On 31 July 1979 at Sumburgh Airport in Scotland’s Shetland Islands, Dan-Air Flight 0034, an HS 748 series 1 (G-BEKF), crashed during an oil industry support flight. The aircraft failed to lift off properly and plunged into the sea because the elevator gust-lock had inadvertently re-engaged, preventing rotation into flight attitude. The crash resulted in destruction of the aircraft and drowning deaths of seventeen individuals.
  • On 4 August 1979, Indian Airlines’ HAL-748 (VT-DXJ) operating a scheduled Pune to Bombay flight crashed in the Kiroli Hills near Panvel, roughly eleven kilometers east of Bombay. The aircraft was completely destroyed and all forty-five people aboard lost their lives.
  • On 22 August 1979, a former Colombian Air Force non-commissioned officer working as an aircraft mechanic stole a military HS 748 (FAC-1101) from a hangar at Eldorado International Airport, Bogotá. Intending to crash it into his parents’ home, he lost fuel mid-flight causing the plane to crash; he and three individuals on the ground were killed.
  • On 27 April 1980, Thai Airways Flight 231 stalled and crashed while approaching Bangkok amid a thunderstorm. Forty-four out of fifty-three occupants were killed.
  • On 26 June 1981, Dan-Air Flight 240, an HS 748 Series 2A mail service from Gatwick Airport to East Midlands Airport, crashed near Nailstone in Leicestershire after losing control due to detachment of the right rear door during descent. The door struck and lodged on the horizontal stabilizer leading to loss of control; all three crew members died when structural failure occurred during a steep dive.
  • On 19 August 1981, Indian Airlines Flight 557 (HAL-748 VT-DXF) overran the runway at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport during wet weather conditions but came to rest beyond the runway edge without fatalities. The aircraft sustained damage severe enough to be written off. Among those onboard was former Cabinet Minister Veerappa Moily.
  • On 11 October 1983, Air Illinois Flight 710 crashed at night amid thunderstorms between Pinckneyville and Tamaroa in Illinois after electrical failures left the crew without power. The left generator drive shaft had failed post-takeoff; attempts to restore power were unsuccessful and despite adverse conditions and limited ATC guidance below cloud base at approximately two thousand feet MSL, the captain chose to continue rather than divert. All ten occupants perished.
  • On 27 June 1987, Philippine Airlines Flight 206 collided with mountainous terrain due to poor visibility while attempting to land at Loakan Airport, Baguio City. All fifty passengers and crew died.
  • On 15 September 1988, a Bradley Air Services HS-748 (C-GFFA) cargo aircraft crashed while approaching Ottawa International Airport (YOW), Ontario, Canada. Both pilots were killed. After unloading cargo at Montreal-Dorval International Airport (YUL), it departed for Ottawa under IFR flight rules. Approximately twenty-one minutes into cruise at three thousand feet and around two hundred knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), flight data recorded abrupt full deflections of both left and right ailerons causing rapid rolling motions culminating in impact with terrain after approximately eighteen seconds.
  • On 12 January 1989, another Bradley Air Services HS-748 (C-GDOV) crashed shortly after takeoff from Dayton International Airport Runway 24R when it climbed to about thirteen hundred feet before turning right and descending into trees roughly three quarters of a mile away. Previous training flights revealed that the co-pilot had difficulties managing instrument flight under high workload conditions due to disorientation or inadequate instrument scanning.
  • On 10 November 1993 near Sandy Lake Airport (ZSJ/CZSJ), Ontario—approximately six hundred kilometers northeast of Winnipeg—a Hawker Siddeley HS-748-234 Series 2A registered C-GQTH took off from runway 29 around eighteen hundred hours local time but entered a low-altitude right turn before impacting trees about one nautical mile northwest of the airport after descending through approximately one hundred feet above ground level. Loss of alternating current power affecting flight instruments was considered contributory; all seven onboard perished.
  • On April 28, 1995, Sri Lanka Air Force Avro HS 748 CR835 (4R-HVB) was struck by an SA-7 missile fired by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) immediately after departure from Palaly (Jaffna International Airport). Despite crew efforts returning for landing, extensive fire damage led to collapse of starboard wing on short final about two hundred ninety-five meters from runway threshold; all forty-five occupants died.
  • The following day on April 29, 1995 another Sri Lanka Air Force Avro HS 748 CR834 was similarly hit by an SA-7 missile from LTTE forces while approaching for landing; all fifty-two passengers and crew including investigators onboard were killed.
  • On January 11, 1999 ASTE HAL-748 ASP/H-2175 crashed near Attur in Tamil Nadu after pilot loss of control resulted in impact with terrain killing both crew members and six passengers.
  • On September 5, 1999 Necon Air Flight 128—a BAe 748-501 Super 2B registered as 9N-AEG—collided with a Nepal Telecommunication Corporation communication tower during approach into Tribhuvan International Airport near Kathmandu after departing Pokhara Airport. All fifteen aboard died upon crashing into wooded terrain approximately twenty-five kilometers west of Kathmandu.
  • On June 1, 2002 former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje was sole passenger aboard an HS 748 cargo flight from Bloemfontein to George when poor visibility combined with malfunctioning navigational aids prevented safe landing near George airport; aircraft crashed into Outeniqua Mountains northeast of airport killing Cronje aged thirty-two along with both pilots. A judicial inquiry concluded pilot error contributed significantly to the accident though conspiracy theories about foul play emerged posthumously due to Cronje’s involvement in match-fixing scandals.
  • On June 8, 2004 Gabon Express Flight 221 experienced engine failure leading to crash that claimed nineteen lives out of thirty onboard an HS 748 aircraft.
  • On June 12, 2012 Wasaya Airways’ Hawker Siddeley HS 748 caught fire during ground handling operations at Sandy Lake First Nation in Northwestern Ontario; no injuries occurred though the aircraft was completely consumed except for left wing and nacelle structures.
  • On February 17, 2014 an HS 748-371 Series 2B made a crash landing at Rubkona Airport (formerly Bentiu) in South Sudan while delivering humanitarian aid; one crew member died and three others were injured.
  • On November 14, 2014 a BAe HS-748 crashed while approaching Panyagor airstrip in South Sudan during a charter relief supply mission for the Lutheran World Federation originating from Juba; two crew members were killed with one seriously injured.

Surviving aircraft

File:A10-601 (16432349288).jpg
A10-601 coated with protective spray at the RAAF Museum
File:HS.748 restaurant in Koggala (1).jpg
SCM-3101 located at SLAF Koggala
File:G-OPFW (14995690994).jpg
Cockpit of G-OPFW exhibited at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum

Australia

Brazil

Canada

  • HS 748 Srs2a, c/n 1723 previously operated by Air Creebec as C-FLIY, now part of the Canadian Aviation Museum collection in Windsor.[15]

Ecuador

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Thailand

United Kingdom

Specifications (Super 748)

Template:Aircraft specs

See also

Template:Aircontent

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Avro 748." Flight International, 18 November 1960. p. 783.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "HS.748 looks to the 1980s." Flight International, 22 May 1976. p. 1342.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Avro 748 & Avro 748MF Andover." BAE Systems, Retrieved: 26 June 2019.
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CCAR
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Hoyle Flight International 5–11 December 2017, p. 33
  11. ↑ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 219
  12. ↑ Hoyle Flight International 5–11 December 2017, p. 46
  13. ↑ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 232
  14. ↑ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 234
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Bibliography

  • Blackman, Tony. "Flight Testing to Win." Lulu.com, 2005. ISBN 1-4116-4825-0.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

External links

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