British Aerospace BAe 125
Encyclopedia
The British Aerospace 125 is a twin-engined mid-size corporate jet, with newer variants now marketed as the Hawker 800. It was known as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 until 1977. It was also used by the British
Royal Air Force
as a navigation trainer (as the Hawker Siddeley Dominie T1) until January 2011, and was used by the United States Air Force
as a calibration aircraft (as the C-29).
began working on a revolutionary small business jet, the DH.125 Jet Dragon, intended to replace the piston engined de Havilland Dove
business aircraft and light transport. The DH.125 design was for a low-winged monoplane
with a pressurised
fuselage accommodating two pilots and six passengers. It was powered by two Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojets mounted on the rear fuselage. The slightly swept wing employed large slotted flaps
and airbrakes
to allow operation from small airfields. The first of two prototypes flew on 13 August 1962, with the second following on 12 December that year. The first production aircraft, longer and with a greater wingspan than the two prototypes, flew on 12 February 1963, with the first delivery to a customer on 10 September 1964.
The aircraft went through many designation changes during its service life. Hawker Siddeley had bought de Havilland the year before project start, but the old legacy brand and the "DH" designation was used throughout development. After the jet achieved full production, the name was finally changed to "HS.125". When Hawker Siddeley Aircraft merged with the British Aircraft Corporation
to form British Aerospace in 1977, the name changed to BAe 125. Then, when British Aerospace
sold its Business Jets Division to Raytheon
in 1993, the jet acquired the name Raytheon Hawker. The fuselage, wings and tail-fin are to this day fully assembled and partially equipped (primary and secondary flight controls) in Airbus UK's Broughton plant, on the outskirts of Chester, sub-assemblies are produced in Airbus UK's Buckley (Bwcle in Welsh) site. All these assembled components are then shipped to Wichita, Kansas in the United States, to where final assembly was transferred in 1996.
Over 1,000 aircraft have been built.
used two Series 3s for crew training.
Biafra
Nicaragua
Nigeria
South Africa
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as a navigation trainer (as the Hawker Siddeley Dominie T1) until January 2011, and was used by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
as a calibration aircraft (as the C-29).
Development
In 1961, de HavillandDe Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
began working on a revolutionary small business jet, the DH.125 Jet Dragon, intended to replace the piston engined de Havilland Dove
De Havilland Dove
The de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
business aircraft and light transport. The DH.125 design was for a low-winged monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
with a pressurised
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
fuselage accommodating two pilots and six passengers. It was powered by two Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojets mounted on the rear fuselage. The slightly swept wing employed large slotted flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
and airbrakes
Air brake (aircraft)
In aeronautics, air brakes or speedbrakes are a type of flight control surface used on an aircraft to increase drag or increase the angle of approach during landing....
to allow operation from small airfields. The first of two prototypes flew on 13 August 1962, with the second following on 12 December that year. The first production aircraft, longer and with a greater wingspan than the two prototypes, flew on 12 February 1963, with the first delivery to a customer on 10 September 1964.
The aircraft went through many designation changes during its service life. Hawker Siddeley had bought de Havilland the year before project start, but the old legacy brand and the "DH" designation was used throughout development. After the jet achieved full production, the name was finally changed to "HS.125". When Hawker Siddeley Aircraft merged with the British Aircraft Corporation
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
to form British Aerospace in 1977, the name changed to BAe 125. Then, when British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
sold its Business Jets Division to Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
in 1993, the jet acquired the name Raytheon Hawker. The fuselage, wings and tail-fin are to this day fully assembled and partially equipped (primary and secondary flight controls) in Airbus UK's Broughton plant, on the outskirts of Chester, sub-assemblies are produced in Airbus UK's Buckley (Bwcle in Welsh) site. All these assembled components are then shipped to Wichita, Kansas in the United States, to where final assembly was transferred in 1996.
Over 1,000 aircraft have been built.
Variants
- DH.125 Series 1 - first version, powered by 3000 lbf (13.3 kN) Viper 20 or 520 engines. Nine built, including two prototypes (43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) long, 44 ft (13.41 m) span) and seven production aircraft (47 ft 5 in (14.56 m) long, 47 ft (14.33 m) long.
- DH.125 Series 1A/1B - upgraded Bristol Siddeley Viper 521 or 522 engines with 3100 lbf (13.8 kN) of thrust each, and five cabin windows instead of six. Series 1A for US FAA certification (62 built), Series 1B for sale elsewhere (13 built).
- HS.125 Series 2 - navigation trainer for Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, with service designationBritish military aircraft designation systemsBritish military aircraft designations are used to refer to aircraft types and variants operated by the armed forces of the United Kingdom.Since the end of the First World War, aircraft types in British military service have generally been known by a name British military aircraft designations are...
Dominie T.1 - (Rolls Royce Viper 301) - HS.125 Series 3 - upgraded engines
- HS.125 Series 400 - upgraded engines
- HS.125 CC1 - Series 400 liaison aircraft for Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- HS.125 CC1 - Series 400 liaison aircraft for Royal Air Force
- HS.125 Series 600 - 3 ft 1 in (0.94 m) fuselage stretch to increase capacity to 14 passengers
- HS.125 CC2 - Series 600 liaison aircraft for Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- HS.125 CC2 - Series 600 liaison aircraft for Royal Air Force
- HS.125 Series 700 - Honeywell TFE731Honeywell TFE731|-See also:-External links:*...
-3RH turbofanTurbofanThe turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
engines with 3720 lbf (16.5 kN) of thrust each, first flight 19 June 1976- BAe 125 CC3 - Series 700 liaison aircraft for Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- BAe 125 CC3 - Series 700 liaison aircraft for Royal Air Force
- HS.125 Protector - Series 700-based maritime patrolMaritime patrolMaritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
aircraft with a search radar and cameras - BAe 125 Series 800 - increased wingspan, streamlined nose, tail fin extension, increased fuel capacity, first corporate jet to feature an EFIS cockpit, upgraded engines, first flight 26 May 1983
- Hawker 800 - BAe 125-800 after 1993
- Hawker 800XP - TFE731-5BR1H turbofan engines with 4660 lbf (20.7 kN) of thrust each
- Hawker 800SP and 800XP2 - New designation for 800A/B and 800XP aircraft when upgraded with aftermarket winglets
- Hawker 850XP - 800XP with factory installed winglets and interior updates
- Hawker 900XP - 850XP with Honeywell TFE731-50R turbofan engines for increased hot/high performance and longer range
- Hawker 750 - 800XP with a light-weight interior and heated baggage compartment in place of the ventral fuel tank
- C-29A - Series 800 for US military designed to replace the Lockheed C-140ALockheed JetStarThe Lockheed JetStar is a business jet produced from the early 1960s through the 1970s. The JetStar was the first dedicated business jet to enter service. It was also one of the largest aircraft in the class for many years, seating ten plus two crew...
, used by the Air ForceAir forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
to accomplish the combat flight inspection and navigation mission (C-FIN) at US airbases around the world, participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the First Persian Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. - U-125 - Series 800-based flight inspection aircraft for Japan (similar to C-29A)
- U-125A - Series 800-based search and rescue aircraft for Japan
- BAe 125 Series 1000 - intercontinental version of the Series 800, 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m) fuselage stretch to increase capacity to 15, increased fuel capacity, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-305 turbofans with 5200 lbf (23.1 kN) thrust each, first flight 16 June 1990, 52 built
- Hawker 1000 - BAe 125-1000 after 1993
- Handley Page HP.130 - A 1965 proposal with boundary layer controlBoundary layer controlBoundary layer control refers to methods of controlling the behaviour of fluid flow boundary layers. This holds particular interest in aeronautical engineering because drag may be reduced whilst achieving high lift ....
wings (not built). It was to be powered by two Bristol Siddeley Viper 520s of 3000 lbf (13.3 kN) thrust with a projected Maximum speed of Mach 0.8. This conversion was for laminar-flow research purposes.
Civil operators
Private operators, air taxi, shared ownership and corporate charter operators worldwide. Between 1965 and 1972 QantasQantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
used two Series 3s for crew training.
Military operators
- Argentine Naval AviationArgentine Naval AviationThe Argentine Naval Aviation is the naval aviation branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands...
operated one VIP. See also Escuadrón FénixEscuadrón FénixThe Phoenix Squadron was a special unit of the Argentine Air Force formed during the 1982 Falklands War - History :...
Biafra
- Biafran Air Force operated one aircraft.
- Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
- Botswana Defence Force Air WingBotswana Defence Force Air WingThe Botswana Defence Force Air Wing is the air arm of the Botswana Defence Force of the country of Botswana in southern Africa.-Overview:The Air Wing was formed in 1977 and is organisationally part of the Botswana Defence Force....
- Irish Air CorpsIrish Air CorpsThe Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
- Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense ForceThe , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
- Military of MalawiMilitary of MalawiThe Armed forces of Malawi are the state military organisation responsible for defending Malawi. They originated from British colonial units formed before independence in 1964.-Army structure:...
Nicaragua
- Nicaraguan Air ForceNicaraguan Air ForceThe Nicaraguan Air Force continues the former Sandinista air units. Before 1979 the Nicaraguan National Guard had some air units .-Air force:...
- National Guard (Nicaragua)National Guard (Nicaragua)In Nicaragua, the National Guard was a militia and a gendarmerie created during the occupation of that country by the United States from 1909 to 1933. It became notorious for human rights abuses and corruption under the regime of the Somoza family.-Creation:...
Nigeria
- Nigerian Air ForceNigerian Air ForceThe Nigerian Air Force is the air arm of the Nigerian Armed Forces.It is one of the largest in West Africa, consisting of about 15,000 personnel and aircraft including 15 Chengdu F-7s, and 24 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, armed helicopters, and military transport aircraft. However in recent years...
- Royal Saudi Air ForceRoyal Saudi Air ForceThe Royal Saudi Air Force , is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability...
South Africa
- South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
- No. 21 Squadron SAAF
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- No. 32 Squadron RAF
- No. 55(R) Squadron RAFNo. 55 Squadron RAFNo. 55 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1916 at Castle Bromwich as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps. No. 55 Squadron was the last RAF Squadron to operationally fly the Handley Page Victor, in its Victor K.2 in-flight refuelling tanker role. It was subsequently a...
(Dominie T1) - No. 6 Flying Training School RAF
- Royal Air Force College CranwellRoyal Air Force College CranwellThe Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Accidents and incidents
- On 22 November 1966, de Havilland DH.125 N235KC of Florida Commuter AirlinesFlorida Commuter AirlinesFlorida Commuter Airlines was a small U.S. regional airline based out of Palm Beach International Airport that evolved directly from Roberson Air, Inc. which did business as Red Baron Airlines. This happened when Dr. Rudolph P. Scheerer bought out Dr. Clive E. Roberson for a 100% stake in the...
crashed into the sea 7.3 kilometres (3.9 nmi) off Grand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International AirportGrand Bahama International Airport is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas. The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and The Port Group...
, Freeport, BahamasFreeport, BahamasFreeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of Grand Bahama of the North-west Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted 50,000 acres Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of...
during an illegal flight from Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. - In July 1967, Air Hanson HS.125 (G-ASNU) carrying former Congolese president Moise TshombeMoise TshombeMoïse Kapenda Tshombe was a Congolese politician.- Biography :He was the son of a successful Congolese businessman and was born in Musumba, Congo. He received his education from an American missionary school and later trained as an accountant...
was hijacked and taken to Algeria. - On 23 December 1967 a Hawker Siddeley HS.125 (registration: G-AVGW) of Court LineCourt LineCourt Line was a prominent British holiday charter airline during the early 1970s based at Luton Airport in Bedfordshire. It also provided bus services in Luton and surrounding areas....
crashed shortly after taking off from Luton Airport, killing both pilots. The aircraft had been on a training flight. The crash occurred when the crew simulated an engine failure on takeoff. The HS 125 lost height rapidly and hit the roof of the nearby Vauxhall MotorsVauxhall MotorsVauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
factory. This resulted in a post-crash fire. - On 26 May 1971, three Mercurius HS.125 aircraft belonging to the South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
flew into Devil's PeakDevil's Peak (Cape Town)Devil's Peak is part of the mountainous backdrop to Cape Town. When looking at Table Mountain from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, or when looking at the standard picture postcard view of the mountain, the skyline is from left to right: the spire of Devil's Peak, the flat mesa of Table Mountain,...
, Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, while practising for a flypast for the 10th anniversary of the republic. - On 20 November 1975, a British Aerospace BAe 125 overran the runway at Dunsfold AerodromeDunsfold AerodromeDunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England, near the village of Cranleigh, was built by the Canadian Army and civilian contractors as a Class A Bomber Airfield for Army Co-operation Command...
after a bird strikeBird strikeA bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, avian ingestion , bird hit, or BASH —is a collision between an airborne animal and a man-made vehicle, especially aircraft...
on take off. The aircraft hit a car and stopped in a field, killing six people in the car and injuring one crew member out of nine passengers and crew. - On 8 September 1987: a Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
Hawker Siddeley HS.125 registration FAB-2129 crashed upon take-off from CarajásCarajás AirportCarajás Airport is the airport serving Parauapebas, Brazil, located in the district of Carajás.It is operated by Infraero.-History:The airport was built by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce as a support to its mining activities. It was inaugurated on September 23, 1982...
. All nine occupants died. - On 7 August 1988, a BAe-125 owned by the Botswana Government was carrying the President of Botswana, Quett MasireQuett MasireQuett Ketumile Joni Masire, GCMG was the second President of Botswana for the Botswana Democratic Party from 1980 to 1998. He stepped down and was succeeded by the then Vice-President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, who became the third President of Botswana...
, and his staff to a meeting in Luanda. An Angolan MiG-23 pilot fired two R-60 (AA-8) missiles at the plane. One missile hit the no. 2 engine, causing it to fall off the aircraft. The second missile then hit the falling engine. The crew was able to make a successful emergency landing on a bush strip at Cutio Bie. - On 16 March 1991, a Hawker Siddeley charter aircraft carrying band members for Reba McEntireReba McEntireReba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
crashed into the side of Otay Mountain. The accident occurred shortly after take off from a municipal airport outside of San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. All eight band members aboard plus two pilots were killed in the crash believed to have been caused by poor visibility. - On 18 January 1996, a government-owned BAe-125 crashed near KanoKanoKano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
in NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, killing all 14 people on board. - On 3 January 2006, Russian aircraft (AVCOM - Moscow) crashed in KharkivKharkivKharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
into the Komsomolsk lake, 3 people died (crew). - On 31 July 2008, East Coast Jets Flight 81 crashed on approach to an airport in Owatonna, MinnesotaOwatonna, MinnesotaOwatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....
killing all 8 passengers and crew. - On 26 October 2009, S-Air Flight 9607, operated by BAe 125 RA-02807 crashed on approach to Minsk International AirportMinsk International Airportthumb|300pix|Minsk National Airport location within the limits of Kastrychnitski District of MinskMinsk National Airport , , former name is Minsk-2, is the main international airport in Belarus, located 42 km to the east of the capital Minsk, geographically lying in the territory of...
. All three crew and both passengers were killed.
Specifications (HS 125 Series 600)
See also
External links
- Hawker Beechcraft official site
- Photos of this aircraft on Airliners.net
- Midland Air Museum. Home to the second prototype
- de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre. Home to the remains of the original prototype, G-AYRA, and third prototype, G-AYRC
- BBC News report on final sortie on retirement of the type, January 2011