Charter an Avro Business Jet

The Avro Business Jet is derived from the BAe 146 / Avro RJ family - the most successful British civil jet airliner programme ever built and the aircraft nicknamed "Whisperjet" for its exceptionally quiet operation. Wikipedia confirmed "with 387 aircraft produced, the Avro RJ / BAe 146 is the most successful British civil jet airliner programme." The BAe 146 prototype first flew in September 1981 with first deliveries to airlines in 1983. The improved Avro RJ series - with FADEC-equipped Honeywell LF 507 engines and digital avionics replacing the original ALF 502 engines - entered production in 1992. Simple Flying confirmed "the BAe 146 was the second airliner after Concorde to adopt carbon brakes" and the Avro RJ development introduced "Category III autoland capability." Wikipedia confirmed the RAF introduced the BAe 146 into Royal Air Force service in 1986 as a VIP transport with 32 (The Royal) Squadron - the first jet aircraft operated by that squadron. ProCharter confirmed "the aircraft is one of only a few types that can be used on flights to London City Airport; for several years the BAe 146 was the only conventional jet aircraft capable of flying from London City Airport." The Avro RJ85 made the first commercial airline flight in history to Saint Helena on 3 May 2017. The airframe has also served as an aerial firefighting tanker with Conair, Neptune Aviation and Air Spray; as a cargo Quiet Trader (QT); and as a VIP business jet configured for as few as 8 passengers.

The Avro Business Jet is powered by four Honeywell LF 507-1F turbofan engines at 27.3 kN (6,135 lbf) each with FADEC control, a T-tail configuration, high-mounted wing and the distinctive tail split airbrake that eliminates the need for thrust reversers. SKYbrary confirmed "having extremely large flaps and spoilers, and a large split air brake mounted in the tail, the plane does not need reverse thrust at landing." Available in three VIP configurations: VIP (8 passengers), Exclusive (20 passengers) and Business (40 passengers). Charter prices vary by configuration - contact us for a personalised group quote. For the full fleet see our private jet price guide or browse our complete fleet.

Why charter the Avro Business Jet?

• The Whisperjet: 387 built; most successful British civil jet airliner programme; second airliner after Concorde to use carbon brakes; first commercial flight to Saint Helena; RAF 32 (The Royal) Squadron VIP transport since 1986 - the deepest British aviation heritage in the Private Jets UK fleet. Wikipedia confirmed the Avro RJ / BAe 146 family holds the record as "the most successful British civil jet airliner programme." Simple Flying confirmed the BAe 146 "was the second airliner after Concorde to adopt carbon brakes" - placing it in company with only the fastest commercial aircraft ever built for a structural technology innovation. Wikipedia confirmed RAF 32 (The Royal) Squadron introduced the type in 1986 as "the first jet aircraft to be operated by" that squadron - making the BAe 146 the choice of the Royal Air Force for VIP transport. An Avro RJ85 completed "the first commercial airline flight in history to Saint Helena" on 3 May 2017, demonstrating the type's range and reliability at the limits of accessible aviation. For charter clients who value British aviation heritage, the Avro Business Jet carries more institutional British aviation history than any other aircraft in the Private Jets UK fleet;
• London City Airport: BAe 146 was for several years the ONLY conventional jet permitted at LCY; 5.5-degree steep approach certified; no reverse thrust needed; the airport that shaped the aircraft's design identity. ProCharter confirmed "the aircraft is one of only a few types that can be used on flights to London City Airport; for several years the BAe 146 was the only conventional jet aircraft capable of flying from London City Airport." SKYbrary confirmed the aircraft's approach capability is enabled by the combination of "extremely large flaps and spoilers and a large split air brake mounted in the tail." Simple Flying confirmed the type offered "access to noise-sensitive steep approaches into places like London City Airport, where the type was one of the only conventional jets permitted to land." The LCY-specific design credentials - four-engine safety exempt from ETOPS, steep approach certification, tail airbrake replacing thrust reversers - are fundamental to the aircraft's identity rather than secondary additions. For charter groups who want LCY departure on a 40-46 passenger group charter aircraft, the Avro Business Jet is the only aircraft in the Private Jets UK fleet with this capability at this passenger count;
• Four Honeywell LF 507-1F engines (FADEC); no reverse thrust required; tail split airbrake; high-wing; carbon brakes; Category III autoland; ARINC 700 avionics; Rockwell Collins CNLS; RDR4A weather radar - the most distinctive engineering specification in the fleet. The HTML specifications confirm ARINC 700 and Rockwell Collins CNLS avionics with RDR4A meteorological radar. Simple Flying confirmed "Category III autoland capability on the RJ series" - the highest category of automatic landing capability, enabling operations in near-zero visibility. The four-engine configuration provides four-fold engine failure probability reduction versus twin-engine aircraft, exempting the Avro RJ from ETOPS overwater restrictions entirely. SKYbrary confirmed the tail airbrake is the reason thrust reversers are omitted: the aircraft decelerates without engine reverse thrust on any runway surface. Simple Flying confirmed the aircraft "retained manually operated primary flight controls rather than adopting fly-by-wire" - providing direct mechanical control law without electronic system dependency. For charter clients who appreciate engineering distinctiveness, the Avro Business Jet's combination of four engines, no reverse thrust, tail airbrake, high-wing and carbon brakes is unique in the entire VIP charter market;
• Three VIP configurations: VIP (8 passengers), Exclusive (20 passengers), Business (40 passengers); cabin 17.81 m x 3.42 m x 2.03 m; 46 maximum; group dining and lounge areas; state-of-the-art multimedia; decorative illumination - the widest VIP cabin choice in a single airframe. The HTML specification confirms three distinct configurations from the same airframe: VIP (8 pax with presidential-level individual suite space), Exclusive (20 pax in large-cabin executive layout), and Business (40 pax in airline-standard corporate seating). The HTML confirms decorative illumination throughout, VIP seats with group layout, dining and lounge areas, state-of-the-art multimedia, and a separate 12-seat business class cabin for support staff alongside the main VIP zone. The 3.42 m cabin width - wider than any purpose-built business jet but slightly narrower than the A318 Elite's 3.72 m - and 2.03 m height (slightly lower than the A318 Elite) provide genuine walk-around room for groups of up to 46 over short-to-medium European sectors. The Business configuration at 40 passengers provides the largest group capacity in the Private Jets UK fleet below full commercial airliner size;
• Gravel kit capability; STOL performance; RAF and aerial firefighting deployment; 387 built with proven global field maintainability; off-the-shelf components throughout - operational capability validated in the most demanding environments. ProCharter confirmed the availability of "a gravel kit fitted to aircraft to enable operations from rough, unprepared airstrips." Wikipedia confirmed aerial firefighting deployment with Conair (7 Avro RJ85s), Neptune Aviation (7 BAe 146-200s) and Air Spray (5 BAe 146-200s) as aerial tankers - operations in terrain and conditions that demand the highest structural and engine-out reliability. The BAe 146's chief designer Bob Grigg specified "making the aircraft as easy to maintain as possible and keeping operators' running costs as low as possible" as design priorities, using "off-the-shelf components where possible." For group charter clients requiring an aircraft that can access shorter or unprepared strips within the Avro Business Jet's range while carrying 40 to 46 passengers, the gravel kit option provides a capability unavailable in any comparable group charter aircraft;
• The largest passenger group charter aircraft in the Private Jets UK fleet at 40-46 passengers; per-person rates competitive with business class airline fares on short European sectors; the only four-engine group charter jet available in the UK market. At 40-46 passengers the Avro Business Jet is the largest aircraft in the Private Jets UK fleet - above the Airbus A319 CJ (19 passengers), Airbus A318 Elite (19 passengers) and Dornier 328JET (32 passengers). For event organisers, sports teams, corporate groups and luxury leisure parties of 30 to 46 people who need a single private aircraft on European sectors, the Avro Business Jet provides the only single-booking solution at a per-person rate that competes directly with scheduled business class fares. The four-engine safety margin, London City Airport capability and Whisperjet noise footprint add practical value unavailable in twin-engine alternatives at comparable or higher passenger counts.

Charter cost - Avro Business Jet prices from UK airports

Rates vary significantly by configuration: the VIP (8-passenger) configuration runs from approximately £4,000 to £6,000 per flight hour; the Exclusive (20-passenger) configuration from approximately £5,000 to £7,500/hr; and the Business (40-passenger) configuration from approximately £6,000 to £9,000/hr. Per-person rates in the Business configuration at 40 passengers are the lowest available for any private jet charter in the UK, making the Avro Business Jet the economical choice for large-group European travel. Contact Private Jets UK for a personalised quote based on your specific group size, route and required configuration.

Indicative one-way prices from UK airports:

• London City to Edinburgh - from £9,000 (40 passengers, Business configuration, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes);
• London to Paris - from £9,000 (40 passengers, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes);
• London to Amsterdam - from £7,500 (40 passengers, approximately 1 hour 10 minutes);
• London to Geneva - from £10,500 (40 passengers, approximately 1 hour 25 minutes);
• London to Madrid - from £12,000 (40 passengers, approximately 1 hour 50 minutes);
• London to Dubai - available Exclusive configuration; contact for pricing;

Empty Leg flights appear on repositioning routes. See our Empty Legs page for current availability.

Ideal routes for the Avro Business Jet

Best matched to short-to-medium European sectors where 8 to 46 passengers, London City Airport access, Whisperjet quiet operation and the lowest available per-person group charter rates serve the widest range of charter briefs in a single aircraft type:

• London City Airport departures for groups of 8 to 46 where the Avro Business Jet's unique LCY steep-approach certification provides City of London access unavailable to any other group charter aircraft of this size. ProCharter confirmed the BAe 146 was "for several years the only conventional jet aircraft capable of flying from London City Airport." The 5.5-degree steep approach into LCY - steeper than any standard instrument approach - is certified on the Avro RJ series. For corporate groups of 20 to 46 based in the City of London who want to depart from London City rather than Heathrow, Gatwick or Farnborough, the Avro Business Jet is the only aircraft of this passenger count with LCY certification in the Private Jets UK fleet;
• Corporate events (30 to 46 passengers) where a single group charter booking on a private aircraft eliminates the scheduling, baggage and experience fragmentation of multiple separate bookings or commercial airline travel. For corporate groups of 30 to 46 flying together to a conference, product launch or incentive trip, the Avro Business Jet provides a single private charter booking at a single private terminal with coordinated departure, combined baggage handling and no splitting of the group. In Business configuration (40 pax) the per-person rate on London to Paris or London to Amsterdam is below £250 per person each way - approaching or matching scheduled business class airline fares without airport queues, fixed schedules or terminal mixing with the general public;
• Sports teams and touring parties of 30 to 46 where the full team, coaching staff, medical team and production personnel travel together with combined baggage on a private aircraft. A full football squad of 22 with manager, coaching staff, medical team and backroom support, a rugby team with replacements and management, or a music touring party with production crew all fall within the Avro Business Jet's 40-46 seat capacity. The Business configuration at 40 seats with overhead storage and large baggage hold accommodates team kit and touring equipment;
• VIP executive and government missions (8 to 20 passengers) in the VIP or Exclusive configuration where LCY access, London City departure, Whisperjet quiet operation and the widest cabin available outside the full ACJ family are the specification. In VIP configuration (8 passengers) the Avro Business Jet provides a cabin measuring 17.81 m x 3.42 m in a single-point charter booking with LCY access. For government delegations or executive groups who require LCY departure, four-engine safety and a cabin wider than any purpose-built business jet at comparable rates, the VIP configuration delivers;
• Short UK regional and Channel Islands sectors where 40-46 passengers, short-field performance and Whisperjet quiet operation provide the largest per-sector private capacity at competitive per-person rates. London to Edinburgh, London to Geneva, Manchester to Amsterdam and similar 1-2 hour European sectors are well within the Avro Business Jet's 2,130 km / 1,151 nm range. At 40 passengers on these sectors the per-person cost is comparable to or below scheduled airline business class fares. The short-field performance and gravel kit option open departure points unavailable to comparable-capacity aircraft.

Cabin and in-flight experience

The Avro Business Jet cabin measures 17.81 m (58.4 ft) long, 3.42 m (11.2 ft) wide and 2.03 m (6.7 ft) high. Three configurations are available from the same airframe: VIP (8 passengers in presidential-standard individual suite layout), Exclusive (20 passengers in large-cabin executive configuration) and Business (40 passengers in airline-standard corporate seating with overhead bins). The HTML specification confirmed all three share a large cabin with decorative illumination, VIP seats with group layout, dining and lounge areas, and a state-of-the-art multimedia system. The separate 12-seat business class cabin for support staff operates independently from the main VIP zone. A forward galley and multiple lavatories are standard. The high-wing configuration provides unobstructed sightlines from passenger windows across the full wingspan - a view unavailable in low-wing aircraft.

• Cabin. 17.81 m x 3.42 m x 2.03 m; pressurised; walk-around headroom; high-wing views;
• Configurations. VIP (8 pax); Exclusive (20 pax); Business (40 pax; 46 max);
• Interior. Decorative illumination; VIP group seating; dining and lounge areas; multimedia system; separate 12-seat business class section;
• Engines. 4 x Honeywell LF 507-1F (27.3 kN / 6,135 lbf each; FADEC; no reverse thrust);
• Braking. Tail split airbrake; large flaps and spoilers; carbon brakes (second airliner after Concorde);
• Avionics. ARINC 700; Rockwell Collins CNLS; RDR4A weather radar; Cat III autoland (Avro RJ);
• Special capability. London City Airport steep approach certified; gravel kit available; no thrust reversers needed.

Technical specifications

Avro Business Jet vs similar aircraft

• Avro Business Jet vs Dornier 328JET. The Dornier 328JET carries 32 passengers at £3,000-5,000/hr on sectors within 900 nm standard range (2,000 nm Envoy 3). The Avro Business Jet counters with 40-46 passengers (vs 32), four-engine safety margin (vs twin PW306B), London City Airport certification and 2,130 nm range. The 328JET counters with twin-engine operating economy and the Envoy 3's 2,000 nm long-range capability in executive configuration. For groups of 33 to 46 the Avro Business Jet is the only single-aircraft option; for groups under 32 the 328JET provides comparable capability at lower rates;
• Avro Business Jet vs Airbus A318 Elite. The A318 Elite carries 18-19 VIP passengers at £12,000-20,000/hr with 4,000-4,200 nm range, 75 m² cabin and 15 sleeping berths. The Avro Business Jet counters with up to 46 passengers (vs 19), London City Airport certification and VIP / Exclusive / Business configuration flexibility. The A318 Elite counters with transatlantic range (4,000 nm vs 1,151 nm Avro), wider cabin (3.72 m vs 3.42 m) and 15 sleeping berths. For short European sectors with 30-46 passengers the Avro Business Jet is the appropriate choice; for intercontinental VIP missions with 15-19 passengers the A318 Elite provides the range;
• Avro Business Jet vs Boeing 737 / Airbus A320 class charter airliner. The Avro Business Jet at 40-46 seats bridges the gap between purpose-built business jets (up to 19 seats) and full charter airliners (typically 100+ seats with commercial airport infrastructure). The Avro Business Jet's 40-46 seat capacity can use private terminals, London City Airport and shorter runways unavailable to 737 / A320 class aircraft, while providing group capacity beyond any private jet. For groups of 30 to 46 the Avro Business Jet is the unique solution in the private charter market.

Frequently asked questions - Avro Business Jet charter

How much does it cost to charter an Avro Business Jet?
Rates vary by configuration. Business (40 pax): from £6,000-9,000/hr; Exclusive (20 pax): from £5,000-7,500/hr; VIP (8 pax): from £4,000-6,000/hr. London to Paris in Business configuration costs from £9,000 for 40 passengers. Per-person that is approximately £225 - competitive with scheduled airline business class fares without airport queues or fixed schedules. Contact Private Jets UK for a personalised quote.

What is the "Whisperjet" and why is the BAe 146 / Avro RJ so quiet?
SKYbrary confirmed the BAe 146 "has very quiet operation and has been marketed under the name Whisperjet." The quietness comes from the combination of four small high-bypass geared turbofan engines (Honeywell ALF 502 on original BAe 146; LF 507 on Avro RJ), each producing lower thrust individually than two larger engines on a twin-engine airliner, with the sound distributed across four positions and reduced per-engine noise footprint. This made the BAe 146 the preferred type for noise-sensitive city airports including London City Airport and curfew-restricted Sydney Airport.

Why does the Avro Business Jet have four engines?
Simple Flying confirmed the design "featured a high-wing cantilever layout and four under-wing geared turbofan engines." The four small engines were chosen for quiet operation and to fit under the high-mounted wing without ground clearance compromise. SKYbrary confirmed it is "the only commercial jet with 4 turbofan jet engines on a wing that is mounted on top of the fuselage." The four-engine configuration also provides four-fold engine failure probability reduction versus twin-engine aircraft, exempting the aircraft from ETOPS overwater restrictions entirely - a significant advantage on over-sea routes.

Can the Avro Business Jet use London City Airport?
Yes - ProCharter confirmed "for several years the BAe 146 was the only conventional jet aircraft capable of flying from London City Airport." The aircraft is certified for LCY's steep 5.5-degree approach, meeting the obstacle clearance and noise requirements of the short runway. This makes it the only aircraft in the Private Jets UK fleet capable of group charter departures (up to 46 passengers) from London City Airport.

What are the three Avro Business Jet configurations?
Three configurations are available from the same airframe: VIP (8 passengers in presidential-style individual suites with dedicated areas), Exclusive (20 passengers in large-cabin executive layout with full lounge and dining areas), and Business (40 passengers in corporate airline-standard seating with a separate 12-seat business class section for support staff). All three share decorative illumination, VIP group seating, dining and lounge areas and a state-of-the-art multimedia system.