This week, while, searching for a certain repaint for my Cessna 185 (please see my previous post), I came across several variations of Ansett (Avro) RJ100 livery repaints (by the same repainter...). And, from a separate consideration, there are a select few a/c in our SIM, that, no matter, how long ago,  one might have come to know about, for the first time, just that one sighting is sufficient to never forget about it. The BAe-146/Avro-RJ quadjet is such an example. From an aviation enthusiast's perspective, it's indeed an unforgettable plane, and, one, which has always stood out for me, ever since I'd spotted it (only in pictures) for the first time....(decades before the SIM rendition had landed on our desktop). As to its aesthetic appeal, the on-line opinions are divided. Today, I was randomly sampling, a bit, the on-line comments about this plane, specifically of its aesthetic appeal, not technicalities, and, yes,...🙂...I got what I was expecting e.g.:

Opinion 1: It's the ugliest plane...etc.
Opinion 2: It was quite pretty...etc.

That's why it's (probably) said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. So, my (personal) opinion is bound to lie somewhere in between these two polar opposites...🙂...(though, after I completed this (virtual) flight, I feel certainly much closer to the latter opinion...in fact, every time I fly this SIM, the plane tugs at my instincts a little bit more strongly...), and, it's indeed a remarkable looking plane...!

Any (long-established and well-loved) airline's demise is a complex (but fascinating) event of financial and strategic factors, and, most importantly, a poignant reminder of the emotions involved. It was especially so for Ansett Australia...(now, we're left, here, with only these 2D (flying) images to ponder and reminisce about its glory days...). Tracing the airlines' genetic origin back to 1931 (via Sir Reginald Ansett - knighted in 1969), to the formation of a motorcar business (and later Ansett Airways) in Victoria, the Ansett spirit had prevailed full 70 years, till (officially) Ansett Australia ceased operations in 2001. However, at the end of its so-called Mark II phase, an Ansett a/c (an A320) flew for the last time on March 4, 2002, leaving late night from the Western city of Perth, flying straight out east, ~2,000 miles across the continent to Sydney, arriving there, next day (March 05) early morning. Since then, (nearly) two decades have now passed...

From livery perspective, Ansett has changed its paint scheme several times, e.g. starting with the "Southern Cross", in the 1980s. We, non-Australians, are probably more familiar with its last livery, consisting of the attractive design, on the Tail, with that characteristic "A" and the stars. Out of most of its repaints, thankfully available, here, for this post, I've opted to showcase the livery of the (subsidiary) Ansett New Zealand, which appealed to me most, today. The airline was born out of Ansett's desire for expansion and presence (always a tough venture) in the New Zealand aviation market.

So, please find, here, a set of images of the (Avro) RJ100, in this classic livery, referred to as "Shooting Star" (you will see, why, from the pictures, below). This is a (complete) flight, with Cold & Dark start up (I had a bit of extra time, with no "non-pilot" (mandated) errands on my virtual Pilot's NOTAM today...🙂...). Symbolically, I've flown the RJ100 between Sydney (YSSY) to Melbourne (YMML), which had actually comprised Ansett's last (crew alone) flight, immediately following the last (commercial) flight that had already arrived in Sydney. The (RW) Captain had told, "I was just commenting to my first officer, 'This is the last time we're going to be talking to Perth approach' and `This is the last time we're going to be talking to Melbourne approach', and things like that,..."...end of an era in Australian aviation...!

The RJ100, unlike the BAe146, was much more advanced, and, allowed its FMS for autopilot coupling to full LNAV/VNAV capabilities (BAe FMS had LNAV plus Advisory VNAV), and, this (RJ) SIM performed, for me, flawlessly, of course, in my virtual world, within the limits of my knowledge...(for automated navigation, here, I've enabled LNAV/VNAV soon after lift-off, see [VC] images...)...

Hope you enjoy this set of pictures of this unique a/c in this unique livery of Ansett airlines (actually Ansett NZ)...!

Thanks for your interest...! Good day...!

[QW(Avro RJ100)]

Edited September 19, 20214 yr by P_7878

Very nice set of shots mate! 😉 

Beautiful set of shots from a nice plane !

cheers 😉

Nice story and lovely pictures of the "Jumbolino", P_7878 !

Alaska738, pmplayer, bernd et al.:

Much appreciated...!!