Charter & Fractional
Cobham buys 146 jets for Australian mining shuttle service
Cobham Aviation Services Australia is buying a pair of BAE 146s that it currently leases from the asset management division of BAE Systems.

Cobham Aviation Services Australia is buying a pair of BAE 146s that it currently leases from the asset management division of BAE Systems. The company has a fleet of 17 BAE 146s and Avro RJs that it uses to provide corporate shuttles for several mining companies and for carry freight at night.

As well as buying the 146-100 and larger -300, Cobham also recently added four more examples of the out-of-production 146/Avro RJ series to its fleet. The -100 will be used to access gravel and unprepared strips that allow clients to get their personnel to more remote mines. The aircraft’s high wing and engine architecture make it suitable for this type of operation and BAE’s engineering division fits each aircraft with deflectors to repel stones and other foreign objects, as well as other protective measures such as rubberized paints and meshes to cover lights.