As one who was there at the time, it was invented/bought to help keep the Jetstream alive commercially and to replace the rapidly ageing Varsity. Another political aeroplane? It was that or the Kingair 200 which of course we now have in the ME stream'. Essentially it was the ex Handley Page (who had gone bust) aeroplane with French helicopter engines! Commercially with the 31 and the 41 it went on to be a modest success. The ME stream was going through a very difficult phase at the time and we ended up mothballing the Jetstream and its Sim. whilst pushing re-treads through Hamble, another political decision, before the stream was resuscitated'.