The Belfast, Northern Ireland, based Short Brothers Ltd., starting as an aeroplane builder back in 1908, began in 1958 with the development of a new light freighter based on the basic concepts of the Miles designed HDM-105. This SC.7 Skyvan had a square-section fuselage with a rear-loading ramp, fixed tricycle undercarriage and twin fins. The Skyvan design developed into a multirole STOL 19-seats transport aircraft, and the prototype ( G-ASCN c/n SH.1828 ) flew first on 17 January 1963, powered by two piston engines. After the first flight of the prototype, the Skyvan was re-engined with turboprops. Mainly cargo and military operators ordered the S.C.7 Skyvan. It's follow-up, the Short Brothers Model SD3-30, was a stretched development of the Skyvan. The prototype of this short-haul twin-turboprop commuter airliner ( G-BSHB c/n SH.3000 ) flew for the first time on 22 August 1974. The Short 330 became popular as a passenger aircraft for short commuter- flights, and was also ordered by the USAF for a Utility Tactical Transport role. This 330-UTT with strengthened freight floor, is known under the designation C-23 Sherpa. The Short Brothers Model SD3-60 is a stretched development of the Shorts 330 with accommodation for 36 passengers. The 360 divers from the smaller 30-seats Shorts 330 not only by its length but also with its redesigned single swept tail fin in place of the twin fins of the SC.7 and the SD3-30. The Short 360 prototype ( G-ROOM c/n SH.3600 ) was flown first on 1 June 1981. Production of the 330 and 360 ended in 1991 with 140 Shorts 330 and 165 Shorts 360 built.

The 1988-built Short SD3-60 variant 100 G-ZAPD of the London-Stansted based operator Titan Airways was painted in it's fantastic World colours when photographed at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands on 22 September 1998. This Short SD360-100 was test flown as G-14-3741 and registered G-BOFK with Short Brothers PLC on 3 February 1988. The aircraft was reregistered G-OLGW with Shorts Aircraft Financing on 1 September 1988 and was noted at the 1988 Farnborough show. In 1992, the Shorts SD3-60 entered service with Titan Airways and was registered G-ZAPD on 6 August 1992. After Titan Airways sold the aircraft in December 2000 it was registered on 4 January 2001 with ComputaPlane Ltd. and ferried by them on 5 January 2001 via Prestwick to the Miami airfield Opa Locka in the USA. Registration G-ZAPD was cancelled on 2 April 2001 and the Short was registered N875RR as a Short SD-360-300 with Roblex Aviation Corporation, Puerto Rico, on 4 April 2001.

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