Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
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History
Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful DC-3 airliner. The manufacturer evaluated a number of different configurations before finally deciding on a high wing twin Rolls-Royce Dart engined layout with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers.
The first prototype, registered PH-NIV, first flew on 24 November 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 3 ft (0.9 m) longer, addressing the first aircraft's slightly tail-heavy handling and also providing space for more passengers. These aircraft also used the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.
In 1956 Fokker signed a licensing deal with the US aircraft manufacturer Fairchild for the latter to construct the aircraft in the USA. The first U.S.-built aircraft flew on 12 April 1958.
As at the end of the Fokker F27s production, 786 units had been built (including 206 in the USA by Fairchild), which makes it the most successful turboprop airliner of all time.
In the early 1980s, Fokker developed a successor to the Friendship, the Fokker F50, with upgraded engines and systems.
Variants
The first production model of the Fokker F27, the F27-100, which seated 44 passengers, was initially deliveried to Aer Lingus in September 1958.
Other versions of the Fokker F27 include:
- F27-100 - was the first production model;
- F27-200 - uses the Dart Mk 532 engine;
- F27-300 Combiplane - Civil passenger/cargo aircraft;
- F27-300M Troopship - Military transport version for Royal Netherlands Air Force;
- F27-400 - "Combi" passenger/cargo aircraft, with two Rolls-Royce Dart 7 turboprop engines and large cargo door;
- F27-400M - Military version for US Army with designation C-31A Troopship.
- F27-500 - The most ubiquitous Fokker F27 model the -500, had a 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) longer fuselage, a return back to the Dart Mk 528 engine, and accommodation for up to 52 passengers. It first flew in November 1967;
- F27-500M - Military version;
- F27-500F - A version of the -500 for Australia with smaller front and rear doors;
- F27-600 - Quick change cargo/passenger version of -200 with large cargo door.
- F27-700 - A F27-100 with a large cargo door;
- F27 Maritime - Unarmed maritime reconnaissance version;
- F27 Maritime Enforcer - Armed maritime reconnaissance version; and
- FH227 - Fairchild-Hiller stretched version.
Specifications
- Length: 77 ft 2 in (23.5 m)
- Span: 95 ft 2 in (29.0 m)
- Wing area: 753 ft² (70.0 m²)
- Max takeoff weight: 42,000 lb (19,050 kg)
- Max Cruising speed: 300 mph (483 km/h)
- Range: 912 miles (1,468 km)
- Service ceiling: 32,600 ft (9900 m)
- Engines: 2x Rolls-Royce Dart Mk528 turboprops
Operators
Fokker F27 operators - past and present
The F-27 is one of the most widely used airliners in the world, though the Douglas DC-3 holds the record.
Many aircraft have passed from passenger service into cargo or express-package freighter roles.
Pakistan International Airlines has been operating Fokker F27 aircraft in the difficult terrain of Northern Areas of Pakistan. However, due to a tragic crash near the Multan Airport on 10 July 2006, PIA decided to ground its entire Fokker fleet under public and Government pressure.
Airlines
Airlines that have operated the Fokker F27:
- ABA Airlines
- Aerocaribe
- AeroCondor
- Afrijet
- Air Algérie
- Aer Lingus
- Air Congo
- Air Executive Norway
- Air France
- Air Inter
- Air Ivoire
- Air Max-Gabon
- Air New South Wales
- Air New Zealand
- Air Niugini
- Air Panama
- Air Sinai
- Air Tanzania
- Air Tropiques
- Air UK
- Air Zaire
- Air West Express
- Airlift International
- Aeronica
- All Nippon Airways
- Air ALM
- Amerer Air
- Ansett Airlines
- Associated Airlines of Australia
- ATI - Aero Transport Italiani
- Balair
- Bali International Air Service
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines
- Braathens SAFE
- British Midland
- Bonanza Airlines
- Burma Airways Corporation
- Busy Bee
- CATA Línea Aérea
- Channel Express
- Cubana de Aviación
- Delta Air Lines
- DETA
- East African Airways
- East-West Airlines (Australia)
- Elbee Airlines
- Euroceltic Airways
- Expresso Aéreo
- Farnair Hungary
- FedEx
- Finnair
- FTG Air Service
- Garuda Indonesia
- Hughes Airwest
- Iberia Airlines
- Icelandair
- Indian Airlines
- Iran Aseman Airlines
- Korean Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- LADE
- Laoag
- Lesotho Airways
- Libyan Arab Airlines
- Lloyd Aereo Boliviano
- Luxair
- Maersk Air
- Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
- Mississippi Valley Airlines
- Nigeria Airways
- NZNAC
- Northeast Airlines
- Mactan
- Merpati Nusantara Airlines
- Mountain Air Cargo (FedEx Feeder)
- Myanma Airways
- NEPC Airlines
- NLM Cityhopper
- Norcanair
- Norwegian Air Shuttle
- Pacific Air Lines
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Pelita Air Service
- Piedmont Airlines
- Philippine Airlines
- Pilgrim Airlines
- Scandinavian Airlines System
- Scibe Airlift Cargo
- Sempati Air Transport
- Sky Team
- Somali Airlines
- Starair
- Sterling Airways
- Sudan Airways
- TAA (Trans Australia Airlines)
- TAM Linhas Aéreas
- T.A. de la Guinee-Bissau
- TAVAJ - Linhas Aéras Brazil
- THY (Turkish Airlines)
- Trans Australia Airlines
- Union of Burma Airways
- Uganda Airways
- Aerolineas SOSA
- TAAG Air Angola
- WDL Aviation
In August 2006 a total of 164 Fokker F27 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service around the world. Major operators include: Libyan Arab Airlines (14), Merpati Nusantara Airlines (11), WDL Aviation (11) and Mountain Air Cargo (11). Some 43 airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.[1]
Military Operators Past and Present
- Algerian Air Force
- Angolan Air Force
- Argentine Air Force
- Australian Navy
- Biafran Air Force
- Bolivian Air Force
- Burmese Air Force
- Finnish Air Force
- Ghana Air Force
- Guatemalan Air Force
- Indian Coast Guard
- Indonesian Air Force
- Imperial Iranian Air Force
- Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Imperial Iranian Army
- Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- Icelandic Coast Guard
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Mexico
- Royal Netherlands Air Force
- Royal New Zealand Air Force
- Nigerian Air Force
- Pakistan Air Force
- Pakistan Navy
- Peruvian Navy
- Philippine Air Force
- Philippine Navy
- Senegal Air Force
- Senegambia Air Force
- Spanish Air Force
- Sudanese Air Force
- Royal Thai Navy
- United States Army Parachute Team
- Uruguayan Air Force
- Yemen
Government Agencies
- Department of Civil Aviation - Australia
- The Dutch Royal Flight
- Icelandic Coast Guard
- Iranian Government
- France Institute Geographique
- Securité Civil - France
- Chad Government
Organisations and Corporations
- F27 Friendship Association - The Netherlands
- Libyan Red Crescent
- National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)
- Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Inc. - USA
- AirCruising Australia - An air based tour company
Accidents
- TAA Fokker Friendship disaster - June 10, 1960 (Mackay, Queensland, Australia): 29 fatalities - this is still the deadliest Australian aircraft accident in history. The investigation was not able to determine a probable cause of this accident.
- During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, a Fokker F-27 belonging to Pakistan International Airlines used temporarily as a military reconnaissance plane was lost over the Arabian Sea hunting for Indian missile boats.[1]
- On December 1987, the Alianza Lima air disaster in which a Naval Fokker F-27 that was transporting the Alianza Lima football club crashed in Lima, Peru, killing the whole team.
- On February, 2003, a military Fokker F-27 crashed in northwestern Pakistan killing Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, his wife and 15 others.
- Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-688 carrying 45 people crashed 2-3 minutes after take off from Multan airport on July 10, 2006. There were no survivors. Engine fire was suspected as the cause of the crash.News story by BBC
See also
References
- ^ Flight International, 3-9 October 2006
External links
- Stork Aerospace Homepage
- F27 Friendship Association *Photo Gallery (in Dutch and English)
- External museum photo
- Fokker, a living history
- Fokker F27 Info
- FedEx Feeder F-27-500 Photo
Categories
Dutch airliners 1950-1959 | Fokker