The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.

Design and development

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 engine layout with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers.

The first prototype, registered PH-NIV, first flew on November 24, 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 0.9 m (3 ft) longer, addressing the first aircraft's slightly tail-heavy handling and also providing space for four more passengers, bringing the total to 32. These aircraft also used the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.

Production

The first production model, the F27-100, was delivered to Aer Lingus in November 1958. Other early Friendship customers included Braathens SAFE, Luxair, Ansett, Trans Australia Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

In 1956, Fokker signed a licensing deal with the US aircraft manufacturer Fairchild for the latter to construct the F27 in the USA. The first U.S.-built aircraft flew on April 12, 1958. Fairchild also independently developed a stretched version, called the FH-227. Most sales by Fairchild were made in the North American market.

At the end of the Fokker F27’s production in 1987, 793 units had been built (including 207 in the USA by Fairchild), which makes it the most successful western European civil turboprop airliner.

Many aircraft have been modified from passenger service to cargo or express-package freighter roles and remain in service in 2009.

In the early 1980s, Fokker developed a successor to the Friendship, the Fokker 50. Although based on the F27-500 airframe, the Fokker 50 is virtually a new aircraft with Pratt & Whitney Canada engines and modern systems. Its general performance and passenger comfort were improved over the F27.

Variants

F27-100 - was the first production model; 44 passengers.
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.
FH-227 - Fairchild Hiller stretched version.

Operators

Civil Operators

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.

Algeria
- Air Algérie

Angola
- TAAG Angola Airlines

Argentina
- CATA Línea Aérea
- LADE

Australia
- Air New South Wales
- Ansett Airlines
- Associated Airlines of Australia
- Department of Civil Aviation
- East-West Airlines (Australia)
- AirCruising Australia
- Australia Post
- Trans Australia Airlines

Austria
- Amerer Air

Bangladesh
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines

Bolivia
- Lloyd Aereo Boliviano

Burma
- Burma Airways Corporation
- Union of Burma Airways

Brazil
- TAVAJ - Linhas Aéras Brazil
- TAM Linhas Aéreas

Canada
- Gov't Quebec
- Norcanair
- Quebecair
- Time Air

Czech Republic
- ABA Airlines

Côte d'Ivoire
- Air Ivoire

Chad
- Government of Chad

China
- Laoag

Cuba
- Cubana de Aviación

Democratic Republic of Congo
- Air Congo
- Air Tropiques

Denmark
- Maersk Air
- Newair Airservice (Denmark)
- Sterling Airways

Egypt
- Air Sinai

Finland
- Finnair

France
- Air France
- Air Inter
- France Institute Geographique
- Securité Civil

Gabon
- Air Max-Gabon

Germany
- FTG Air Service
- WDL Aviation

Guinea-Bissau
- T.A. de la Guinee-Bissau

Honduras
- Aerolineas SOSA
- Atlantic Airlines de Honduras

Hungary
- Farnair Hungary

Ireland
- Aer Lingus
- Euroceltic Airways
- Iona National Airways
- Starair

Iceland
- Icelandair

India
- Elbee Airlines
- Indian Airlines
- NEPC Airlines

Indonesia
- Merpati Nusantara Airlines

Iran
- Iran Aseman Airlines
- Iranian government
- National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)

Italy
- ATI - Aero Transport Italiani
- Miniliner (Italy)

Japan
- All Nippon Airways

Kenya
- Kenya Airways

Lesotho
- Lesotho Airways

Libya
- Libyan Arab Airlines
- Libyan Red Crescent

Luxembourg
- Luxair

Malaysia
- Malaysia Airlines System
- Malaysia-Singapore Airlines

Morocco
- Royal Air Maroc

Mexico
- Aerocaribe

Mozambique
- DETA

Myanmar
- Myanma Airways

Netherlands
- F27 Friendship Association
- The Dutch Royal Flight
- NLM Cityhopper

Netherlands Antilles
- Air ALM

Nicaragua
- Aeronica

Nigeria
- Afrijet
- Nigeria Airways

New Zealand
- Air New Zealand
- Airwork (New Zealand)
- New Zealand Ministry of Transport (Navaids calibration flight)
- NZNAC

Norway
- Air Executive Norway
- Braathens SAFE
- Busy Bee
- Norwegian Air Shuttle

Pakistan
- Airlift International
- Pakistan International Airlines

Panama
- Air Panama

Papua New Guinea
- Air Niugini

Peru
- Aero Condor

Philippines
- Air Manila
- Laoag International Airlines
- Mactan
- Philippine Airlines

Portugal
- Expresso Aéreo

Puerto Rico
- Oceanair

Somalia
- Somali Airlines

Spain
- Aviaco
- Iberia Airlines
- Seven Air
- Spantax
- Transeuropa

Sudan
- Air West Express
- Sudan Airways

Sri Lanka
- Mihin Air

Switzerland
- Balair

Tanzania
- Air Tanzania

Turkey
- THY Türk Hava Yolları - Turkish Airlines
- MNG Kargo

Uganda
- Uganda Airways

United Kingdom
- Air Anglia
- Air UK
- British Midland
- Channel Express
- Jersey European Airways
- Manx Airlines

United States
- Aloha Airlines
- Amerer Air
- Bonanza Air Lines
- Delta Air Lines
- FedEx
- Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Inc
- Hughes Airwest
- Mesaba Airlines
- Mississippi Valley Airlines
- Mountain Air Cargo (FedEx Feeder)
- Northeast Airlines
- Pacific Air Lines
- Piedmont Airlines
- Pilgrim Airlines

Zaire
- Air Zaïre
- Scibe Airlift Cargo

Military Operators

Algeria
- Algerian Air Force

Angola
- Angolan Air Force

Argentina
- Argentine Air Force

Australia
- Royal Australian Navy

Biafra
- Biafran Air Force

Bolivia
- Bolivian Air Force

Burma
- Burmese Air Force

Côte d'Ivoire

Finland
- Finnish Air Force

Ghana
- Ghana Air Force

Guatemala
- Guatemalan Air Force

Iceland
- Icelandic Coast Guard

India
- Indian Coast Guard

Indonesia
- Indonesian Air Force

Iran
- Imperial Iranian Air Force, later Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Imperial Iranian Army, later Islamic Republic of Iran Army

Italy

Mexico

Myanmar
- Myanmar Air Force

Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Air Force

New Zealand
- Royal New Zealand Air Force

Nigeria
- Nigerian Air Force

Pakistan
- Pakistani Air Force
- Pakistani Navy

Peru
- Peruvian Navy

Philippines
- Philippine Air Force
- Philippine Navy
- Philippine Army

Senegal
- Senegalese Air Force
- Senegambia Air Force

Spain
- Spanish Air Force

Sudan
- Sudanese Air Force

Thailand
- Royal Thai Navy

United States
- United States Army Parachute Team

Uruguay
- Uruguayan Air Force

Yemen

Notable accidents

TAA Fokker Friendship disaster - June 10, 1960 (Mackay, Queensland, Australia): 29 fatalities - this is still the deadliest civilian Australian aircraft accident in history. The investigation was not able to determine a probable cause of this accident.

On August 4, 1984, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Chittagong crashed in the swamps near Zia International Airport. All 45 passengers and 4 crew of the Fokker F27 died. The flight was piloted by Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the country's first female commercial pilot.

On December 8, 1987, the Alianza Lima air disaster in which a Naval Fokker F27 that was transporting the Alianza Lima football club crashed in Lima, Peru, killing the whole team.

October 19, 1988 – Thirty-four died in a Vayudoot F-27 crash near Guwahati, India. Tail No. VT-DMC.

November 11, 2002, a Laoag Air Flight 585 F27 crashed into Manila Bay, killing 20 people.

On February 20, 2003, a military Fokker F27 crashed in northwestern Pakistan killing Pakistan Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, his wife and 15 others.

On 10 February 2004, Kish Air Flight 7170, operated by a Fokker 27 Mk.050, crashed at Sharjah International Airport killing 43 people. Three survived with serious injuries. The cause was that the propellors were put into reverse pitch while the aircraft was in flight.

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.

On April 6, 2009, an Indonesian Air Force F27 crashed in Bandung, Indonesia killing all 24 occupants on board. The cause of the incident was said to be heavy rain. The plane reportedly crashed into a hangar during its landing procedure and killed all on board. The casualties include: 6 crews, an instructor and 17 special forces trainee personnel.

Specifications (Fokker F27-500)

General characteristics
Crew: Two or three
Capacity: 52-56 passengers
Length: 25.06 m (82 ft 2½ in)
Wingspan: 29.00 m (95 ft 1¾ in)
Height: 8.72 m (28 ft 7¼ in)
Wing area: 70.07 m² (754 ft²)
Empty weight: 11,204 kg (24,650 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 19,773 kg (43,500 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Dart Mk.532-7 turboprop engines, 1,678 kW (2,250 eshp) each

Performance
Cruise speed: 518 km/h (280 kn, 322 mph) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Range: 1,826 km (986 nmi, 1,135 mi)
Rate of climb: 7.37 m/s (1,450 ft/min)