Fokker F27

F27 Friendship
A PIA F27 at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore in January, 2006
Role Airliner
Manufacturer Fokker
First flight 1955
Number built 793
Variants Fairchild F-27/FH-227
Developed into Fokker 50

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

Contents

Design and development

Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas 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

Aer Lingus was the first airline to operate the F27 Friendship
Braathens SAFE F27 Friendship in August 1964

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, 586 units had been built (plus another 207 F-27s and FH-227s 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

F27-300M Troopship

Operators

Map of F27 operators

Notable accidents

Specifications (F27-500)

F27 Rolls Royce Dart

Data from [7]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

References

External links