Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. With 786 units built (including 206 in the USA by Fairchild) it is the most successful turboprop airliner of all time.
Design of the aircraft started in the 1950s as a DC-3 replacement. A number of different configurations were considered before the final decision on a high wing twin Rolls Royce Dart engines with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers. The first prototype, PH-NIV first flew on 24 November 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 3ft longer, a correction to the first aircraft being a little tail heavy and also allowing more passengers and the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.
In 1956 Fokker signed a deal with Fairchild for the latter to construct the aircraft in the USA. The first US built aircraft flew on 12 April 1958. The first production model the -100 seated 44 passengers, with initial deliveries to Aer Lingus in September 1958. Dart mk532 was the next engine being used leading to the -200.
The most ubiquitous model the -500 had a 4ft 11in longer fuselage, a return to the Dart528 and accommodation for 52 passengers. It first flew in November 1967.
In 1985 two Fokker F27 Troopships were leased by the US Army parachute team, the Golden Knights. Subsequently two aircraft were purchased and designated C-31A Troopship. The aircraft were used both to transport the team to airshows and also as their jumping platform.
Other versions include:
- -300M - "Troopship" for Royal Dutch Air Force
- -400 - "combi" with Dart7 engines and cargo door
- -500F - a version of the -500 for Australia with smaller front and rear doors
- -600 - cargo version of -200
- -700 - a -100 with large cargo door
- FH227 - Fairchild-Hiller stretched version
Specifications
For F27-200:
- Length: 77ft 2in (23.50 m)
- Span: 95ft 2in (29.00 m)
- Wing area: 753.5 sq ft (70.00 m$sup2;)
- 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 (9935 m)
- Engines: 2x Rolls-Royce Dart Mk528 turboprops
Ordering Airlines
Amongst airlines who placed orders and received aircraft as new:
Current Operators
Amongst current operators are the following:
Referenced By
1955 | 1964 | Aircraft Types | All Nippon Airways | Avro 748 | C-47 | C-47 Dakota | C-47 Skytrain | Cubana | Cubana De Aviacion | Cubana de Aviación | DC-3 | Douglas DC-3 | Douglas Dakota | ERNO | Entwicklungsring Nord | Fairchild | Fokker | Fujita Airlines | Gooney Bird | List of aircraft | List of military aircraft of the United States | List of military aircraft of the United States of America | List of vertical lift aircraft | Pakistan International | Pakistan International Airlines | Rolls-Royce | Rolls Royce | Royal Jordanian | Royal Jordanian Airlines | Successful aircraft types | Sudan Airways
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