Fokker 50

Fokker 50 / Fokker 60
Ansett Express's Fokker 50
Role	Airliner
Manufacturer	Fokker
First flight	28 December 1985
Introduction	1987
Status	Out of production, in service
Primary users	CityJet,VLM Airlines Denim Air Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
Produced	1987 - 1997
Number built	213
Unit cost	US$17.5 million
Developed from	Fokker F27

The Fokker 50 is a turboprop-powered airliner, designed as a refinement of and successor to the highly successful Fokker F27 Friendship. The Fokker 60 is a stretched freighter version of the Fokker 50. Both aircraft were built by Fokker in the Netherlands. The Fokker 60 have been operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNAF), ex-RNAF aircraft are also in service with the Peruvian Naval Aviation.

Development

Fokker 50

The Fokker 50 was designed after sales of the Fokker F27 Friendship, which had been in continual production since 1958, were beginning to decline by the 1980s. Design of the Fokker 50 started in 1983, with DLT and Ansett Airlines of Australia being launch customers.

File:Palestinianfolker.jpg

A Palestinian Airlines Fokker at El Arish International Airport.

Fokker built two prototypes derived from F27 airframes, the first of which flew for the first time on 28 December 1985. Certification of the Fokker 50 by the Dutch aviation authority RLD was successfully completed in 1987 and the first production aircraft was delivered to DLT of Germany. Production ended in 1996 after the Fokker Aircraft Company went into liquidation, with the last aircraft delivered the following year. By the end of the program, 213 Fokker 50s had been produced. As of August 2006 a total of 171 Fokker 50 aircraft remained in airline service. Major operators included: Avianca (10), Denim Air (12), Skyways Express (18) and VLM Airlines (20). Some 27 other airlines including Air Astana also operate smaller numbers of the type.

Since March 2013, two Fokker 50s are based at EHLE Lelystad airport in their Royal Netherlands Air Force livery. Both have been purchased by the Peruvian Navy and will depart before the end of September 2014.

Fokker 60

Fokker 60 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force

The Fokker 60 is stretched 1.62 m (5.31 ft) longer than the F50 for a total length of 26.87 m (88.16 ft). It has a large cargo door on the right side immediately behind the cockpit. Only four examples were built, all of them delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. All of them were part of 334 Squadron based at Eindhoven Airport. They were used to transport equipment and soldiers. Paradrops were done as well. Another 60 were under construction but never completed, due to Fokker's bankruptcy. Two of the Fokker 60s (U-01, U-03) were converted in 2005 to Maritime Patrol aircraft as a temporary solution when the Royal Netherlands Navy P-3 Orions were phased out due to budget cuts. They were stationed at Hato AB Curaçao, until they were replaced by civil DHC-8 aircraft in October 2007. When the Royal Netherlands Air Force decided to buy two extra Lockheed C-130s, the Fokker 60s were phased out. The four Fokker 60 that were stored at Woensdrecht Air Base were sold to the Peruvian Naval Aviation, the first two planes were delivered on 8 June 2010 and the second batch of two planes are delivered at the end of 2010.

Design

The Fokker 50 was based on the stretched F27-500 airframe, but with a larger number of smaller windows in the fuselage and a two-wheel nose gear.

Basic construction of the fuselage, wings and empennage (tail) remained unchanged apart from strengthening the various sections where required. The wing was equipped with upturned ailerons and wingtips, effectively acting as wing endplates or winglets.

The major design change from the Fokker F27 was in the engines, and in equipping the aircraft with an electronic flight and engine-management system. The original Rolls-Royce Darts in various marks of basically 1,268-1715 kW (1,700-2,300 hp) were replaced with two more fuel efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW124 powerplants of 1,864 kW (2,500 hp) each, driving six-bladed Dowty Rotol propellers.

The Fokker 50 can carry up to 62 passengers over a range of 1,080 nm (1,243 mi, 2,000 km ) at a typical speed of 286 knots (530 km/h 329; mph), a 27  knots (31 mph, 50 km/h ) increase over the Fokker F27.

Variants

Interior of a Fokker 50 of Skyways Express

Fokker 50

F27 Mark 050

Marketed as the Fokker 50 (or sometimes referred to as the Fokker 50-100), based on the F27 Mark 500 with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125B or PW127B turboprop engines with six-bladed propellers, updated systems and cockpit instrumentation, increased use of composite structure, double the number of windows, change from pneumatic to hydraulic systems and addition of electronic engine and propeller controls and an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and integrated warning system.

F27 Mark 0502

Marketed as the Fokker 50, same as the 050 with reconfigured interior layout and change in type of aft emergency exits, six built (two for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, two for the Republic of Singapore Air Force and two for Royal Brunei Air Force).

Fokker 60

F27 Mark 0604

Marketed as the Fokker 60, same as the 0502 with an increased fuselage length (1.02 m/3.34 ft in front of wing and 0.80 m/2.63 ft aft of wing), increased design weight and introduction of a large cargo door in the forward right side of the fuselage. Two Pratt & Whitney PW127B turboprop engines, four built.

Operators

As of October 2012 124 aircraft were still in operational use with airlines.

Fokker 50 civil operators

airBaltic Fokker 50 at Riga International Airport

Fokker 50 - Ethiopian Airlines at Lalibela airport

• Aero Condor (1)
• Aero Mongolia (4)
• Air Iceland (6)
• Air Panama (4)
• Alliance Airlines (6)
• Amapola Flyg (12)
• Aria Air (2)
• Avior (6)
• Bluebird Aviation (5)
• VLM Airlines (15)
• CityJet (15) leased from VLM Airlines
• Compagnie Africaine D'Aviation (3)(1 lost due to crash on 4 March 2013)
• Denim Air (4)
• Feeder Airlines (2)
• Indonesia Air Transport (3)
• Insel Air (4)
• Iranian Air Transport (4)
• Kish Air (3)
• Mid Airlines (3)
• Minoan Air (3)
• Hunnu Air (3)
• MiniLiner (2)
• Pacific Royale Airways (2)
• Palestinian Airlines (2)
• Qeshm Airlines (4)
• Sky Aviation (5)
• Sonair (2)
• Sudan Airways (3)
• TransNusa Air Services {5)
• Travel Air PNG (4)
• Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (8)
• Vizion Air (1)
• Rayani Air (TBC)

Fokker 50 military and government operators

Fokker 50 - Royal Netherlands Air Force

Tanzania Government Flight Agency Fokker 50

The following governments or military operators currently fly the Fokker 50 in passenger or cargo roles:

Peru

• Peruvian Naval Aviation.

Republic of China

• Republic of China Air Force - as VIP transport.

Republic of China Air Force Fokker 50 for VIP transport

Singapore

• Republic of Singapore Air Force - as Utility Transport Aircraft (UTA) and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).

Tanzania

• Tanzania Government Flight Agency - as VIP transport

Thailand

• Royal Thai Police

Former operators

Regional services were flown by Malaysia Airlines using Fokker 50s until the takeover by FlyAsianXpress and subsequently MASwings

Local services were flown by Air Zimbabwe using Fokker 50s were used from 1995 but proved unsuitable to the hot conditions in the country

Angola

• TAAG Angola Airlines

Australia

• Airlines of New South Wales
• Ansett Australia
• Flight West Airlines

Austria

• Austrian Airlines/Tyrolean Airways

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• B&H Airlines

Brazil

• Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais
• Rio Sul
• TAM Airlines

Colombia

• Avianca
• SAM Colombia

Denmark

• Maersk Air
• Scandinavian Airlines

Estonia

• Estonian Air (1996–2003)

Germany

• Contact Air
• Lufthansa CityLine
• OLT Express Germany

India

• Rajair

Ireland

• Aer lingus

Kazakhstan

• Air Astana

Kenya

• Kenya Airways

Latvia

• AirBaltic

Luxembourg

• Luxair

Malaysia

• Firefly
• FlyAsianXpress
• Malaysia Airlines
• MASwings

Netherlands

• KLM Cityhopper
• KLM uk
• Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Nigeria

• Virgin Nigeria Airways

Norway

• Busy Bee
• Norwegian Air Shuttle (2000-2004)
• Scandinavian Airlines

Philippines

• Philippine Airlines

Spain

• Iberia/Air Nostrum

Sweden

• Scandinavian Airlines

Taiwan

• Formosa Airlines/Mandarin Airlines

United Kingdom

• Air UK

Zimbabwe

• Air Zimbabwe

Fokker 60 military operators

Peru

• Peruvian Naval Aviation - two as Utility Transport Aircraft (UTA) and two as Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).

Former operators

Netherlands

• Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Accidents and incidents

• On 15 September 1995, Malaysia Airlines Flight 2133, a Fokker 50 (9M-MGH) crashed during approach in Tawau, Sabah due to pilot error, killing 34 of 53 passengers and crew on board in the first hull loss of a Fokker 50.
• On 9 June 2002, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 113, a Fokker 50 aircraft few minutes after departure on a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, two passengers who managed to bring a model explosive and two small knives on board attempted to hijack the aircraft. Both perpetrators were shot by in-flight security personnel. During the incident, one cabin crew member was injured. The aircraft and all passengers onboard arrived at the intended destination safely.
• On 6 November 2002, Luxair Flight 9642, a Fokker 50 aircraft en route to Luxembourg – Findel Airport crashed and burned on final approach to the airport about six nautical miles (11 km) short of the runway while trying to land in the fog. 20 out of 22 passengers and crew perished.
• On 10 February 2004, Kish Air Flight 7170, a Fokker 50 crashed on approach to Sharjah International Airport, United Arab Emirates after both propellers reversed while causing a loss of control. All six crew and 37 of the 40 passengers on board were killed.
• On 14 February 2006, an SAS Commuter Fokker 50 (LN-RND) named "Inge Viking" sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear collapsed when the airplane was parked at the gate at Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, Norway. The aircraft was to carry out early morning flight SK2301 to Kristiansund, but the passengers had not boarded the flight yet.
• On 15 November 2012, a Skyward International Aviation Fokker 50 registration 5Y-CAN crashed on approach to Aweil, South Sudan after its landing gear collapsed and the aircraft left the runway immediately after landing. One passenger received minor injuries and the other 56 on board escaped unhurt. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
• On 3 March 2013, a Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation Fokker 50 registration 9Q-CBD crashed in poor weather while on approach to Goma International Airport in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing all seven crew including Russian citizen, Alexander Bazhenov. There were three survivors.
• On 2 July 2014, a Skyward International Aviation Fokker 50 registration 5Y-CET operating a cargo flight ferrying Khat and bound for Mogadishu, Somalia crashed into Embakasi suburbs after taking-off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. All four crew members died and the hull disintegrated and burnt partially on impact with a highrise structure.

Specifications (series 100)

Data from airlines.net

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (flight deck crew)
• Capacity: up to 58 passengers
• Length: 25.25 m (82 ft 10 in)
  

Fokker 60: 26.87 m (88.16 ft)

• Wingspan: 29 m (95 ft 2 in)
• Height: 8.32 m (27 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 70 m² (750 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 12,250 kg (27,007 lb)
  
• zero fuel weight: 18,600 kg (41,006 lb)
• Gross weight: 18,597 kg (41,000 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 20,820 kg (45,900 lb)
  

Fokker 60: 22,950 kg (50,596 lb)

• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125B turboprop engines, 1,864 kW (2,500 hp) each
  

Fokker 60: 2x 1,953 kW (2,619 hp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127B turboprop engines

• Propellers: six-bladed Dowty Rotol composite propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 560 km/h (348 mph; 302 kn)
• Cruising speed: 530 km/h (329 mph; 286 kn)
  

Fokker 60: 469 km/h (291 mph)

• Range: 2,055 km (1,277 mi; 1,110 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)

Armament

two × AGM-84D Harpoon missiles and radar, sonar systems (Republic of Singapore Air Force Fokker 50s)

See also

• Fokker F27
• Fairchild Hiller FH-227
• Antonov An-140
• ATR 42 and 72
• CASA CN-235 and EADS CASA C-295
• de Havilland Canada Dash 8 Series 300
• Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
• Fairchild-Dornier 328 family
• Ilyushin Il-114
• Saab 2000 and 340
• Xian MA60/Xian Y-7/Antonov An-24

References

• European Aviation Safety Agency Type-Certificate Data Sheet - Fokker F27 (TCDS A.036 Issue 2 20 May 2005)
• Star Africa http://www.starafrica.com/en/news/detail-news/view/sudan-airways-plane-crash-lands-after-wh-193541.html
• The Aviation Herald http://www.avherald.com/h?article=443db552&opt=0

External links

• Fokker Services
• Fokker 50 Official Page
• Fokker 50 Systems