Fokker 50

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.

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

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.

Although of being a previous generation design, it is highly appreciated by owners & pilots for its reliability, economics and flight characteristics.

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). MSN 20280 built 1993 was fitted with PW125B Engines and an APU.

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

Uploaded 23 February 2016. Only operators with 5 units or more.

 Australia

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (7)

 Curaçao

Insel Air (6)

 Iran

Iranian Naft Airlines (6)

 Kenya

Skyward International (8)

 Sweden

Amapola Flyg (16)

 Venezuela

Avior Regional (6)

 Mexico

Mayair (1)

Fokker 50 military and government operators

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.

 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

 Angola

TAAG Angola Airlines

 Australia

Airlines of New South Wales

Ansett Australia

Flight West Airlines

Trans Australia Airlines (TAA now part of QANTAS)

 Austria

Austrian Airlines/Tyrolean Airways

 Belgium

VLM

 Bosnia and Herzegovina

B&H Airlines

 Brazil

Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais

OceanAir

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

 Mongolia

Aero Mongolia

 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 experienced an in-flight incident a few minutes after departure on a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when 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 on board 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)

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)

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

Propellers: six-bladed Dowty Rotol composite propellers

Performance

Maximum speed: 560 km/h (348 mph; 302 kn)

Cruise speed: 530 km/h (329 mph; 286 kn)

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)