Fokkernews May 2023 (issue 65)

General news

Dutch company Fokker Next Gen has revealed plans to develop an F100 successor with hydrogen propulsion. In cooperation with Rolls Royce a jet engine will be built that is able to run on this environmentally clean fuel. First, an existing F100 will be modified at Woensdrecht into a test aircraft with an experimental hydrogen engine, aimed to fly in 2027. A production line for the new aircraft is intended to be ready in 2035, for eventually 150 units per year.

As of May 3rd 2023 Fly All Ways is flying the Paramaribo – Georgetown – Bridgetown – Kingston route with F70. 

The Australian Competition watchdog not only refused approval of the acquisition of Alliance Aviation by Qantas, but has also blocked prolongation of the existing charter cooperation between the two airlines regarding the lucrative fly-in-fly-out contracts for the mining industry. 

Fokker F27, Fokker 50 & Fokker 60

c/n type registration new registration comment
No news on the Fokker props this month

Fokker F28, Fokker 70 & Fokker 100

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11340 100 YR-FKA Carpatair. This F100 has been stored at Arad for almost 3 years. Recently it was noted without engines and titles removed. It is still offered for sale; we are curious whether it will ever fly again.
11484 100 VH-FNY Virgin Australia. After completing its last revenue service from Koodeidiri mine to Perth on 4th May, this F100 was ferried from Perth via Port Hedland to Singapore-Seletar on 5 and 6 May 2023 as VA9945 for parting out.

A brand new livery for a very old Friendship: as reported in Fokkernews 56, ex-WDL D-BAKD (10179) was moved in summer 2022 to a position closer to the terminal. It now appears to serve as a training object for the de-icing and rescue services at the airport. Recently it was seen in a fresh great color scheme, ready for its new job (Martin Morkowsky on Planepictures.net; Cologne-Bonn, 19 May 2023)

 

The cockpit section of former Minoan Air SX-BRT (20230) was transported to a private garden in the Netherlands, where it will be transformed into a flight simulator in the garden house. (Stijn Baart on Facebook; undisclosed location, 19 May 2023)

 

Argentina Navy F28 5-T-20/741 (11145) is now part of the permanent collection of the Museo Malvinas in Oliva, Cordoba. It was first shown to the public on 2nd April 2023, the day that the Argentinians officially commemorate the Falklands war against the British in 1982. The Fellowship attracted quite some interest from the public. (unknown photographer at Beleninfo.com.ar; Cordoba, 2 April 2023)

 

After completing its flying career with Austrian arrows OE-LVJ (11359) was bought by Alliance Airlines Slovakia and re-registered as OE-IMX. After all useful parts had been removed, it was acquired by the Slávnica museum for display in its collection. Since it arrived there mid-2020 not much seems to have been done on the aircraft. (Vin LK on Flickr; Dubnica, 5 May 2023)

 

Virgin Australia is steadily phasing out its F100s. VH-FNY (11484) was pictured at take-off for its final flight with destination Singapore-Seletar, where the scrapman was waiting. (Tony James on AirHistory.net; Perth, 5 May 2023)

Credits

All photographers named above, Air-Britain News, Aviator.aero, CH-Aviation, Merv Crowe, Frank Ellemers, Greg Hyde, Luchtvaartnieuws, Jacques Vooren, Henk Wadman.