Fokkernews February 2024 (issue 74)

General news

The Kenya Gazette, the official government journal, on 19 January 2024 published a list of ‘disposal of uncollected aircrafts’ on behalf of the Kenya Airports Authority. The list comprises 92 abandoned aircraft on three airports that should be collected by the owners upon payment of outstanding charges. Failure to do so will result in public auction of the aircraft. Data on all Fokkers on the list are specified below. 

In contrast to the rumors cited in Fokkernews 68, Iranian startup Ilaam Air is likely not going to operate Fokkers since the airline has acquired four Embraer ERJ-145s. 

Palestinian Airlines reportedly plans to resume operations with their F50. Details are unavailable. 

Recently Iran Air got a number of F100 engines delivered that it had bought from Lufthansa in 2017 and that were stored in Indonesia.

Fokker F27, Fokker 50 & Fokker 60

c/n type registration new registration comment
10530 500CRF 5X-FFD Fly 540. Broken up and stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft at Kenyan airports' January 2024.
20111 50 5Y-MIS Silverstone (Jetlite). Stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport, broken up; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20116 50 5Y-SVN Rudufu. Broken up at Nairobi-Wilson airport; also on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20122 50 5Y-SMX Skyward Express. Stored as broken up at Nairobi-Wilson airport; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20146 50 SE-LIO Amapola Flyg. Ferried from Malmö to Lelystad 31 January 2024 as APF9705 for repaint. It returned to Malmö 6 February in the new PopulAir livery.
20177 50 5Y-SMT Silverstone (Jetlite). Stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport, broken up; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024. This makes it highly unlikely that 6O-YAS (see Fokkernews 67) is 20177.
20192 50 5Y-SMZ Skyward Express. Broken up and rests stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20207 50 5Y-GIG Bush Air Services. Broken up at Nairobi-Wilson airport and remains stored; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20209 50 5Y-JWX Jetways. Stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20226 50 SE-LTR Amapola Flyg. After painting in the new PopulAir livery the F50 returned from Lelystad to Malmö 31 January 2024 as APF9706.
20244 50 5Y-IZO Silverstone (Jetlite). Wreck stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20260 50 5Y-JRN Rudufu. Stored at Nairobi-Wilson airport, broken up; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024.
20335 50 D6-AIB R'Komor. Coming from Moheli on 19 February 2024 the F50 burst a tire on landing at Anjouan and veered off the runway. The aircraft came to a stop on soft ground. There were no injuries. Damage to the left landing gear can probably repaired.

Fokker F28, Fokker 70 & Fokker 100

c/n type registration new registration comment
11229 4000 5Y-EEE Safari Air Express. Stored at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport, broken up; on list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' January 2024;
11992 1000 FAC0002 Colombia Air Force. The Fellowship was recently withdrawn from use and will be on exhibit in the Museo Aeroespacial in Tocancipá, which has a large collection of aircraft reflecting the history of FAC.
11264 100 P2-ANE Air Niugini. In storage at Port Moresby since January 2023.
11301 100 P2-ANH Air Niugini. Seen active 9 January 2024 with special sticker for the airline's 50th anniversary.
11307 100 5Y-SIA Jetways. Stored at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport and looking pretty intact. But as it is on the list 'Uncollected junk aircraft' 2024, it is presumably broken up.
11369 100 YR-FKB 5Y-SKB Skyward Express. Seen 26 January 2024 at Woensdrecht air base in Carpatair livery with registration and titles taped over. On 5 February the new registration was applied. The aircraft is leased from Airline Fleet Support.
11391 100 VH-FSW As mentioned in Fokkernews 72, Alliance Airlines bought this F100 from Virgin for parts. Plans changed from scrapping in Rockhampton to scrapping in Singapore-Seletar, where it is stored since September 2023.
11395 100 2-RFZA 5Y-SKC Skyward Express, also leased from Airline Fleet Support. First seen with its Kenyan registration Woensdrecht 2 February 2024 in basic Carpatair colors. The Guensey registration was cancelled 18 January 2024. The aircraft was delivered from Woensdrecht via Luxembourg, Heraklion and Jeddah to Nairobi on 9-10 February 2024, using its registration as callsign.
11451 100 P2-ANQ Air Niugini. Stored at Port Moresby since 19 October 2022.
11489 100 VH-FNJ Same as for VH-FSW (11391) above: parting out will be done in Singapore-Seletar instead of Rockhampton. The aircraft is already in Seletar since July 2023.
11497 100 EP-AWZ Karun Airlines. Was put into storage at Ahwaz on 28 October 2023.
11560 70 VH-NUY Alliance Airlines. Flight QQ81 from Trepell to Brisbane on 8 February 2024 lost cabin pressure at FL200, the crew donned oxygen masks and made an emergency descent for a safe landing at Brisbane airport.
11577 70 P2-ANT Air Niugini. Seen active 9 January 2024 with special sticker for the airline's 50th anniversary.
11578 70 P2-ANR Air Niugini. Seen 9 January 2024, flying with special sticker for the airline's 50th anniversary.
11579 70 PZ-TFC Fly All Ways. Back in service on 16 February 2024 flying from Paramaribo to Caracas and Managua.

An antiques shop in the Brazilian countryside just east of Viracopos (Campinas) has a small collection of aviation assets in its garden, among which this unidentified F27 cockpit section. It is painted in a fantasy livery that reminds of TAM, but whether it is an ex-TAM Friendship is currently speculation. (Dave Broom; Pedra Branca, 6 February 2024)

 

Lelystad airport recently handled two Amapola Flyg F50s for repaint into the PopulAir livery. First was SE-LTR that left on the last day of January. The other was the last of seven Amapola F50s to undergo the transformation: SE-LIO, in fact the sixth one for Lelystad, as one was repainted in Norwich. The pictures show SE-LTR (20226) just after completion in front of the paint shop (Ron Mak; Lelystad, 6 February 2024) and SE-LIO (20146), waiting for take-off for the flight back to Malmö. This F50 retained the name ‘Big Mike’. (Jan Bekker op Flickr; Lelystad, 6 February 2024)

 

The single F50 of R’Komor D6-AIB (20335) experienced a runway excursion after a tire burst during landing at Ouani. The Fokker ended up besides the runway with minor damage. (Bambao Mtsanga; Anjouan, Comoros, 19 February 2024)

 

In August 2000 the French Air Force test facility DGA Essais en Vol acquired their second F100, this time from Air Panama (11400). In July 2023 it was noticed outside the hangar, painted in primer with temporary registration F-WTBY. Recently is was seen outside again, now in full colors with large serial 400 on the tail, very similar to sister ship 290 (F-ZAFT). (AndyL; Dinard 19 December 2023)

 

In November 2023 Air Niugini celebrated its 50th anniversary. A number of aircraft were adorned with a special decal, amongst which F70 P2-ANR (11578). (LRS747 on AirHistory.net; Port Moresby, 9 January 2024)

 

Credits

All photographers named above, AirHistory.net, AMCAR, Arnold Begeman, ATDB.aero, Aviation Herald, Aviation Safety Network, Aviator.aero, CH-Aviation, Fred Crampton, Merv Crowe, Frank Ellemers, FlightAware, Walter de Groot, Jan Homma, Kenya Gazette, Planespotters.net, Scramble, Skyliner, Henk Wadman, WoensdrechtAS forum.