Fokkernews January 2026 (issue 97)

General news

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines has reportedly sold their last remaining F100s to Alliance Airlines to be used for spare parts. 

Network Aviation, operating as QantasLink, has secured three pre-owned Embraer E190s for delivery late 2026, with another 11 planned to be acquired later. These E190s are intended to replace the F100 fleet, which on the average is more than 32 years old. 

Fifty-one years ago, to be precise on 17th January 1975, the IInd Squadron of the First Brigada Aérea of the Argentine Air Force was erected. Currently this squadron still operates three F28s.

Fokker F27, Fokker 50 & Fokker 60

c/n type new registration registration comment
10176 100 VH-JCC Moorabbin Aviation Museum in Melbourne has acquired this former Air Cruising Australia Friendship. It is currently prepared for transportation by truck from Tamworth airport, where it sits abandoned since 1999, to its new home in Moorabbin, a trip of some 1200 km. This F27 has an interesting history in three continents, including two periods in Australia. Time will tell in what livery it will be preserved. See the photo in Fokkernews 47 for its current looks.
10555 400M 7T-VRR Air Algérie. This Troopship was withdrawn from use in 2003 and is now preserved on the premises of a Gendarmerie Nationale station in Mehalma, Algeria since 2017 (Google 36.6774, 2.8625).
20147 50E 5Y-GMS Aerospace Consortium. Noted at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta 23 January 2026, still all white.
20187 50 7Q-SAS YV2977 Maandeeq Air. Correction of construction number after consultation of an official CAA source.
20188 50 6O-BES YV2976 Network Airline. Seen on 30 December 2025 landing at Mogadishu, all white with titles. The construction number is corrected on the basis of an original CAA document.
20193 50 7P-HRJ YV2917 Busy Bee Congo has acquired this ex-Avior F50. It ferried from Paramaribo to Fortaleza on 26 Januari 2026 as the first leg of its flight to Nairobi-Wilson for maintenance.
20198 50 6O-GAM YV2948 To be ferried from Paramaribo to Somalia shortly. Operator not known at the moment.
20230 50 SX-BRT Last operator Minoan Air. The cockpit section was moved on 21 January 2026 to a private home in Desselgem, Belgium. It is intended as a flight simulator.
20313 50 5U-NAA Busy Bee Congo. Seen in service at Beni airport 20 December 2025.

Fokker F28, Fokker 70 & Fokker 100

c/n type new registration registration comment
11079 1000 5V-TAI Togo Government. Noted stored at the military ramp of Lomé airport on 19 December 2025, still complete.
11351 100 P2-ANF Air Niugini. Made its final commercial flight on 6 September 2025 and is in storage at Port Moresby since.
11450 100 VH-FSQ Virgin Australia. Performed it last revenue flight on 22 December 2025 from Perth to West Angelas and return to Perth via Geraldton as VA9293/9294 and was withdrawn from use at Perth. Reportedly sold to Alliance Airlines for spares.
11488 100 VH-FNR Virgin Australia. The last commercial flight of a Virgin Australia F100 was from Perth to Onslow and back on 26 December 2025 as VA2505/2506. Subsequently it was parked at Perth, awaiting its fate. Reportedly sold to Alliance Airlines for spares.
11561 70 5Y-SKD Skyward Airlines. Seen 24 January 2026 parked at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport, still without titles.

Again a new Fokker operator in Somalia. Network Airline might be the name of Somalia Airline’s revival. F50 6O-BES (20188) is the first Fokker in their fleet. (undisclosed photographer; Mogadishu, 30 December 2025)

 

Credits

All photographers named above Air-Britain News, André Alders, ATDB Newsletter, Merv Crowe, Frank Ellemers, Walter de Groot, Greg Hyde, Mads Oyen, Henk Wadman, Willem Westerhof.