Fokkernews March 2026 (issue 99)
General news
Apart from four Boeing P-8 Poseidons, the Singapore Air Force has ordered three Gulfstream G550 jets for replacing the Fokker 50 in the maritime surveillance role.
Following the decision by the Somalian CAA to ground several 7Q-registered aircraft (see Fokkernews 98), the CAA of Malawi has started an internal investigation as well as an operators audit. Some irregularities have emerged and a CAA employee was suspended. The Malawian CAA will strengthen regulatory overview to ensure that aircraft registered in Malawi, but operating abroad, are primarily based in the country and remain under effective regulatory supervision. We will have to await what this means for the six 7Q-registered Fokkers (four F50s and two F27s).
Libyan Airlines is offering various obsolete and damaged aircraft for dismantling and removal from Tripoli international airport. Among them is one F27 Friendship wreck, but as there are multiple candidates we are unable to identify which F27 this is.
Fokker F27, Fokker 50 & Fokker 60
| c/n | type | new registration | registration | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10138 | 200 | EB-91 | Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Bolivia). Technical staff of the Bolivian Air Force and the Army are joining forces for making this Friendship airworthy again. Fokker delivered it new in 1959 to Trans Australian Airlines and the aircraft had a long and interesting career before the Bolivian military acquired it in 2005. When they succeed it will be the oldest flying F27. | |
| 10378 | 500 | 7Q-KEV | Aerospace Consortium. The cargo Friendship was noted on 9 March 2026 at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport. | |
| 10392 | 600 | 5001 | Myanmar Air Force. This Friendship is on display in the Defence Services Museum in Naypyidaw since at least March 2023. It is unknown when it arrived there from Yangon, where it was stored previously. | |
| 10448 | 500 | 7Q-LEX | 5Y-JUU | Astral Aviation. Noted at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta 1 March 2026, doing engine tests after major maintenance and a fresh coat of paint. On 6 March it was still carrying the registration 5Y-JUU. |
| 10578 | 400M | FAB-90 | Bolivian Air Force. This 1978 vintage Troopship is still active and after an overhaul in 2022 it carries an all-grey military livery. | |
| 10601 | 400M | TAM-95 | Bolivian Air Force. This Troopship in original camo colors and with 'Transporte Aereo Militar' titles is an outdoors exhibit of the Bolivian Air Force museum in La Paz. | |
| 20121 | 50 | 5Y-WFA | Buff Air. Noted stored at Nairobi-Wilson on 26 February 2026. | |
| 20143 | 50 | 5Y-SKI | Aerojet Aviation Ltd. Seen parked at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport on 9 March 2026 in full livery. | |
| 20145 | 50 | 5Y-MMA | Alta Wings Aviation. This new airline will connect Mandera with Nairobi, El Wak and Takaba. Their F50 was seen in full livery at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta on 6 March 2026. | |
| 20149 | 50F | 5Y-ELY | Advantage Air. Seen in service at Mogadishu on 23 March 2026. | |
| 20223 | 50 | 7Q-SMO | Saacid Airlines. Seen at Nairobi-Wilson on 26 February 2026, being worked on. Seen active in Mogadishu 23 March 2026. | |
| 20224 | 50 | EP-GAS | Karun Airlines. Probably damaged at Ahwaz airport in early March 2026 during a US/Israeli precision attack on an Iranian Air Force F-5 that was parked between two Karun F50s (see also 20235) | |
| 20232 | 50 | 7Q-SSK | Mango Airlines. Seen on 9 March 2026 at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta airport without titles or colors. | |
| 20235 | 50 | EP-NFK | Karun Airlines. Probably damaged at Ahwaz airport in early March 2026 during a US/Israeli precision attack on an Iranian Air Force F-5 that was parked between two Karun F50s (see also 20224) | |
| 20280 | 50 | ET-AZQ | East African Aviation. When visiting Nairobi-Wilson airport in August 2025 the F50 used the hex code that had been in use with Mongolian Airways for JU-1050. Together with the highly similar color scheme this suggests that the identity of ET-AZQ has now been established. | |
| 20307 | 50 | 5Y-NWA | Star Airline. On 23 March 2026 the F50 came under fire while landing at Waajid airport, in the South-West State. This region has cut relations with the federal government in Mogadishu and has banned flights from there. There were no injuries and the aircraft sustained several bullet holes. The Fokker was chartered by the federal government; it immediately returned to Mogadishu and landed there safely. | |
| 99 | A | CP-2479 | Alas del Sur. Attempts to bring this Fairchild back into flying condition were definitively cancelled after the lethal accident in 2022 (see Fokkernews 67). The aircraft is stored at Santa Cruz-El Trompillo as an empty hull and the exterior does not look well either. |
Fokker F28, Fokker 70 & Fokker 100
| c/n | type | new registration | registration | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11229 | 4000 | 5Y-EEE | FlySAX. Still stored at Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta and seen there on 9 March 2026. | |
| 11312 | 100 | VH-NHO | Network Aviation (QantasLink). Adding to Fokkernews 98, the cancellation date was 19 February 2026. | |
| 11369 | 100 | 5Y-SKB | Skyward Airlines. Seen landing at Mogadishu 23 March 2026. | |
| 11373 | 100 | 2-HFNU | Airline Fleet Support. Seen at Woensdrecht 19 March 2026; it is all white and has the registration on the right-hand side only. | |
| 11450 | 100 | VH-FSQ | Alliance Airlines has moved this aircraft into their own hangar at Perth. It still carries the Virgin Australia livery. | |
| 11488 | 100 | VH-FNR | Virgin Australia. By the end of March this F100 was still at Townsville, reportedly waiting for a buyer. | |
| 11515 | 100 | VH-NHZ | Network Aviation (QantasLink). Also this registration was cancelled on 19 February 2026. |
The single F27 of Ejercito de Bolivia (Bolivian Army) EB-91 (10138) is currently under restoration to flying condition. (André Alders; La Paz-El Alto, 3 March 2026)
Bolivian Air Force Troopship FAB-90 (10578) is over 48 years old and still in active service. Here it is seen preparing for a flight from its home base to Santa Cruz-Il Trompillo. (André Alders; La Paz-El Alto, 1 March 2026)
Another Bolivian Air Force Troopship, TAM-95 (10601), is preserved in the air force museum in its original color scheme. (André Alders; La Paz-El Alto, 27 February 2026)
F50 5Y-MMA (20145) is now sporting the colors of startup airline Alta Wings Aviation that will connect northern Kenya with Nairobi. (Peter van Oostrum; Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta, 6 March 2026)
An attack on an Iranian Air Force F-5 jet parked amidst a row of Karun Airlines F50s not only destroyed the fighter, but most probably also damaged EP-GAS (20224, right) and EP-NFK (20235, left). (Air Force Times, stills from a Facebook video; Ahwaz, March 2026)
Now untitled is former Alas del Sur Fairchild F-27A CP-2479 (99); attempts to bring it back into the air have failed. (André Alders; Santa Cruz-El Trompillo, 1 March 2026)
Two Fellowships parked next to each other is quite unique nowadays. Lomé is the place to see Togo Government 5V-TAI (11079, a series 1000 with IP interior) and corporate TU-TGW (11047, a VIP series 1000) in a single view. (Clive Hindmarch; Lomé, 7 March 2026)
Very white waiting for a new operator is Airline Fleet Support F100 2-HFNU (11373), formerly VH-FNU of Virgin Australia. (Ralph Hamaker; Woensdrecht, 1 March 2026)
Air Niugini has applied the ’50 years Papua New Guinea’ sticker also to their F100 P2-ANJ (11472). (Wally H.; Brisbane, 13 December 2025)
Credits
All photographers named above, Air-Britain News, André Alders, CH-Aviation, Merv Crowe, Frank Ellemers, NewsAero, Peter van Oostrum, Mads Oyen, Scramble, Henk Wadman.
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