Fokkers with Props - End of an Era

[Greg Hyde]

Fokkers with Props have had an over sixty-year relationship with Australia. TAA received it's first Fokker F-27 Friendship (VH-TFB "Abel Tasman") on 16/04/1959.

VH-TFB "Abel Tasman" was lost mysteriously just over a year later on 10/06/1960 when it crashed on approach to Mackay Qld. All on board were lost. This crash lead to the introduction of Flight Data Recorders (Black-Boxes) into Australian commercial aircraft.

The last commercial operator of the Fokker F-50 in Australia, Alliance Airlines is in the process of withdrawing it's Fokker F-50 fleet.

For Fokker fans, this the end of Fokkers as the F-50's are being replaced by F70/100's.

Thankfully, there are several museums with F-27's and HARS has two F-27's which they plan to fly.