Cimber Air A/S

   

 Cimber Air A/S was a regional passenger airline based in Denmark, founded by Captain Ingolf Nielsen. From the outset, the company maintained a majority ownership under the Nielsen family, which ensured stable leadership and a clearly defined business vision.

In its early years, Cimber Air primarily focused on operating charter flights, a strategy that allowed the airline to establish itself within the European regional market. Over time, the company sought to expand and venture into scheduled passenger services.

    One of the boldest decisions in the airline’s early history was the order of the VFW 614, a regional aircraft developed in West Germany. Cimber Air was one of only three airlines to invest in this aircraft, and it had the distinction of being the first to place it into commercial service, which it did in August 1975. However, despite the initial expectations, the VFW 614 did not achieve the commercial success that had been anticipated. Within less than five years, the aircraft was retired from service due to limited market acceptance and various operational challenges.

    Almost concurrently with the withdrawal of the VFW 614s, Cimber Air added two Fokker F-28 Fellowship aircraft to its fleet, specifically the Mk. 3000 version with a seating capacity for 64 passengers. However, these aircraft did not remain long in the company’s direct operations, as they were soon leased to other carriers.

    Both Fokker F-28s returned to Cimber Air in 1986, although their stay was once again temporary. In 1987, they were leased to the Australian airline East-West Airlines, which subsequently acquired them.

In the following decades, Cimber Air continued to modernize and diversify its fleet, incorporating new aircraft types and adapting to the changing dynamics of the European regional aviation market. Despite the inherent challenges of the aviation industry, the airline remained active for more than thirty years.

However, on May 3, 2012, a significant chapter came to a close: on that day, Cimber Air officially ceased operations, marking the end of a noteworthy legacy in European regional aviation.

 

Fleet List

* 11143 OR-BRM dlv. 10Apr1979 - rmt. VH-EWF.

* 11151 OY-BRN dlv. 14Aug1979 - rmt VH-EWG .

A Special Flight

 At Zapala airport (APZ).

The Argentine Air Force's Fokker F-28 Mk.1000C TC-53 (CN. 11020) remains active, carrying out several flights these days.

A special flight took place on September 26, 2025, when it took off from El Palomar bound for Zapala (APZ) – San Carlos de Bariloche (BRC), finally landing in El Calafate (FTE). The aircraft transported Argentine Army troops who will conduct an operation in the El Calafate area, in the south of Argentina.

 Arriving in El Calafate

Thanks to: Fernando Jara, Marcos Funes, and DAD.

Southern Fellowships

 

Fokker F-28 in Patagonian environment (Farewell to the F-28 TC-54 cn.11018)

 

Miguel Antonio Geldres worked at Aerolíneas Argentinas from 1980 until his retirement. He served as an aircraft mechanic at the Comodoro Rivadavia airport in Argentina.

In Comodoro Rivadavia, Aerolíneas Argentinas' Fokker F-28 aircraft operated very little. On several occasions, Miguel was sent on assignment to service the Fellowship at some of the stops where it operated. In this way, in 1991 and 1992, he was assigned to Villa Gessell for the summer season. During those years, he also serviced flights at the Santa Rosa stop on three occasions, and also in Viedma.

 

"Once, during a landing in Santa Rosa, an F-28 had hydraulic problems that forced the crew to manually deploy the landing gear. First, the gear doors were opened using a crank located in the cockpit. After landing, both engines were shut down and the aircraft came to a stop on the runway. The passengers disembarked from the aircraft and had to walk to the terminal! The failure had occurred in one of the engines, so hydraulic fluid was added, the other engine was started, and with the momentum they were able to taxi the aircraft to the apron."

 

Special color scheme.

 

Over the years Miguel worked in Comodoro Rivadavia, he was able to observe the operation of Fokker F-28 aircraft of both the Argentine Air Force and the Naval Aviation.

We thank Miguel for his collaboration.