The endless Colombian

    Affectionately nicknamed "The Coffee Maker" in Colombia, one surviving F-28 is FAC1041 (cn. 11162) belonging to the Colombian Air Force, which is currently still flying. 

    This is an F-28 Mk.3000 that first flew on July 3, 1980, bearing the test registration PH-EXY. It had originally been ordered by Sun Pacific Airlines. The American company decided not to acquire it, so on August 16, 1981, it was registered in the name of Fokker. In the early 1980s, an attempt was made to market it in negotiations with the Bolivian government for Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, but this also fell through.

   During January 1985, it was converted to the Mk.3000C version, with the addition of a cargo door. On January 3, 1985, it was re-registered as PH-EZL.

    It was soon acquired by the Colombian government for SATENA Airlines. The aircraft was delivered on February 7, 1985, with registration FAC1141 and christened "El Llanero".

    On September 22, 1998, it was damaged when it overshot the runway during a landing in Villavicencio. This accident caused the nose landing gear to detach. The aircraft was dismantled and transported on a Heavylift Short Belfast aircraft to Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, for repairs. Upon its return to Colombia, it was observed in service on February 2, 1999, displaying SATENA's new colors.

On April 11, 2002, it was dismissed from the airline with a cannon salute and transferred to the Colombian Air Force.

    As such, on April 1, 2003, it was observed in Bogotá with its new registration FAC1041. On March 24, 2006, it was temporarily transferred to SATENA.

    Its longevity is partly due to its excellent maintenance. This aircraft arrived at Woensdrecht on February 22, 2013, for major inspection and the installation of a center fuel tank. It also received a new paint scheme. Following the completion of the work, it completed a test flight on October 10, 2013, and returned to Colombia on October 19, 2013.

    On December 1, 2021, it returned to Woensdrecht for a general check. On August 1, 2022, it was seen being towed. On August 3 and 10, 2022, it performed test flights and then returned to Colombia.

Below is a breakdown of FAC1041's flights obtained using the Flightradar 24 app, along with information from images posted online.

Fairchild 228. A Frustrated Dream

 

The Fairchild 228 was a regional jet developed in the United States by Fairchild Hiller in association with Fokker based on the new F-28 Fellowship.

On January 4, 1967, an agreement was signed between Fairchild Hiller Corporation and Fokker to assemble the new model and also to sell the Fokker F-28 in the Western Hemisphere. This agreement was announced at a press conference on February 1, 1967.

Fairchild optimistically estimated orders of 260 to 460 units for the North American market and 600 to 800 aircraft for the rest of theworld.

The 228 was basically an F-28, only one meter shorter, with three-slotted flaps and different engines. The new aircraft would cruise at 800 km/h (500 mph) with a máximum range of 649 km (403 mi). It had seating for 50 passengers and could operate on 1,200-meter (4,000-foot) runways.

The engine chosen for the new Project was the Rolls-Royce RB-203 Trent high-bypass ratio (3.3:1) twin-flow engine specially designed for the F-228. This powerplant was 15% more fuel-efficient, quieter, and had greater thrust than the Rolls-Royce Spey engine that powered the Fokker F-28.

 

Initially, it was decided to purchase sub-assembled F-28 parts. Both models were intended to have the largest parts pool. Fokker withdrew the fuselajes of examples c/n 11005 (A-5) and c/n 11007 (A-7) from the F-28 production line, modifying them for the Fairchild F-228 variant, renaming them S-1 and S-2. These parts were shipped to Baltimore, United States, and transported by road to Hagerstown, Maryland. The components of the first fuselage (S-1) arrived in October 1967.

 

The first order came from West Coast Airlines, which ordered three aircraft. This announcement was made by Fairchild on September 20, 1967. Later, Interior Airways signed a letter of intent in February 1968 fort wo F-228s, planning to put them into service by January 1971.

 

Towards the end of 1967, the rigorous testing program of the selected engine, - Rolls-Royce Trent-, began, yielding good results.

Unfortunately, by 1968, delays in the planned work occurred, causing Fairchild to postpone the first flight date. Among the reasons cited was the American manufacturer's inability to deliver the model to the intended specifications, while also having to overcome financial problems.

 

In June 1968, Fairchild canceled the F-228 project, with two aircraft already well under construction. As compensation, it acquired ten F-28 Fellowships for sale in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, it was only able to sell two aircraft. The remaining aircrafts were returned to Fokker. They were flown to Woensdrecht to be offered to new operators.

Source: airlinercafe, Jan FolkertHomma, Arnold Bejeman.

Never delivered #13

 

On September 27, 1972, F-28 PH-ZAV (11032) flew to Yugoslavia via Luxembourg for a demonstration flight for Jugoslovensky Aerotransport (JAT).

In September 1972, Fokker's marketing department published a brochure entitled "Fokker F-28 for JAT." It described the advantages of incorporating the Fellowship. Among other things, it detailed an alternative route network, showing JAT flights with the DC-9 Series 30, complemented by flights that the Fokker F-28 could operate more efficiently.

Never delivered #8

 

On January 5, 1977, the Business Times newspaper announced that a delegation from Fokker would visit Japan at the end of January or beginning of February of that year to negotiate the sale of the Fokker F-28 to the company TDA (Toa Domestic Airlines). Fokker hoped to secure a TDA order for the F-28 Mk.4000 in competition with the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). The F-28 had a chance because of its fuel economy and low sound levels.

Fokker also offered TDA a version called “Super Fellowship”, slightly larger than the Mk.4000 and with the possibility of installing engines made in Japan.

Fokker spokesmen also stated that All Nippon Airways also represented a potential customer for the F-28.

Artistic image proposed by Fokker

Never delivered #7

Arrow Jet was a Brazilian business flight company. In 2001 the Fokker F-28 Mk.4174 VH-EWC (cn.11207) was ready to be delivered but was finally not taken and was later purchased by Air Niugini (P2-ANR).