About C-GTIZ

    C-GTIZ - msn 11099 stood out from the many F28-1000s that served in Canada right from the start. Out of 44 F28’s to fly in Canada, the C-GTIZ was the only Mark 1000C in Canada, the “C” indicating that she was equipped with the optional Large Cargo Door (LCD). One of only two F28’s painted in the “Proud Wings” livery before Canadian Airlines merged with Air Canada, she is the only one that remains bearing the majestic goose on her tail. Having experienced quite a few nerve-racking moments during her time in service, Canadian Regional’s aircraft mechanics cleverly created the nickname Tizzy using the letters in her registration as inspiration.

    Just a few weeks before her first flight, on October 31, 1975, the Amsterdam Fokker factory was visited by Queen Margarethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark during their state visit to the Netherlands. Both the Danish Royal family and the Dutch Royal family were shown around the Fokker Factory by Dr. J. H. Greidanus, Director of Research and Development, and Jas Moll, Director of the flight department, where they saw Tizzy on the factory floor. On November 18, 1975, Tizzy made her first flight from Amsterdam to Woensdrecht to finish the work necessary to earn the 1000C designation. On May 6, 1976, her conversion was completed, and she flew back to Amsterdam, where she was displayed at the annual Fokker open house. On May 19^th, she was delivered to the Ivory Coast Air Force and was ferried to Abidjan on May 26.

    She flew for the Ivory Coast Air Force for many years, only briefly interrupted by leases to Air Ivoire and Peace Air Togo. In the early nineties, the first in the series of mishaps that help earn her nickname occurred. Tizzy’s left torque link broke on landing in Burkina Faso, and she was substantially damaged. Fokker bought, disassembled and flew her back to Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, in a hired HeavyLift /Volga-Dnepr Antonov 124 RA-82044. Back in Woensdrecht, she was repaired in the Fokker Aircraft Services hangar beside where the Fokker 70 prototype PH-MKC was transformed from a Fokker 100 prototype. Besides the repair work, she also received the corrosion control program, a cabin interior refurbishment and major maintenance A, B, C, 2C and D checks. Between March 24 and November 12, 1994, she was cocooned. On November 1994 was leased to Air Ivoire as TU-TIZ and spread her wings to fly back to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

    On December 16, 1997 she arrived in Canada, delivered on lease to Time Air (dba Canadian Regional) and became C-GTIZ fleetnumber 160. On November 27, 1999 she was sold to Canadi<n Regional Airlines (1998) Ltd, who leased her out to a subsidiary, Inter-Canadien from Quebec. Within a month she had a runway excursion and was flown back to Calgary for repair.

    After the repair she flew for a couple of years with Canadi<n Regional, until she was finally retired on July 31, 2002. Her last flight was Calgary – Saskatoon where she was placed in storage with only 20761 hours and heavy maintenance due. She was maintained in the “parking program” until 2007.

    She is now the last aircraft in the final Canadi<n Airlines “Proud Wings” livery. The roots of Canadi<n Airlines go back to 1942 when the Canadian Pacific Railway Company purchased ten bush airlines. It’s therefore not surprising that the early management of the airline were largely Canadian bush flying pioneers, like Wilfrid “Wop” May, who had a direct connection to the most famous Fokker airplane of all time, the Fokker Dr.I triplane. The iconic red triplane with a black “Iron Cross” on its tail flown by the famous “Red Baron” Manfred von Richthofen. The Red Baron was shot down during a dogfight while chasing Wop May on April 21^st,1918 over Northern France. May went on to become a repair depot manager for Canadian Pacific Air Lines in Calgary bring the Fokker-Canadian link full circle.

Arnold Begeman

AeroPerú & SATCO

    In Peru, a private initiative, called Aerocoop, placed an order for three Fokker F-28 aircraft in 1971. It had been stipulated that these twinjets would fly domestic destinations. But the project did not prosper. Even so, in the second two months of 1972 the company from the Netherlands, confident in its product, arranged a special demonstration at the Lima airport. It was especially destined for the company SATCO/Servicio Aéreo de Transporte Comercial. This company's main mission was to provide links to disadvantaged areas in the interior of the country. Coincidentally, in April 72, the Peruvian authorities were seeking to restructure the SATCO fleet, which at that time was made up of four Douglas DC-6s, seven DC-3s and two Curtiss C-46s. The proposals received from abroad covered aircraft from Fokker: such as the F-27 and F-28, although the Boeing 727 and even the Yak 40 from the Eastern Bloc were also evaluated. The Peruvian State stated that the guarantee for the purchase of the aircraft would be assumed conditional on the best financing of the disbursement. In that sense, Fokker had an advantage, since it provided all means to place its products.

    In this way, in a short time, the company dependent on the Peruvian Air Force added three copies, establishing itself as the first South American pseudo-civilian operator of the Fellowship.

    The cell cn. 11059 was reported on the Fokker assembly line in Dec72. On the side of the fuselage could be read "For SATCO". At the same time, it was realized that two other units that completed the order for the Peruvian user, -cn. 11065/6-, were in their initial assembly phase in Woensdrecht.

    The aircraft were delivered in the first quarter of 1973. Throughout that same year, the Peruvian government gave way to the creation of an airline, which would be capable of providing air services to the main population centers of the country. -see AeroPerú creation document-.

    Peruvian aero-commercial ventures have always had to challenge a far from docile geography. The new airline arose from the need to replace the services of the defunct Aerolíneas Peruanas SA., which until the previous year had served as the flag carrier. In this sense, the Minister of Aeronautics Rolando Gilardi Rodríguez confirmed during the month of Mar73 that AeroPerú was born on the basis of the SATCO company. The latter, at that time, operated 27 destinations within Peruvian territory. The machines received by the new airline corresponded to the Mk.1000 version. The Fellowship, thanks to its short takeoff run and its general performance, was ideal for most of the airports in the interior of Peru.

    The first F-28 delivered on time to SATCO was promptly transferred to the new company in a short time. Awaiting delivery of the following copies, scheduled to arrive between May/Jun73. For a time, almost coinciding with the company's first steps, an F-28 was rented, although for a short period. This was the same aircraft that had been leased to SATCO as OB-R-390. This, at the time of being taken over by AeroPerú, adopted the identification OB-R-1030.

    The first AeroPerú service took place on 03Oct73 with an F-28, from Lima to Cuzco. From the beginning of the services, the company launched a motivating motto "We work proudly to form a great team and to carry the name of Peru high."

At the begining, the machines sported a scheme inherited from SATCO, to which the titles and an original logo representative of the Inca culture were incorporated.

    In Nov74 it was reported that to complement the services of the F-28, an agreement had been reached with the Dutch manufacturer, to supply a pair of Fokker F-27 Mk.600 to be delivered between Apr/May75. These devices would complement the company's activities in air terminals with less traffic or difficult access. On December 8, 74, on the occasion of the inauguration of a monument in honor of the Battle of Ayacucho, an event was held, for which various dignitaries and authorities from South American countries met in the Peruvian city. The foreign ministers of Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and Cardinal Juan Landázuri Ricketts, were transported aboard an Aeroperú Fokker F-28.

    The Fokker F-28 proved to be robust enough to operate from poorly prepared runways. During 1974, the Fellowship flight line provided services to Juliaca, whose runway was not yet paved.

    As of Nov74, some of the Fellowships began to display the perhaps most remembered scheme of the Peruvian airline, consisting of a dominant upper part in red flanked by a thick fuchsia line. The ventral area remained gray, outlined by a thin white line. At the same time, the door frames were also demarcated by a blank line. The titles and logos were also expressed in white. This image was quickly adopted by the OB-R-1020 aircraft, and can be defined as an original expression of the schemes of the 70s.

Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 15Nov75.

- PL415/416 Lima - Ayacucho. Monday Wednesday and Friday.

- PL429/430 Lima - Ayacucho - Cusco. Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday.

- PL433/434 Lima - Cusco. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL463/464 Lima - Cuzco - Puerto Maldonado. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Saturday.

- PL471/472 Lima - Arequipa - Juliaca. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Saturday.

- PL491/492 Lima - Tacna. Mondays and Saturdays.

- PL493/494 Lima - Arequipa - Tacna. Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday.

- PL502/503 Lima - Piura. Diary.

- PL506/507 Lima - Trujillo. Diary.

- PL524/525 Lima -Tarapoto - Iquitos. Diary.

- PL526/527 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Diary.

- PL540/541 Lima - Pucallpa. Diary.

- PL546/547 Lima - Tingo María. Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday and Sunday.

- PL582/583 Lima - Huanuco. Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday and Sunday.

- PL584/585 Lima - Anta (Huaraz). Monday Wednesday and Friday.

- PL733/734 Cuzco - Arequipa. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.

    Domestic passenger traffic in Peru grew rapidly during the course of 1976. But it then slowed abruptly due to the country's economic difficulties. In the course of 1979 the path of growth was only recovered. The route structure developed by Aeroperú and Faucett is radial, with Lima as the center feeding the different cities in the interior of the country. For many destinations, the F-28 was presented as an effective and ideal tool.

Since their arrival in Peru, the Fellowship operated tirelessly in the most arid destinations in the country, airports located in the jungle region, and also air stations located at high altitudes.     Destinations like Puerto Maldonado barely offered a dirt runway, and a mere booth that served as an air terminal. Environments that demanded the maximum benefits of the Fellowship.

Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 16Oct78.

- PL435/436 Lima - Cusco. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL453/454 Lima - Arequipa. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.

- PL520/521 Lima - Iquitos Diario # alternated with B727.

- PL500/501 Lima - Talara - Tumbes. Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday and Sunday # alternated with team 727.

- PL506/507 Lima Trujillo. Diary

- PL524/525 Lima - Tarapoto - Iquitos. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL526/527 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday.

- PL540/541 Lima - Pucallpa. Diary.

- PL546/547 Lima - Tingo María. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL582/583 Lima - Huanuco. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.

- PL720/721 Cuzco-Pucallpa - Iquitos. Monday and Wednesday.

- PL733/734 Cuzco- Arequipa. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturdays.

- PL763/764 Cuzco - Puerto Maldonado. Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL771/772 Arequipa - Juliaca. Monday - Tuesday Wednesday - Thursday - Friday and Saturday.

    On some occasions, some of the Fellowship were referred to Fokker in order to be subjected to technical work that required specialties greater than those that could be provided in Peru. The aircraft OB-R-1020 was reported on a ferry flight between Reykjavik and Woensdrecht on 10May78, with a failure recorded in Keflavik on 17May78.

    Towards the end of the 70s, AeroPerú implemented a new corporate scheme, which was simplified. Although the colors adopted in 1974 were respected. The cells of the aircraft were predominantly white except for the rudder, which remained red, housing the company logo. Two cheatlines in red and fuchsia ran above and below the window line, massing their meaning in front of, and below, the cabin windows. The ventral area did not receive any innovation, remaining gray. 

Detail of the AeroPerú flight flow chart as of 01Dec83.

- PL451/2 Lima - Arequipa. Diary.

- PL500/1 Lima - Trujillo Tumbes. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL512/3 Lima - Talara. Monday - Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.

- PL514/5 Lima - Juanjui - Trujillo. Monday and Friday.

- PL516/7 Lima - Rioja/Moyobamba - Chiclayo. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

- PL526/7 Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos. Diary.

- PL528/9 Lima - Tarapoto - Yurimaguas - Iquitos. Thursdays and Sundays.

- PL546/7 Lima - Tingo María. Diary.

- PL582/3 Lima - Huanuco. Diary.

- PL590/1 Lima - Trujillo - Cajamarca. Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday.

- PL733/4 Cusco Arequipa. Diary.

- PL771/2 Arequipa - Juliaca. Diary.

    Unfortunately, on October 25, 88, the F-28 OB-R-1020 suffered a fatal accident after taking off from runway 29 of the Juliaca airport. During the maneuver the machine was unable to gain height. The plane crossed the end of the runway, traveling approximately 1,800 meters, hitting the nearby bridge. After the impact, the aircraft was destroyed in several parts. The forward section of the fuselage was separated from the rest of the aircraft, while the central part, near the front spar of the wing, was left in an inverted position.

    The company's economy was tortuous, with losses of more than $2 million per month. The situation became more unviable every day. At the end of 1986, the Peruvian government announced a plan to privatize public companies, including AeroPerú. The airline was auctioned in 1992, with 70% awarded to a Peruvian consortium formed by Faucett and Naviera Santa for 41 million dollars.

    In 1991, various complaints were made of fraud against the company for the sale of elements belonging to Fokker aircraft, a situation that complicated the services of these aircraft with the company.

    In Apr92, AeroPerú's financial situation was far from optimal. Resulting in an excessive burden on the state coffers. A situation that did not escape the reality of the airlines of the South American states. In order to prolong survival, various alternatives were evaluated to continue operating. At that time, only one Boeing 727 and two DC-8-62s remained in service.     The rest of the devices were in the middle of receiving scheduled checkups and technical reviews. In order to avoid the paralysis, it was decided to temporarily rent the F-28 belonging to the Peruvian Air Force FAP-390 cn. 11100.

    On 14Aug92, an appraisal was carried out on the surviving aircraft OB-1018 US$300,000 OB-1019 US$500,000. During that same month these aircraft were offered for sale, the OB-1018 had TT. 43993/TC54824, while OB-1019 TT. 42961/TC 53499. While awaiting a possible privatization of the company.Finally, on January 16, 93, AeroPerú passed into the hands of an investment group, arising from the association of Mexicana de Aviación and Aeroméxico, which was called Alas de América. The first step was to renew the image of the airline company, for which a new painted logo very similar to that of Aeroméxico, the planes, was adopted. In a short time, Boeing 727 aircraft were acquired, standardizing the fleet.

    The two remaining Fellowships continued to serve. One of them, OB-1018, adopted the corporate color scheme of the Cielos de América group. In Feb94, both devices were reported stored inside the company's old hangar in Lima. Starting in July 98, new reviews revealed that the Fellowships were beginning to show signs of shortages, until their complete destruction. Even so, the fuselage of the aircraft OB-1018, a large number of its elements, was reported at the Lima airport on March 12, 2001.

    Upon the disappearance of AeroPerú itself, other Peruvian users used the Dutch model, namely, Andrea - Aerocontinente - TANS, a situation that proves that the reactor housed all the qualities that the Peruvian geography demanded.

Detail of the aircraft.

*msn. 11032 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.

*msn. 11059 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.

*msn. 11065 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.

*msn. 11066 Fokker F-28 Mk.1000.

Argentina Independence Day Celebration

 

    On July 9, 2024, Argentina celebrated a new anniversary of Independence Day with a military parade held in the City of Buenos Aires on Avenida Del Libertador. Around sixty aircraft from the Argentine Air Force and the Army Aviation made a low-altitude passage. Among the aircraft present was the Fokker F-28 Mk.1000C TC-52 (cn.11074). 

    The TC-52 is one of the last four F-28 Fellowships in service in the world! The others are the Fokker F-28 Mk.4000 T-51 (cn.11203), the F-28 Mk.1000C TC- 53 (cn.11020) and a copy of the Colombian Air Force, the Fokker F-28 Mk.3000 FAC-1041 (cn.11162).

                                                                                      Sandro Rota