Fokker F27 Friendship

U-03 Fokker 60UTA-N c/n 20327 - Royal Netherlands Air Force - Groningen Airport Eelde in Holland - 7 July 2001

The Fokker F27 Mark 050 was developed as the successor of the F27 Friendship. The Fokker 50 is based on the fuselage of the F-27-500, but incorporates a number of key design changes. Foremost of the improvements were the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125 turboprops driving advanced six blade props, giving a 12% higher cruising speed and greater fuel economy, and thus range. Two prototypes were built based on F-27 airframes, the first flying on 28 December 1985. The first production aircraft flew on 13 February 1987; the certification was granted in May 1987. A total of 205 Fokker F.27 Mk. 050 was built. Production ended after Fokker collapsed due to financial problems on 15 March 1996, and the last Fokker 50 was delivered to Ethiopian Airlines in May 1997. The Fokker 60UTA-N, also known as the Fokker F.27-0603 was developed out of the Fokker F.27 Mk 050 short before Fokker collapsed due to the financial problems. The Fokker 60 is a military version of the Fokker 50, with lengthened fuselage, a large cargo door in the right forward fuselage and APU. The Fokker 60 flew first on 2 November 1995. Only 4 were built and put in service with the RNethAF. In 2005 two Fokker 60UTA-Ns, including the U-3, have been converted to Fokker 60MPA. The Fokker 60MPAs are detached at Hato, replacing the P-3Cs of the Navy.

On 7 July 2001, Fokker F27 Mark 0603 U-03 "Jan Borghouts" of the Royal Netherlands Air Force 334 sqdn. stayed at Groningen Airport Eelde. The aircraft operated a number of flights due to the RNethAF Air Show at Leeuwarden AFB. The U-3 flew first on 1 May 1996, and was delivered to the Koninklijke Nederlandse Luchtmacht on 10 June 1996. The RNethAF is sole operator of the Fokker 60UTA-N.