General news

The Mongolian civil aviation authorities have reinstated a rule that aircraft older than 20 years are not allowed to operate in the country. This measure will probably hit the single active Fokker in the country, flying with Mongolian Airways. 

At the end of the current winter schedule, Amapola Flyg will cease flying the Dublin-Donegal route with F50. The Irish government has awarded the Public Service Obligation contract to Emerald Airlines, who will operate the twice daily route for four years with ATR equipment under the Aer Lingus Regional brand.

Fokker F27, Fokker 50 & Fokker 60

Fokker F28, Fokker 70 & Fokker 100

A sad sight is this abandoned F27 1467 (10270) of the Guatemalan Air Force. It was acquired in 1985 and served for six years as the presidential aircraft. It was withdrawn from use in 2001 and has been sitting in the scrap corner since that time. Sistership 1093 (10111) experiences the same fate, the tail is just visible on the left. Both aircraft are visible on Google Earth (14.5947, -90.5226). (Franz Galli; Guatemala City-La Aurora, 20 December 2021)

This 1968-built Friendship (10370) has transported mail and cargo during its entire career. Since 2013 it is operating in East Africa with Cargo2Fly as 5Y-CCE. It still has the basic colors of previous operator Falcon Express Cargo Airlines of Dubai. (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

The rather anonymous F27 5Y-JUU (10448) has a similar career as the above Friendship: delivered new to the French Postal Service in 1971, it served several cargo operators in Europe before moving to the Arabic Gulf area. In 2014 Astral Aviation acquired it and it is still active. (André Alders; Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta, 9 December 2021)

Quite a rare Friendship is PK-JRU (10629) of Jayawijaya Dirgantara, that is sitting in a derelict state near the runway of Sentani airport in Papua, Indonesia. It is visible on Google (-2.5696, 140.5086). (Tristan Bagaskara; Jayapura, 8 January 2022)

The unidentified operator of F50 5Y-CHK (20114) mentioned in Fokkernews 48 appears to be Royal Air, a new Somalian airline that offers flights to nine domestic destinations out of Mogadishu since October 2021 (Saciid Nadaara on Facebook; Galkayo, 14 November 2021)

With at least seven units in the fleet, Jetways Airlines is one of the larger Fokker operators in Kenya. Among them is 5Y-JWC (20118), a full freighter that continues to sport the 2007 Magic Bird Cargo livery. Recently a red ‘mask’ was applied around the cockpit windows. (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

Apparently another new airline has been established in South Sudan, named Aerojet Aviation Ltd. They operate F50 5Y-RNG (20120), that carries large titles and a tail logo. (Maan Athiei Maico on Facebook; Juba, 2 January 2022)

A relatively new F50 in the Kenyan register, since early 2021, is 5Y-MMA (20145), operated by Silverstone Air Services on behalf of Salaam Air Express, with their titles and logo. (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

One of the aircraft in the auction of uncollected junk aircraft, organized by the Kenya Airports Authority (see Fokkernews 47) was Skyward Express F50 5Y-SIB (20167). This picture clearly shows the desolate condition of the aircraft. (André Alders; Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta, 9 December 2021)

Unfortunately many Kenyan Fokkers are fully white, like this Silverstone Air Services 5Y-SMN (20168). (André Alders; Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta, 9 December 2021)

On 19 September 2020 Silverstone Air Services F50E 5Y-MHT (20171), then operating for Saacid Airlines, had a serious mishap when landing after an issue during takeoff. The remains of the wreck are lying next to the runway, not far from the accident site. (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

A better picture than in the preceding Fokkernews of Renegade Air F50 5Y-JWB (20197), showing its large cargo door in green with ‘Fokker 50 CARGO’ titles on an otherwise white aircraft. (André Alders; Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta, 8 December 2021)

Bluebird Aviation of Kenya has introduced a new corporate livery, with a blue bird on nose and tail. Two F50s in the new colors are visible behind the Dash-8, on the right is 5Y-VVH (20203). (Blue Bird Aviation on Facebook; Nairobi-Wilson, sometime in 2020)

When Tanzanian Government F50 5H-TGF (20231) arrived at Woensdrecht for maintenance by Fokker Services last July, it carried Air Tanzania colors (see Fokkernews 44). The aircraft made a pre-delivery test flight, and returned to Tanzania in the original governmental livery. (Werner Verbogt; Woensdrecht, 24 December 2021)

In a small ceremony at Aden Adde airport Jubba Airways F50 5Y-JAF (20261) was re-registered to 6O-JAF. As far as we are aware of, this is the first Fokker to receive a registration in the recently reactivated Somalian 6O-register. (Still from video by Somali National Television; Mogadishu, 14 January 2022)

The entire fleet of Freedom Airline Express now has the new, revised livery, also F50 5Y-FAI (20282). (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

Niger Airlines F50 5U-NAA (20313) was ferried from Niamey via Tunis to Malmö 17-19 January 2022 for maintenance. The identity of this airframe is not 20123 as supposed previously, but has been confirmed as 20313. (Tunisian Aircraft Spotters on Facebook; Tunis, 18 January 2022)

The newest addition to the Fokker fleet of Network Aviation, operating as QantasLink, is VH-NQZ (11505), formerly with Avanti Air. Originally it was acquired for spare parts, but apparently the condition was good enough to keep it flying. (Findra Laverda; Surabaya, 24 December 2021)

Undoubtedly the most exotic F70 in the world is Salaam Air Express TL-AET (11559). Registered in the Central African Republic, operating out of Somalia and presumably on the Kenyan air operators certificate of Renegade Air. This high-quality picture supplements the mobile phone shot in the previous Fokkernews edition. (André Alders; Mogadishu, 10 December 2021)

Jetair Caribbean PJ-JAC (11582) departed Curaçao 18 January 2022, made intermediate stops at Freeport, Saguenay, Kangerlussuaq, Keflavik and arrived at Woensdrecht 21 January 2022 for major maintenance by Fokker Services. (Werner Verbogt; Woensdrecht, 21 January 2022)