Fairchild Hiller FH-227
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F-27 / FH-227 | |
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A Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B "The City of Glens Falls" of the defunct Mohawk Airlines, circa 1970 |
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Type | Airliner |
Manufacturer | Fairchild Hiller |
Maiden flight | November 24, 1955 |
Introduced | 1958 |
Status | Most retired |
Number built | 78 |
Developed from | Fokker F27 |
The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States. The Fairchild F-27 (note the dash) was similar to the standard Fokker F27, while the FH-227 was an independently-developed stretched version.
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[edit] Design and development
Probably the closest to being a true replacement for the fabled Douglas DC-3, the Fokker F27 Friendship, including the Fairchild built F-27 and FH-227, was built in greater numbers than any other western turboprop airliner.
The Fokker F27 began life as a 1950 design study known as the P275, a 32 seater powered by two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops. With the aid of Dutch government funding, the P275 evolved into the F27, which first flew on November 24, 1955. The first prototype was powered by Dart 507s and would have seated 28. To correct a slight tailheaviness and to allow for more seats, the second prototype (which first flew in January 1957) had a three-foot longer fuselage length, which would allow seating for 32.
By this stage Fokker had signed an agreement that would see Fairchild build Friendships in the USA as the F-27 (note the dash). The first aircraft to enter service was in fact a Fairchild-built F-27, in September 1958.
Fairchild F-27s differed from the initial Fokker F27 Mk 100s in having basic seating for 40, a lengthened nose capable of housing a weather radar, and additional fuel capacity.
Developments included the Mk 200/F-27A with more powerful engines, Mk 300/F-27B and primarily military Mk 400 Combi versions, the Mk 500 with a 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) fuselage stretch taking seating to 52, and Mk 600 quick change freight/passenger aircraft.
Fairchild independently developed the stretched FH-227, which appeared almost two years earlier than the Mk 500. The FH-227 featured a 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) stretch over standard length F-27/F-27s, taking standard seating to 52, with a larger cargo area between the cockpit and the passenger cabin.
[edit] Production
581 F27s, 128 F-27s and 78 FH-227s were built. Fokker production comprised 85 Mk 100s, 138 Mk 200s, 13 Mk 300s, 218 Mk 400 & 600s, 112 Mk 500s and six F-27MPA Maritimes. 290 Fokker-built and 25 Fairchild aircraft in service in late 1998. Additionally, approximately 25 were used as corporate transports.
In May 2008, only 1 Fairchild FH-227 aircraft remain in airline service, with Iran Aseman Airlines (1 FH-227).
[edit] Notable Incidents
Full list of accidents (F-27) Full list of accidents ((FH-227)
On Friday 13 October, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, a twin turboprop FH-227D carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes mountains. The event became known as the 'Andes flight disaster', and was the subject matter upon which the film 'Alive' was based.
[edit] Specifications (FH-227E)
General characteristics
- Crew: Two (pilot & co-pilot)
- Capacity: 52 seats at 79 cm (31 in) pitch, or a maximum of 56
- Length: 83 ft 8 in (25.50 m)
- Wingspan: 95 ft 2 in (29.00 m)
- Height: 27 ft 7 in (8.41 m)
- Wing area: 753 ft² (70.0 m²)
- Empty weight: 22,923 lb (10,398 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 45,500 lb (20,600 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Dart Mk 5327Ls turboprops, 2,300 shp (1,715 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 255 kts (295 mph, 473 km/h)
- Range: 570 nm with maximum payload, 1,440 nm with max fuel (651 mi/1,604 mi, 1,055 km/2,660 km)
- Service ceiling 29,500 ft (9,000 m)
[edit] References
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- ATR 42 and 72
- de Havilland Canada Dash 8
- Fairchild-Dornier 328 family
- Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
- Saab 2000 and 340
Related lists
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