Fokker F28 Fellowship

Summary

Description

Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, Fokker initiated the F28 Fellowship program, a collaborative effort involving Fokker, West German aerospace companies Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and VFW-Fokker, and Short Brothers of Northern Ireland, supported by substantial government funding from the Dutch and West German governments. Design work initially focused on a 50-passenger capacity, but market research led to a revised 65-seat configuration. Fokker aimed for simplicity and compatibility with American design methodologies and existing airport infrastructure. While early designs considered Bristol Siddeley BS.75 turbofans, the production aircraft were exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce Spey engines. The F28's design and production responsibilities were divided among the partner companies, with final assembly taking place at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. The F28-1000 prototype first flew on 9 May 1967, and type certification was granted on 24 February 1969. The first revenue flight was performed by Braathens on 28 March 1969. By 1987, after 241 airframes were constructed, production was terminated.

The Fokker F28 Fellowship was a short-haul, twin-engined jetliner with a T-tail and engines mounted at the rear of the fuselage, broadly similar in configuration to the British Aircraft Corporation's BAC One-Eleven and the first-generation Douglas DC-9. Its low-mounted wing offered benefits such as shielding the tail-mounted engines from foreign object damage. Fuel was stored within both the outer wing and the fuselage; pylon-mounted tanks could be installed for extended range operations. The structure, featuring a fail-safe design, was constructed using bonding techniques previously used for the F27. The wings had a slight crescent angle of sweep and conventional box construction, with ailerons near the tips and flaps supplemented by ailerons during landing approaches; all flight control surfaces were actuated via duplicated cabling and were aerodynamically balanced. A five-section lift-dumper was operated after landing, a decision made to reduce both weight and maintenance workload by avoiding thrust reversers. The F28 was powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, with thrust up to 9,850 lbf (43.9 kN), depending on the model. Most onboard systems were designed for simplicity and serviceability; no hydraulic system was used, as undercarriage and steering relied on pneumatic pumps. The F28 incorporated comparatively advanced electronics, viewed by Fokker's design team as essential for overall competitiveness. An uncommon feature was movable split-sections on the tail cone, hydraulically opened outwards as a variable air brake to rapidly decelerate the aircraft. The Fellowship had a retractable tricycle landing gear with large, low-pressure tires for unpaved airstrip use, and antiskid brakes on the main wheels for shorter landing runs.

The Fokker F28 saw service across the globe with a variety of operators. One notable feat was achieved by MacRobertson Miller Airlines in Western Australia, whose F28s flew the longest nonstop route for the type, connecting Perth and Kununurra over a distance of approximately 2,240 km (1,392 mi), also recognized as the longest twin-jet route at the time. Additionally, MMA's F28s boasted high utilization rates, flying over eight hours per day. While the aircraft has been retired from civil aviation as of 2019, it continues to serve in military and governmental roles, with current operators including the air forces of Argentina, Colombia, and the Philippines. Garuda Indonesia formerly operated the largest fleet of F28s with 62 aircraft.

Main Variants:

• F.28 Mk 1000 (F28-1000): With a maximum capacity of 70 passengers and approved on 24 February 1969, the 1000C variant included a main-deck large cargo door.

• F.28 Mk 2000 (F28-2000): This Mark 1000 featured a fuselage stretch of 57 in (1.4 m) in front of and 30 in (0.76 m) aft of the wing, allowing for a maximum of 79 passengers; it was approved on 30 August 1972.

• F.28 Mk 3000 (F28-3000): A Mark 1000 with a 60 in (1.5 m) wingspan extension, it was approved on 19 July 1978, and included a 3000C variant with a large main-deck cargo door.

• F.28 Mk 4000 (F28-4000): Approved on 13 December 1976, this variant was built on the longer Mark 2000, featured two overwing exits on both sides, a 60 in (1,500 mm) wingspan extension, and a capacity for 85 passengers.

• F.28 Mk 6000 (F28-6000): It first flew on 27 September 1973, and had the longer fuselage of the Mk 2000/4000 with an increased wingspan and leading edge slats.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Argentina	2
	Philippines	1

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

Argentina • Benin • Ivory Coast • Algeria • Ecuador • Gabon • Cambodia • Peru • Philippines