VH-FNB Fokker F27-050

VH-FNB. Fokker F27-050. c/n 20107.

Was also registered as: RP-C9993.

This was the second of ten aircraft ordered new by Ansett - February 13, 1985

Ansett was the launch customer for this aircraft type

It was originally allocated c/n '10697' but was changed by Fokker when new c/n series was introduced for the F.27-050s

The temporary export registration 'E-905 / PH-EXF' was reserved by Fokker Aircraft B.V. - November 21, 1986

First flown as 'PH-EXF' - October 16, 1987

The aircraft was cleared for export to Australia - October 27, 1987

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FNB - October 27, 1987

Registered to JL Leasing Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan

Leased to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne as the registered operartor

Accepted by Ansett at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - October 27, 1987

This aircraft was configured to seat 50 passengers

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia as AN50 - October 28, 1987

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - November 03, 1987

Delivery route: Amsterdam - Athens - Cairo - Bahrain - Karachi - Calcutta - Bangkok - Seletar - Denpasar -

Darwin - Mt Isa - Sydney

Flight crew: Captains K. Duncan, B. D. Sexton, N. J. Fitzpatrick; LAMEs P. Coulls, B. Kay, I James;

Captain J. Wood (Dept of Communications & Transport)

It was delivered in the standard Ansett livery

Operated its first revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Maroochydore (Captain T. Daff) - November 21, 1987

Air N. S. W. was renamed Ansett N. S. W. - March 01, 1990

Ansett N. S. W. was renamed Ansett Express - November 28, 1990

Commenced Ansett Express services on the Sydney - Canberra - Sydney route - April 08, 1991

It was used mainly on the Sydney - Canberra - Melbourne shuttle services

Operated its last Ansett Express Shuttle service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Canberra - Sydney - July 21, 1991

Withdrawn from Ansett service and placed in storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - July 28, 1991

Returned to service with Ansett Express - March 21, 1992

Ferried Sydney - Brisbane on wet leased to Flight West Airlines to cover for DHC-8 VH-XFU - January 20, 1993

The DHC-8 had been leased to Ansett New Zealand

Operated its first Flight West revenue service as YC6008 - January 21, 1993

Route: Brisbane - Gladstone - Rockhampton - Mackay - Townsville - Cairns

Operated its final Flight West revenue service - March 11, 1993

Ferried Brisbane - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on return to Ansett - March 12, 1993

Returned to service with Ansett Express - March 21, 1993

The aircraft had flown 8,393 hours with 9,781 cycles - June 30, 1993

Transferred to Ansett Australia when Ansett Express services merged with the parent airline - October 30, 1993

Withdrawn from service - December 1995

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Perth for lease to Skywest Airlines - December 31, 1995

It operated its first Skywest revenue service - January 1996

Registered to Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd - April 30, 1996

Operated its last Skywest revenue service Karratha - Perth as AN6570 - September 13, 2001

Ansett suspended all operations due to bankruptcy - September 13, 2001

Returned to service under administration operating Perth - Esperance as AN7601 - September 23, 2001

Skywest Airlines was sold to Airline Investments Ltd - February 21, 2002

Repainted at Perth into the standard Skywest livery - August 2004

The aircraft was named 'Shire of Esperance' at a naming ceremony at Esperance - December 14, 2005

Registered to Skywest Airlines (Australia) Pty Ltd - March 14, 2006

Virgin Australia announced its intention to acquire Skywest Airlines - October 30, 2012

Ferried Perth - Denpasar - Seletar of overhaul - March 13, 2013

Virgin Australia finalised the acquisition of Skywest Airlines - April 11, 2013

Ferried Seletar - Bali - Perth (22:04 local) on completion of the overhaul - April 29, 2013

Returned to service in the standard Skywest livery Perth - Windarling Mine - April 30, 2013

Operated its final revenue service Esperance - Perth - October 23, 2015

The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Perth having flown 51,449 hours with 46,425 cycles

This aircraft can be returned to service if required with 24 hours notice

The aircraft required a Heavy Maintenance check by - November 21, 2015

As no heavy maintenance check is planned due to the cost and a downturn in aircraft capacity requirements

this aircraft may never fly again

The aircraft was stored at Perth

Registered to Aero-Pioneer Group - August 2016

It was officially sold to Aero-Pioneer Group - September 23, 2016

Test flown Perth - Perth -September 20, 2016

Registered to APU Investors LLC, Delaware, United States - October 21, 2016

Leased to JMC Investments Pty Ltd, Hamilton, Victoria as the registered operator

Departed Perth (08:54 local) on the ferry flight to Singapore as SYU1608 - December 21, 2016

It arrived at Singapore (Seletar) on completion of the ferry flight - December 22, 2016

Ferry route: Perth - Jakarta (Halim - fuel stop) - Singapore

It was observed stored at Singapore (Seletar) with 'VH-FNH' - April 05, 2017

It was reported that both 'VH-FNB' and 'VH-FNH' had been offered for immediate sale - June 13, 2017

It was reported that 'VH-FNA' - 'VH-FNB' - 'VH-FND' and 'VH-FNH' had been sold to Mayair - September 25, 2017

However no maintenance had been carried out on this aircraft since its arrival from Australia

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 09, 2018

Confirmed Leading Edge Air Services Corporation (Leascor), Philippines had purchased the aircraft - October 17, 2018

It was reported (F. Crampton) that this aircraft would be parted out to provide the nessary spares to enable 'VH-FNH'

to enter service with Leascor - March 16, 2019

Entered onto the Philippines Aircraft Register as RP-C9993 - March 19, 2019

Registered to Leading Edge Air Service Corporation

It was reported (F. Crampton) that this aircraft would be made airworthy and ferried to Manilla - April 03, 2019

Test flown Singapore - Singapore - May 16, 2019

Ferried Singapore (Seletar) - Kota Kinabalu - Manilla (Clark Field) for storage - June 06, 2019

It had reported that the aircraft would be used for spare parts

It was observed stored intact at Manilla (Clark Field) as 'RP-C9993' - October 2019

It was observed stored itact at Manilla (Clark Field) as 'RP-C9993' - January 2020

It was observed in the Leading Edge Air Services livery at Manilla - August 2021

Current status - ?

VH-FNB. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 18, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1997-310.)

VH-FNB. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 15, 1988.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1997-886.)

VH-FNB. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Canberra Airport, April 1990.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1997-051.)

VH-FNB. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Canberra Airport, September 1990.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1997-050.)

VH-FNB. Ansett Express - in the 'Flag' livery at Brisbane Airport, February 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-052.)

VH-FNB. Express Shuttle - in the 'Flag' livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-007.)

VH-FNB. Express Shuttle - in the 'Flag' livery at Canberra Airport, August 1995.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1997-070.)

VH-FNB. Express Shuttle - in the 'Flag' livery at Brisbane Airport, August 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-006.)

VH-FNB. Ansett - in the basic 'Starmark' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1997-005.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - in the basic Ansett 'Starmark' livery at Esperence Airport, September 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-263.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - in the standard livery at Perth Airport, December 2004.

(G. Wood Copyright Image 1997-077.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - in the standard livery at Perth Airport, January 2005.

(G. Wood Copyright Image 1997-080.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - in the standard livery at Adelaide Airport, December 14, 2006.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 1997-110.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Carnarvon Airport, August 07, 2008.

(N. K. Daw Copyright Image 1997-283.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, January 13, 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-374.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, April 06, 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-369.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, May 06, 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-135.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, May 14, 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-164.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, May 20, 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-136.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, March 23, 2010.

(R. Shaw Copyright Image 1997-887.)

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, March 24, 2010.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, September 22, 2010.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, December 19, 2011.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, March 25, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, March 28, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, March 31, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, April 03, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, May 19, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, May 23, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, August 23, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, August 24, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, August 27, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, August 31, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, September 17, 2012.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, May 07, 2013.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, June 10, 2013.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, June 11, 2013.

VH-FNB. Skywest - 'Shire of Esperance' in the standard livery at Geraldton Airport, August 11, 2013.

VH-FNB. Skywest - in the standard livery at Perth Airport, June 18, 2016.