VH-FNE. Fokker F27-050. c/n 20110. Was also registered as: SE-LEL; PH-GER; 5Y-SKN. |
This was the fifth of ten aircraft ordered new by Ansett - February 13, 1985 Ansett was the launch customer for this aircraft type Originally allocated c/n 10700 but it was changed by Fokker when a new c/n series was introduced for the F27-050s Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-EXT with export registration 'E-908' - November 13, 1987 Registered to Fokker Aircraft BV, Amsterdam It was discovered that the test registration 'PH-EXT' had already been allocated to another airframe A new 'test' registration 'PH-EXF' was allocated - November 21, 1986 First flown at Amsterdam (Schiphol) as 'PH-EXF' - December 02, 1987 Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - December 14, 1987 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FNE - December 14, 1987 Registered to JL Leasing Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan Leased to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd as the registered operartor Accepted by Ansett at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - December 15, 1987 The aircraft was configured to seat 50 passengers Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia as AN50 - December 15, 1987 It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - December 21, 1987 Delivery route: Amsterdam - Athens - Cairo - Bahrain - Karachi - Calcutta - Bangkok - Seletar - Denpasar - Darwin - Mt Isa - Sydney Flight crew: Captains J. A. McEnlly, J. D. Baker, K. F. Atkinson; LAMEs C. Bodle, G. Radford, D. Paull Leased to Air N. S. W. - December 31, 1987 Operated its first revenue service Sydney - Wagga Wagga as WX974 - December 31, 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 Operated the inaugural Ansett Express Fokker 50 service Sydney - Tamworth - December 01, 1991 Operated its last Ansett F-50 service Sydney - Lismore - Casino - Sydney - December 19, 1992 Withdrawn from Ansett Express service at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - April 12, 1993 Ferried Sydney - Brisbane in all-white livery to be prepared for lease / sale - April 13, 1993 Ferried Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) for storage - May 07, 1993 The aircraft had flown 7,960 hours with 9,245 cycles - June 30, 1993 Repainted into the 'Rajair' livery at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in preparation for lease / sale to Rajair, India The Indian registration 'VT-RAA' had been reserved for the aircraft Registered to Ansett Aviation Equipment Pty Ltd, Melbourne - September 21, 1993 The intended lease / sale did not eventuate and aircraft remained parked at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne - July 26, 1994 Returned to service with Ansett Australia in basic 'Rajair' livery - September 14, 1994 Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Kalgoorlie - Perth for lease to Skywest Airlines - November 24, 1994 Registered to Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd - February 17, 1995 The lease to Skywest was terminated - August 01, 1995 Ferried Perth - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on return to Ansett Australia - August 02, 1995 Registered to Ansett Australia Ltd, Melbourne - August 18, 1995 Operated the Impulse Airlines Sydney - Cooma - Sydney service - June 21, 1996 Operated this service twice weekly for Impulse - June 26 to August 30, 1996 Operated the final Ansett Australia Ballina - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) service as AN539 - August 27, 1996 Operated its final Ansett Australia revenue service Sydney - Cooma - Sydney (Captain Booth) - August 30, 1996 Prepared for lease to Skywest Airlines Ferried Sydney - Adelaide - Perth on delivery flight to Skywest Airlines - October 08 - 09, 1996 Registered to Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd, Perth - October 24, 1996 Operated its first Skywest revenue service Perth - Learmonth - Carnarvon as AN6579 - October 25, 1996 Operated its final Skywest revenue service Geraldton - Perth (Captain W. Slaven) as AN6570 - November 13, 1996 Returned to Ansett Aviation Equipment Pty Ltd for lease to Skyways AB, Linkoping, Sweden Departed Perth on the ferry flight to Kuala Lumpur - November 20, 1996 Ferry route: Perth - Denpasar - Kuala Lumpur The aircraft was overhaled at Kuala Lumpur before delivery to Skyways Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 15, 1997 Entered onto the Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-LEL - January 15, 1997 Registered to Ansett Aviation Equipment Pty Ltd Leased to Skyways AB as the registered operator Leased to Skyways Express AB - August 22, 2001 Sold to AeroCentury Corp, Burlingame, CA (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) - April 07, 2004 The lease to Skyways AB was continued Repainted at Amsterdam (Schiphol) in the livery of low cost airline Gotlandsflyg - April 10 - 18, 2007 Placed in storage at Stockholm (Arlanda) in an 'all-white' livery - June 2009 Returned to service with Skyways - October 2009 Skyways AB filed for bankruptcy and ceased all operations - May 21, 2012 The aircraft was stored at Karlstad until returned to the lessor - June 2012 Ferried Karlstad - Jonkoping - June 2012 Ferried Jonkoping - Maastricht as SKX9204 - June 27, 2012 Cancelled from the Swedish Aircraft Register - August 24, 2012 Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-GER - August 29, 2012 Registered to SAMCO Aircraft Maintenance BV 'Skyways' titles had been removed from the aircraft - October 04, 2012 Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - March 07, 2014 Entered onto the Kenyan Aircraft Register as 5Y-SKN - March 2014 Registered to Rudufu Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya It departed Maastricht on the delivery flight to Kenya - March 13, 2014 Reported to have been operated by Skytrail Air Safaris, Kenya - March 2014 - July 2015 It was observed at Nairobi (Wilson) in an 'all-white' livery with 'Atlas Air' titles - December 2015 Wet-leased to Fly Tristar Airlines, Kenya - May 2018 - January 2019 The aircraft was involved in a take-off incident at Mandera, Kenya - October 20, 2019 Whilst preparing for take-off it overran the 1,100 metre dirt runway and became stuck in thick mud The 30 passengers and crew were unhurt and were evacuated from the aircraft to Takaba township Efforts were made during the next few days to remove the aircraft from its stuck position It was observed at Nairobi (Wilson) in good condition following this mishap - October 31, 2019 Current status - ? |
VH-FNE. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 06, 1988. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1997-338.) |
VH-FNE. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 12, 1988. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1997-337.) |
VH-FNE. Ansett Express. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 28, 1990. (R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1997-339.) |
VH-FNE. Ansett Australia - in the 'all-white' livery without titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1993. (G. Bennett Copyright Image 1997-053.) |
VH-FNE. Rajair - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 1993. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-341.) |
VH-FNE. Rajair - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1993. (G. Bennett Copyright Image 1997-019.) |
VH-FNE. Rajair - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1993. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-017.) |
VH-FNE. Rajair - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1993. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-342.) |
VH-FNE. Rajair - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1993. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-340.) |
VH-FNE. Ansett Australia - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 1994. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-265.) |
VH-FNE. Ansett Australia - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1994. (G. Bennett Copyright Image 1997-015.) |
SE-LEL. Gotlandsflyg - in the standard livery at Jonkoping Airport, November 03, 2007. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1997-343.) |