VH-EWA. Fokker F.27-1002A Friendship. c/n 10127.

Was also registered as: F-BYAO; F-WYAO.

 

This aircraft was ordered new by Trans Australia Airlines with the allocated registration of 'VH-TFH'

Aircraft had been allocated the name ' Freeman Cobb' but this was not applied

It was leased to East-West Airlines whilst the aircraft was under construction - July 12, 1959

First flown as 'PH-FAX' - July 16, 1959

Test flown by Captains J. Swan, A. Smith (East-West); S. Walters, C. Dik (Fokker) - July 17, 1959

Accepted by East-West Airlines at Amsterdam (Schipho) as 'VH-TFH' - July 28, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EWA - July 29, 1959

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on delivery flight as 'VH-TFH' for insurance / legal purposes - July 30, 1959

Delivery route: Marseilles - Rome - Athens - Beirut - Kuwait - Bahrain - Sharjah - Karachi - New Delhi - Calcutta -

Rangoon - Bangkok - Saigon - Labuan - Zamboanga - Davas - Sorong - Darwin - Mt Isa - Longreach - Brisbane

Flight crew: Captains J. Swan, A. Smith; Navigator Captain D. Lawrence

During the lay-over at Brisbane the aircraft's registration was amended to VH-EWA

Ferried Brisbane - Tamworth on delivery to East-West Airlines - August 12, 1959

Ferry flight overflew Coolangatta - Grafton - Glen Innes - Inverell - Gunnedah - Quirindi at low level

The aircraft was named 'City of Tamworth'

Operated its first revenue service - August 26, 1959

Registered to East-West Airlines Ltd, Tamworth - February 14, 1963

The aircraft suffered an engine fire when six high pressure turbine blades separated from the disc - May 02, 1975

The fire was in the starboard engine and initially it could not be extingusihed

This resulted in the flight crew electing to make an emergency landing without further incident

On landing it was discovered that the engine fire had gone out

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales - November 14, 1977

Sold to Uni-Air, France - November 15, 1977

Entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-BYAO - November 15, 1977

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 18, 1977

The aircraft had flown 43,277 hours with 53,818 cycles

Departed Tamworth on the ferry flight to France - December 13, 1977

Leased to Air Senegal as F-BYAO - November 11, 1978

Sold to L'Institut Geographique National - 1986

Painted with Aviation de Recherche Atmospherique et de Teledetection (ARAT) titles - July 01, 1985

The fitment of a large forward freight door was certified - February 1986

Reregistered F-WYAO - November 1988

Reregistered F-BYAO - November 1991

It was reported as being withdrawn from service and stored at Creill, France - January 2004

Sold to Aviation Rotables Supply, Dinard for parts and broken up - August 2007

Cancelled from the French Aircraft Register - February 12, 2010

 

 

PH-FAX. EWA East-West Airlines - in the original livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, July 20, 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-053.)

VH-EWA. EWA East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the original livery at Tamworth Airport, circa 1959.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-865.)

VH-EWA. EWA East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 27, 1962.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-099.)

VH-EWA. EWA East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 05, 1962.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-173.)

VH-EWA. East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the second livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1966.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1999-742.)

VH-EWA. East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the second livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 1966.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-144.)

VH-EWA. East-West Airlines - 'City of Tamworth' in the second livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-634.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the revised livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 02, 1968.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-253.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the experimental livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1970.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-041.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-721.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1975.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1993-255.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the standard livery at Armidale Airport, November 1976.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-254.)

VH-EWA. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the standard livery at Tamworth Airport, September 1977.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-637.)

F-BYAO. Uni-Air - in the basic East-West livery at Paris Orly Airport, July 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-062.)

F-BYAO. Air Senegal - in the basic East-West livery at Paris Orly Airport, December 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-150.)

F-BYAO. Uni-Air - in the original livery at Paris Le Bourget Airport, March 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-063.)

F-BYAO. Uni-Air - in the original livery at an unknown airport, August 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-648.)

F-BYAO. Uni-Air - in the revised livery at Paris Le Bourget Airport, May 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-647.)

F-BYAO. ARAT - in the standard livery at Paris Le Bourget Airport, December 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-780.)

F-WYAO. ARAT - in the standard livery at Paris Le Bourget Airport, February 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-649.)

F-BYAO. ARAT - in the standard livery at Jonkoping Airport, February 1992.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-562.)

F-BYAO. ARAT - in the standard livery at Toulouse Airport, August 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-103.)