VH-EWV. Fokker F.27-5293 Friendship. c/n 10633.

Was also registered as: PH-FSO; G-JEAE; EI-SMF; 5Y-BTX.

 

This aircraft was originally ordered by Air Zaire but it was not taken up

A secondary sale was not taken up by Air Sinai or Polar Airways

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as 'PH-EXC' - February 11, 1982

Registered to Fokker BV, Holland

First flown as 'PH-EXC' - May 25, 1982

It was placed in open storage at Woensdrecht, Holland

The aircraft was sold to East-West Airlines, Australia - 1983

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - August 26, 1983

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-FSO - August 30, 1983

Accepted by East-West at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - August 30, 1983

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia as EW8797 - August 30, 1983

It arrived at Tamworth on completion of the delivery flight - September 05, 1983

Flight crew: Captains B. Gillespie, C. Holt; F/O Thompson; F/E Mackie

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - September 07, 1983

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EWV - September 07, 1983

Registered to East West Airlines (Operations) Ltd, Tamworth

Operated first revenue service - September 16, 1983

The aircraft was named 'City of Tamworth' at Tamworth - September 17, 1983

Withdrawn from service and stored at Tamworth - August 23, 1989

Leased to Spirit Air (subsidiary of Air Cruising Australia) - October 03 to October 21, 1989

Leased to and then sold to Jersey European - December 10, 1990

Departed Tamworth on the ferry flight to England - December 10, 1990

It arrived at Exeter on completion of the ferry flight - December 16, 1990

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - December 27, 1990

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-JEAE (CofR G-JEAE/R1) - January 02, 1991

Leased to Channel Express (Air Services) Ltd - January 31 to May 1994

Sold to BAC Express Leasing and then leased to BAC Express - October 1999

Entered service with BAC Express - November 1999

It was converted to freighter configuration - 2000

Leased to Channel Express Air Services Ltd for 2 years

Operated its final Channel Express service Bournemouth - Channel Islands - Bournemouth - October 10, 2002

Withdrawn from Channel Express service - October 10, 2002

Delivered to Edinburgh in the standard BAC Express livery - October 22, 2002

Sold to Air Contractors Ireland - July 2004

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - ?

Entered onto the Irish Aircraft Register as EI-SMF - July 19, 2004

Registered to Air Contractors (Ireland) Ltd

It was damaged whilst taking-off from Stansted Airport - September 08, 2004

The aircraft began deviating to starboard during the take-off roll and the take-off was aborted

Investigations uncovered that the port engine turbine had burnt out and the nose-wheel steering had problems

Repaired and returned to service

Reportedly leased to Kenyan operator - March 2006

Cancelled from the Irish Aircraft Register - ?

Entered onto the Kenyan Aircraft Register as 5Y-BTX - April 18, 2006

Registered to Knight Aviation Ltd, Kenya

It was observed stored at Nairobi (Wilson) Airport without engines and in basic BAC livery - September 21, 2009

Aircraft was still listed as being part of the Air Contractors' Fleet - October 2009

Current status - ?

 

 

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-697.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 21, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1993-275.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Coolangatta Airport, January 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-712.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 11, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-698.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-274.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-145.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery with additional 'Spirit Air' titles at Cairns Airport, October 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-699.)

VH-EWV. East-West - 'City of Tamworth' in the final livery with additional 'Spirit Air' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-746.)

VH-EWV. East-West - in the basic livery at Tamworth Airport, September 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-715.)

G-JEAE. Channel Express - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-700.)

G-JEAE. BAC Express - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, July 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-814.)

EI-SMF. BAC Express - in the standard livery at Hamburg Airport, May 2006.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-128.)