VH-TFC Fokker F.27-1002 Friendship

This was the third of six aircraft ordered new by Trans Australia Airlines - March 09, 1956

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-FAI (CofR651) - May 01, 1959

Registered to NV Kon. Ned. Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker

First flown as PH-FAI - May 13, 1959

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - June 18, 1959

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TFC - June 18, 1959

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Arthur Phillip'

Ferried Amsterdam (Schiphol) - Paris (Le Bourget) for display at the Paris Air Show - June 20, 1959

Ferried Paris (Le Bourget) - Amsterdam (Schiphol) - June 21, 1959

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - June 22, 1959

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia - June 23, 1959

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - July 01, 1959

Flight crew: Captains T. Shaw, F. C. Pollard; Navigator A. Ryman

Test flown at Melbourne (Essendon) after pre-service maintenance - July 06, 1959

Operated its first revenue service - July 09, 1959

Leased to Guinea Airways Ltd - August 1959 to December 1959

Aircraft was renamed 'James Grant' - August 1965

Repainted into the 'blue tail' livery at Brisbane Airport - May 1969

It was the first T.A.A. Friendship to be repainted into the new livery

Withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport - June 14, 1977

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd - August 15, 1977

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 16, 1977

Sold to Uni-Air International SA - November 17, 1977

Entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-BYAP - November 18, 1977

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Tamworth for maintenance - December 03, 1977

Departed Tamworth on the ferry flight to France - December 16, 1977

Registered to Uni-Air International SA - April 24, 1978

Registered to CM-CIC Bail SA - June 07, 1978

Leased to Uni-Air International SA

Wet-leased to Air Inter - July 01 - 29, 1979

Wet-leased to Air Alsace - April 01, 1981 to January 01, 1982

Registered to Uni-Air International SA - November 24, 1982

Registered to CM-CIC Bail SA - January 26, 1983

Leased to Uni-Air International SA

Registered to Uni-Air International - June 03, 1985

Leased to ServisAir Belgium CV - September 26, 1988

It arrived at Wevelgem on delivery to ServisAir - September 26, 1988

Sold to ServisAir - December 22, 1988

Entered onto the Belgian Aircraft Register as OO-SVL (CofR 3756) - December 22, 1988

Leased to Farner Air Transport AG as the registered operator - April 01, 1989

ServisAir Belgium CV merged with Flanders Airlines CV - January 01, 1990

Registered to Flanders Airlines CV - March 28, 1990

Returned to Flanders Airlines on termination of the lease - July 23, 1990

Aircraft was named 'Laurence'

Operated for Transair in Dakar car rally with 'Canon' stickers - January 1991

Operated for Transair in Dakar car rally with 'Canon' stickers - January 1992

Flanders Airlines ceased operations - February 01, 1992

Withdrawn from service and stored at Toulouse, France - February 02, 1992

Ferried Toulouse - Dinard for storage - February 27, 1992

Aircraft had flown 48,876 hours with 55,840 cycles

An intended sale to Netherlands Antilles Airlines did not eventuate - June 02, 1995

An intended lease to Air Burundi did not eventuate

It was observed at Dinard (Pleurtuit) in poor condition without registration - April 11, 2007

Current status - ?

VH-TFC. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Arthur Phillip' in the original 'dayglow' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(D. Mackenzie Copyright Image 1993-147.)

VH-TFC. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'Arthur Phillip' in the revised 'dayglow' livery at Coolangatta Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collction Copyright Image 1993-653.)

VH-TFC. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'Arthur Phillip' in the revised 'dayglow' livery at an unknown location, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collction Copyright Image 1999-788.)

VH-TFC. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'Arthur Phillip' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1964.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-298.)

VH-TFC. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'Arthur Phillip' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1965.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-381.)

VH-TFC. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'Arthur Phillip' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1965.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-380.)

VH-TFC. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Arthur Phillip' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, March 1975.

VH-TFC. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Arthur Phillip' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1977.

VH-TFC. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1977.

VH-TFC. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1977.

F-BYAP. Uni-Air - in the basic TAA livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1977.

F-BYAP. Uni-Air - in the basic TAA livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1977.

F-BYAP. Air Inter - in the original Uni-Air livery at an unknown airport, July 1979.

F-BYAP. Uni-Air - in the basic livery at Ostend Airport, October 1979.

F-BYAP. Air Inter - in the revised livery at an unknown airport, March 1986.

OO-SVL. ServisAir - in the basic Air Inter livery at an unknown airport, August 1989.

OO-SVL. Flanders Airlines - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, March 1990.

OO-SVL. Flanders Airlines - in the standard livery with additional 'Canon Bureautique Transair' titles at an unknown airport, January 1991.

OO-SVL. Flanders Airlines - in the standard livery with additional 'Canon Bureautique' titles at an unknown airport, January 1992.