VH-FKA. Fokker F28-1018 Fellowship. c/n 11021.

 

This aircraft was ordered new by Ansett Transport Industries - ?

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-ZAS (CofR1616) - April 29, 1970

Registered to NV Kon. Ned. Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker

First flown as 'PH-ZAS' - April 29, 1970

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - June 04, 1970

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FKA - June 04, 1970

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

The aircraft was configured with 60 economy class seats

Accepted by Ansett at Amsterdam (Schiphol) by Captain J. Withecombe - June 05, 1970

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia - June 05, 1970

It arrived at Perth on completion of the delivery flight - June 08, 1970

Delivery route: Amsterdam - Brindisi - Ankara - Teheran - Karachi - Calcutta - Bangkok - Singapore -

Bali - Port Headland - Perth

Flight crew: Captains J. Murray, D. Anderson, J. Withecombe; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; 2 engineers

The aircraft was named 'RMA Pilbara II'

Operated its first revenue service Perth - Port Headland - June 11, 1970

Whilst it underwent a major overhaul at Perth it was replaced by the F.27 'VH-FNU' - April 17 - May 09, 1974

It was the first Fokker Fellowship anywhere in the world to exceed 30,000 hours

MacRoberstson Miller Airlines was renamed Airlines of Western Australia - July 01, 1981

It had flown 33,469 hours - July 08, 1981

Airlines of Western Australia was renamed Ansett W.A. - October 01, 1984

Withdrawn from service and transferred to Air N.S.W. - August 10, 1985

It acquired the 'Air N.S.W.' titles after its arrival at Sydney (Kingsford Smith)

Operated the inaugural Air NSW Melbourne - Devonport - Hobart - Sydney service - August 17, 1985

It was offered for sale - 1990

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

Leased by Ansett Express to Air Marshall Islands as VH-FKA - March 1992

It was overhauled at Brisbane - April 30 - May 14, 1992

Transferred to Ansett W.A. - June 24, 1992

Transferred to Ansett Express - October 25, 1992

Returned to Ansett Australia - October 31, 1993

Withdrawn from use after operating the Mackay - Brisbane service - December 09, 1994

Returned to service after the Bae146 'VH-EWM' was damaged - April 11, 1995

Operated its final revenue service Perth - Alice Springs as AN460 - May 26, 1995

Ferried Alice Springs - Melbourne (Tullamarine) for storage - May 26, 1995

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 28, 1995

The aircraft had flown 62,751 hours with 63,222 cycles

Scrapped at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - January 20, 1996

The nose / cockpit section was salvaged and transported to a private residence in Mickleham Rd, Mickleham

Nose / cockpit section is still in existence - November 2006

 

 

VH-FKA. MMA - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'delta' livery at Karratha Airport, June 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-243.)

VH-FKA. MMA - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'delta' livery at an unknown airport, January 1974.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-334.)

VH-FKA. Airlines of Western Australia - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'delta' livery at Perth Airport, October 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-137.)

VH-FKA. Airlines of Western Australia - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'delta' livery at Perth Airport, October 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-120.)

VH-FKA. Airlines of Western Australia - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'delta' livery at Perth Airport, November 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-009.)

VH-FKA. Airlines of Western Australia - 'RMA Pilbara II' in the 'kangaroo paw' livery at Perth Airport, October 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-010.)

VH-FKA. Ansett W.A. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Perth Airport, May 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-055.)

VH-FKA. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 07, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1995-244.)

VH-FKA. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 21, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1995-245.)

VH-FKA. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-033.)

VH-FKA. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 11, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1995-140.)

VH-FKA. Air N.S.W. - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 11, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1995-183.)

VH-FKA. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, November 05, 1990.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1995-184.)

VH-FKA. Ansett Express - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Canberra Airport, April 1992.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1995-056.)

VH-FKA. Ansett Express - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Brisbane Airport, June 1992.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-080.)

VH-FKA. Ansett Express - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-246.)

VH-FKA. Ansett Australia - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Brisbane Airport, September 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1995-121.)