Fairchild Hiller FH-227

infobox Aircraft
name = F-27 / FH-227
type =Airliner
manufacturer =Fairchild Hiller

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caption =A Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B "The City of Glens Falls" of the defunct Mohawk Airlines, circa 1970
designer =
first flight = November 24, 1955
introduced = 1958
produced =
retired =
status = Most retired
primary user =
more users =
number built = 78
unit cost =
developed from = Fokker F27
variants with their own articles =

The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States. The Fairchild F-27 (note the dash) was similar to the standard Fokker F27, while the FH-227 was an independently-developed stretched version.

Design and development

Probably the closest to being a true replacement for the fabled Douglas DC-3, the Fokker F27 Friendship, including the Fairchild built F-27 and FH-227, was built in greater numbers than any other western turboprop airliner.

The Fokker F27 began life as a 1950 design study known as the P275, a 32 seater powered by two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops. With the aid of Dutch government funding, the P275 evolved into the F27, which first flew on November 24, 1955. The first prototype was powered by Dart 507s and would have seated 28. To correct a slight tailheaviness and to allow for more seats, the second prototype (which first flew in January 1957) had a three-foot longer fuselage length, which would allow seating for 32.

By this stage Fokker had signed an agreement that would see Fairchild build Friendships in the USA as the F-27 (note the dash). The first aircraft to enter service was in fact a Fairchild-built F-27, in September 1958.

Fairchild F-27s differed from the initial Fokker F27 Mk 100s in having basic seating for 40, a lengthened nose capable of housing a weather radar, and additional fuel capacity.

Developments included the Mk 200/F-27A with more powerful engines, Mk 300/F-27B and primarily military Mk 400 Combi versions, the Mk 500 with a 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) fuselage stretch taking seating to 52, and Mk 600 quick change freight/passenger aircraft.

Fairchild independently developed the stretched FH-227, which appeared almost two years earlier than the Mk 500. The FH-227 featured a 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) stretch over standard length F-27/F-27s, taking standard seating to 52, with a larger cargo area between the cockpit and the passenger cabin.

Production

581 F27s, 128 F-27s and 78 FH-227s were built. Fokker production comprised 85 Mk 100s, 138 Mk 200s, 13 Mk 300s, 218 Mk 400 & 600s, 112 Mk 500s and six F-27MPA Maritimes. 290 Fokker-built and 25 Fairchild aircraft in service in late 1998. Additionally, approximately 25 were used as corporate transports.

In May 2008, only one Fairchild FH-227 aircraft remained in airline service with Iran Aseman Airlines (1 FH-227).

Notable Incidents

[http://aviation-safety.net/database/type/type.php?type=232 Full list of accidents (F-27)] [http://aviation-safety.net/database/type/type.php?type=233 Full list of accidents ((FH-227)]

On Friday 13 October, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, a twin turboprop FH-227D carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes mountains. The event became known as the 'Andes flight disaster', and was the subject matter upon which the film " was based.

pecifications (FH-227E)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=
crew= Two (pilot & co-pilot)
capacity=52 seats at 79 cm (31 in) pitch, or a maximum of 56
length main= 83 ft 8 in
length alt= 25.50 m
span main= 95 ft 2 in
span alt= 29.00 m
height main= 27 ft 7 in
height alt= 8.41 m
area main= 753 ft²
area alt= 70.0 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 22,923 lb
empty weight alt= 10,398 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 45,500 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 20,600 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Rolls-Royce Dart Mk 5327Ls
type of prop=turboprops
number of props=2
power main= 2,300 shp
power alt= 1,715 kW
power original=

max speed main= 255 kts
max speed alt= 295 mph, 473 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 570 nm with maximum payload, 1,440 nm with max fuel
range alt= 651 mi/1,604 mi, 1,055 km/2,660 km
ceiling main= 29,500 ft
ceiling alt= 9,000 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

References

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Fokker F27
* Fokker 50

similar aircraft=
* ATR 42 and 72
* de Havilland Canada Dash 8
* Fairchild-Dornier 328 family
* Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
* Saab 2000 and 340

sequence=

lists=
* List of military aircraft of the United States
* List of military transport aircraft

see also=