The Fokker F27 Mark 050 was developed as the successor of the F27 Friendship.
The Fokker 50 is based on the fuselage of the F-27-500, but incorporates a number
of key design changes. Foremost of the improvements were the Pratt & Whitney
Canada PW125 turboprops driving advanced six blade props, giving a 12% higher
cruising speed and greater fuel economy, and thus range. Two prototypes were built
based on F-27 airframes, the first flying on 28 December 1985. The first production
aircraft flew on 13 February 1987; the certification was granted in May 1987. A
total of 205 Fokker F.27 Mk. 050 was built. Production ended after Fokker collapsed
due to financial problems on 15 March 1996, and the last Fokker 50 was delivered to
Ethiopian Airlines in May 1997. The Fokker 60UTA-N, also known as the Fokker F.27-0603
was developed out of the Fokker F.27 Mk 050 short before Fokker collapsed due to the
financial problems. The Fokker 60 is a military version of the Fokker 50, with lengthened
fuselage, a large cargo door in the right forward fuselage and APU. The Fokker 60 flew
first on 2 November 1995. Only 4 were built and put in service with the RNethAF. In 2005
two Fokker 60UTA-Ns, including the U-3, have been converted to Fokker 60MPA. The Fokker 60MPAs
are detached at Hato, replacing the P-3Cs of the Navy.
On 7 July 2001, Fokker F27 Mark 0603 U-03 "Jan Borghouts" of the Royal Netherlands Air Force 334 sqdn. stayed
at Groningen Airport Eelde. The aircraft operated a number of flights due to the RNethAF Air Show at Leeuwarden AFB.
The RNethAF was sole operator of the Fokker 60UTA-N.
The Fokker F27 Mark 0603 s/n 20327 was flown first on 1 May 1996 as PH-UTP, and was delivered to the Koninklijke
Nederlandse Luchtmacht as U-03 on 10 June 1996. In 2004, the U-03 was converted to a Fokker F.27 Mk.0604MPA
(often erroneously designated Fokker 60MPA) maritime patrol aircraft and equipped with a radar hump under the hull,
to temporarily replace RNethNavy Lockheed Orions in the Dutch West-Indies for Coast Guard service, till a permanent
replacement was found. From April 2005, the aircraft served from Hato, Curaçao. In 2008 the aircraft was withdrawn
from use and stored at Woensdrecht in the Netherlands. Early in 2010, the aircraft was sold to the Peruvian Navy.
On 19 May 2010, the aircraft was testflown and on 21 May 2010 re-registered AE-564. On 2 June 2010, the AE-564
left Woensdrecht on its delivery flight to Peru. Today, the aircraft is operated as Fokker 60MPA "AE-564"
by the Peruvian Naval Air Service (Servicio Aeronal de la Marina Peruana).
