AGEING AlttUNER

Original design life 30,000 cycles, 30,000h Average fleet age 27 years

CENSUS

seat regional turboprop offers short take-off Fokker F27/Fairchild F-27 and landing performance. The F27 twin turboprop was flown in Production ceased in 1988 after 113 aircraft November 195 5 and civil production continued had been completed, of which eight-four are at until 1986. Several versions of the R-R DartBombardier (de Havilland) Dash 8 powered twin turboprop were developed, The initial version of the Dash 8, the 37-seat - least 15 years old. including mixed passenger/cargo and freighter 100, was first flown in June 1983, and entered Maximum weight 19,960kg variants and a stretched version (the Mk500), all service in October 1984. Two stretched versions Accommodation 50 have been developed, the 50-seat -300 and 70- Wingspan 28.4m length 24.6m height 7.9m powered by two R-R Darts. Production of the seat Q400, as well as an updated version of die - Original design life 60,000 cycles (crack-free). F27 was undertaken in the USA under licence 100, dubbed the -200. All variants are powered Extended to 80,000 cycles. Further exten- by Fairchild with US-produced versions by versions of the P&VVC PW100. sions possible through continued engineering dubbed the F-27. Hagerstown, Marylandbased Maryland Air Industries provides support Of the 540 Dash 8s delivered to date, 23 are evaluations. for the US-built F-27 models. over 15 years old. Piedmont Airlines has the Average fleet age 19 years largest ageing Dash 8 fleet. The US-developed stretched derivative, the Maximum weight (Srs 100) 14,970kg Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia FH-227, is described separately. Accommodation 37 The first EMB-120 Brasilia was flown in July Some 580 F27s were completed by Fokker Wingspan 25.9m length 22.3m height 7.5m 1983 and the type entered service in August and a further 129 F-27s by Fairchild in the USA, Original design life 60,000 cycles 80,000h 1985. Powered by two PWC PW115 or for a total of 709. Production of an advanced Average fleet age eight years PVVI18 turboprops, the baseline EMB-120 was derivative - the Fokker 50 - began in 1985 but it joined by the increased gross weight -120ER is also out of production. A total of 306 Advanced model from 1994, offering extended F27/F-2 7s 15 years old or greater remain in serCASA/IPTN C212 The 19-26-seat C212 Aviocar was developed range. QC and cargo versions are also available. vice with civil operators. The 30-seat turboprop made its debut in die Maximum weight 20,410kg for the military/utility and regional airliner roles. The aircraft had itsfirstflight in 1971 and census last year. Eight aircraft qualify this year Accommodation (Mk 500) 52 (60 maximum) Wingspan 29m length (Mk 500) 25.1m deliveries of the military variant began in 1974. and over 350aircraft have been delivered. height (Mk 500) 8.7m One hundred and sixteen aircraft qualify for this Maximum weight (-120) 11,990kg Accommodation 30 year's survey. Original design goal 60,000 cycles/60,000h Production has been undertaken by CASA in Wingspan 19.8m length 20.1m height 6.4m extended to 90,000 cycles/90,000h Spain and IPTN in Indonesia. Production for Original design life 60,000 cycles, 40,000h, Average fleet age 30 years the military market continues. 22 years Maximum weight 7,300kg Average fleet age nine years Grumman Guifstream I Accommodation 26 Grumman originally conceived the G-159 Wingspan 9.0m length 15.2m height 6.7m Fairchild FH-227 Guifstream I as a business aircraft, flying the Original design life 25,000 cycles Fairchild (then known as Fairchild Hiller) first example of die twin turboprop in August Average fleet age 17 years developed a stretched 5 2-seat derivative of the 1958. The aircraft entered service in 1959, and R-R Dart-powered Fokker F27 (see entry) for some 197 of the R-R Dart-powered aircraft die US market. ThefirstFH-227 was delivered were produced between 1958 and 1963. Convair C V-580 The CV-580 is a conversion carried out by in 1966 and 78 aircraft were built before proA number of aircraft were converted to 24Pacific Airmotive of Burbank of the piston- duction ceased in 1968. Several dimensionally seat passenger aircraft or freighters after delivpowered Convair 340/440, but with two Allison similar versions were developed, including a ery. 105 aircraft remain in civil operation. A 501 -D13 turboprops. It has a larger fin for sin- cargo variant. The fleet totals 27 aircraft, widi stretched conversion, dubbed the GI-C, can gle-engined stability, modified systems and new product support for the FH-227, and the accommodate 37 passengers, but only five airFairchild F-27, being provided by Hagerstown, craft were modified before the programme was instrument panel. ended. A total of 164 aircraft was converted and 12 3 Maryland-based Maryland Air Industries. remain in operation. Kelowna Flightcraft has Maximum weight (FH-227B/D) 29,640kg Maximum weight 16,300kg Accommodation 52 developed a stretched version - the -5800. Accommodation 24 or 37 Maximum weight 26,370kg Wingspan 29m length 25.5m height 8.4m Wingspan 23.9m length 23m height 7m Wingspan 32.1m length 24.1m height 8.6m Original design life not known Original design life n/a Original design life never established Average fleet age 33 years Average fleet age 37 years
Convair CV-GOO and 6 4 0

These are turboprop conversions of the Convair 240 and 340/440, respectively, powered by two R-R Dart 10Mk524s. Atot'al of 38 CV-600s and 27 CV-640s was created, with 25 examples remaining. Maximum weight (640) 24,950kg Accommodation (640) 56 Wingspan (640) 32.1m length 24.8m height 8.6m Original design life never established.
De Havilland (Bombardier) Dash 7

The first Dash 7 was flown in March 1975 and the aircraft entered service in February 1978. Powered by four P&WC PT6A-50s, the 50- The ubiquitous F27/FH227family accounts for over 10% of the West's ageing turboprop fleet
62 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 13 - 19 June 2000