VH-MMR Fokker F.27-2101 Friendship

VH-MMR. Fokker F.27-2101 Friendship. c/n 10303.

This aircraft was originally ordered by Ansett-ANA but was delivered to MMA

Entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-FIX - July 14, 1966

Registered to KNV Fokker NV, Holland

First flown at Amsterdam (Schiphol) as PH-FIX - July 14, 1966

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-MMR - July 20, 1966

Registered to Mac.Robertson Miller Airlines Ltd, Perth

Cancelled from the Dutch Aircraft Register - July 20, 1966

It arrived at Perth on completion of the delivery flight - July 26, 1966

Flight crew: Captains S. Goddard, J. Murray, M. Gent; Navigator W. C. Kennedy

Operated its first revenue service - July 28, 1966

The aircraft was named 'RMA Robe' by Mrs C. Court at Geraldton - August 13, 1966

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne - September 29, 1969

It was withdrawn from M.M.A. service - April 09, 1971

Departed Perth on the ferry flight to Sydney for service with Ansett Airlines of N.S.W. - April 11, 1971

Involved in fatal accident when a ground porter walked into rotating propeller at Sydney Airport - June 13, 1975

Known flight crew: Hostess S. Cooper; R. Sargeant

Transferred to Ansett Airlines of South Australia - December 03, 1977

Operated final ASA service Adelaide - Woomera - Adelaide (Captain K. McCoy; F/O G. Inglis) - April 20, 1979

Painted into the 'Piping Shrike' livery of Airlines of South Australia - July 11, 1981

The aircraft was named 'Sir Hans Heysen' at Adelaide (West Beach) Airport - March 14, 1982

Operated ASA's final Adelaide - Port Lincoln - Ceduna - Adelaide service as GJ446/447 - March 06, 1986

Flight crew: Captain G. Kimberley; F/O S. Bradbury; Flight Attendants M. Smale, S. Burnett

Operated the final ASA Adelaide - Kingscote - Adelaide service as GJ478/479 - April 04, 1986

Flight crew: Captain P. Junner; F/O M. de Santis; Flight Attendants J. Humphries, J. Trewartha

Operated the final ASA Adelaide - Whyalla - Adelaide service as GJ456/457 - June 27, 1986

Flight crew: Captain I. Deed; F/O M. Beardmore; Flight Attendants T. Davidson, J. Garey

Ferried Adelaide - Melbourne (Tullamarine) for service with Ansett Airlines - June 28, 1986

Entered Ansett service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Wynyard - June 28, 1986

Temporarily withdrawn from service after operating Wynyard - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as AN854 - March 25, 1988

Returned to service following the grounding of the Ansett F50 fleet - July 1988

Last revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Devonport - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as AN857/858 - July 22, 1988

Flight crew: Captain D. Currey

Placed in open storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport and offered for sale

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 31, 1992

Aircraft had flown 52,587 hours with 53,493 cycles

Aircraft was not sold and the fuselage was moved to Broadmeadows TAFE - August 10, 1992

When the aircraft was no longer required at Broadmeadows it was sold to Associated Metals - December 2002

Fuselage cut into 4 sections by the scrappers and removed

VH-MMR. MMA Jetstream Service - 'RMA Robe' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-317.)

VH-MMR. MMA Jetstream Service - 'RMA Robe' in the standard livery at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-452.)

VH-MMR. MMA - 'RMA Robe' in the Ansett 'delta' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 1970.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1999-989.)

VH-MMR. MMA - in the Ansett 'delta' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-441.)

VH-MMR. Ansett Airlines of New South Wales - in the 'delta' livery at Canberra Airport, January 1972.

VH-MMR. Ansett Airlines of South Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1980.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - in the 'piping shrike' livery at Birdsville Airport, September 1981.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery near Melbourne, March 1982.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, date unknown.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1987.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, date unknown.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1988.

VH-MMR. Airlines of South Australia - 'Hans Heysen' in the 'piping shrike' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1992.