Fairchild F-27

F-27 / FH-227
A Fairchild Hiller FH-227B of VARIG at Congonhas Airport Sao Paulo in 1972
Role	Airliner
Manufacturer	Fairchild Hiller
First flight	November 24, 1955
Introduction	1958
Status	Most retired
Number built	128 (F-27) 78 (FH-227)
Developed from	Fokker F27

The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were 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 was similar to the standard Fokker F27, while the FH-227 was an independently developed stretched version.

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 tail-heaviness and to allow for more seats, the second prototype (which first flew in January 1957) had a 3-foot-longer (0.91 m) fuselage, 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. The first aircraft of either manufacturer to enter service was in fact a Fairchild-built F-27, with West Coast Airlines in September 1958. Other Fairchild F-27 operators in the U.S. included Air West and successor Hughes Airwest, Allegheny Airlines, Aloha Airlines, Bonanza Air Lines, Ozark Air Lines, Pacific Air Lines, Piedmont Airlines, West Coast Airlines and Wien Air Alaska. U.S. operators of the Fairchild Hiller FH-227 included Delta Air Lines, Mohawk Airlines, Northeast Airlines, Ozark Air Lines and Piedmont Airlines.

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