Help me identify the aircraft in this 1984 picture

[adrianqcs 0]

This is my late Grand Uncle, boarding a flight from Kota Bharu to an unknown destination...I would guess that it is Penang. Since he is from Penang.

Date is 2 September 1984. My guess is a F50.

 

[Ewan Shamsudin 0]

Fokker 27?

 

Once upon a time there was PEN-AOR-KBR runs by MH.

[Ruiz Razy 1]

This is my late Grand Uncle, boarding a flight from Kota Bharu to an unknown destination...I would guess that it is Penang. Since he is from Penang.

Date is 2 September 1984. My guess is a F50.

 

That's an F27, the aircraft was originally delivered to MSA. Then (1984), the F27 was operated to KBR daily on the KUL - IPH - PEN - KBR routing - may be the longest and most hops route within the Peninsular .

 

F50 was only delivered to MH in 1989.

[Abu Seman 0]

its F27.

 

You can see a difference tail between F50 and F27.

 

F50 dont have a hole like exhaust at tail.

[Adrian M 0]

Theres another 3 things to add: -

 

- F50 don't do rear door boarding

 

- First delivery of F50 to DLT Germany was in 1987

 

- When the first F50 delivered to MH, it was already in new red-blue color scheme

[Mohd Firdaus Bolong 0]

Nostalgic pictures,brings back the memmories of me taking a KUL-BKI on a DC-10-30 off Terminal 2 in Subang,back in 1990 I think,was a very young man,fell in love with the sight of the plane....

[Georg Burdicek 1]

same here, 1992, DC10 VIE - DXB - KUL ... my first longhaul flight ever.... And I LOVED those pneumatic headphones.

[Wilber Tan 0]

hi all..

iam wondering what plane are used in KCH-KUL route by MAS by the year 1995.

[BC Tam 2]

iam wondering what plane are used in KCH-KUL route by MAS by the year 1995.

(Brings out his fast yellowing copies of MH timetables)

 

30 Oct 1994 to 26 Mar 1995 Listed : 734, DC10 (and EQV)

26 Mar 1995 to 29 Oct 1995 Listed : 734, 330 (and EQV)

29 Oct 1995 to 30 Mar 1996 Listed : 734, 330, MD11 (and EQV)

NB : those were times of past when MH still served NRT and SEL direct from KCH

 

Think we've gone way OT already - I assume we're all in definite agreement the bird in the pic is a F27. Now, where ? Cannot possibly be BKI, cause we never had those buses (in the background) here. Would be a good clue, which airport in Malaysia had an apron big enough and enough traffic buzzing about to warrant those busses ?

[Wilber Tan 0]

(Brings out his fast yellowing copies of MH timetables)

 

30 Oct 1994 to 26 Mar 1995 Listed : 734, DC10 (and EQV)

26 Mar 1995 to 29 Oct 1995 Listed : 734, 330 (and EQV)

29 Oct 1995 to 30 Mar 1996 Listed : 734, 330, MD11 (and EQV)

NB : those were times of past when MH still served NRT and SEL direct from KCH

 

Think we've gone way OT already - I assume we're all in definite agreement the bird in the pic is a F27. Now, where ? Cannot possibly be BKI, cause we never had those buses (in the background) here. Would be a good clue, which airport in Malaysia had an apron big enough and enough traffic buzzing about to warrant those busses ?

 

wow i dont even know that Kuching ever has direct flight to tokyo..SEL is where?

[BC Tam 2]

..SEL is where?

Seoul, Korea.

In the days (of Kimpo?) before Incheon (ICN) was built and operational

[S V Choong 4]

Pretty sure it was the Fokker F-27 of MAS

[Rozhan 0]

Surely F27. But KBR? I was shuttling between KUL and KBR very often between Jan 1980-Dec 1984. Never recalled seeing any of those apron buses in the background. If it rained, we had yellow MAS umbrellas for shelter! PEN perhaps?

[Pieter C. 5]

Definitely Fokker F27 Friendship (as shown by the old Fokker emblem at the tail); also, as mentioned before: F50 has no 'hole' and there are no 'winglets' to be seen either in this picture...

[Eric C 0]

Nostalgic pictures,brings back the memmories of me taking a KUL-BKI on a DC-10-30 off Terminal 2 in Subang,back in 1990 I think,was a very young man,fell in love with the sight of the plane....

 

Ah, my first ever memory of flying on a plane. Not sure of the date, possibly 1993, flying on a DC-10 BKI-KUL, then B747(I think) KUL-BNE. The DC10 was in new colours by then wasn't it?

[S V Choong 4]

Ah, my first ever memory of flying on a plane. Not sure of the date, possibly 1993, flying on a DC-10 BKI-KUL, then B747(I think) KUL-BNE. The DC10 was in new colours by then wasn't it?

 

The A300 and DC-10 was in new colour by early 1990s and they were a common sight on the BKI-KUL route especially for flights to and from SEL (Gimpo), Hong Kong and NRT (Tokyo Narita). As for the KUL-BNE route, MAS utilised their DC-10s on that route and KUL-BNE-AKL was introduced in 1992 and DC-10 was a common sight on that route too. In about 1994/95, MAS started sending their B744 on the KUL-BNE-AKL route, the KUL-AKL became a direct flight from about 1996 onwards.

[Nik H. 3]

F27 alright.

 

I have about 2000 hours on it, flying the Sabah / Sarawak route from 1982 to 1987. The F27 network covers BKI, SDK, LDU, TWU, LBU, BSB, MYY, BTU, SBW and KCH.

 

A real pilots aeroplane, none of the automation available today. The autopilot is so basic that it does not have an altitude capture function. There is no VNAV, and although the roll channel tracks VOR/LOC, no one uses it as it frequently induces level hunting. The WX radar is monochrome. On the ground, the cockpit window seals are known to leak during heavy rain.

 

The aircraft flies at the most adventurous Flight Levels, 12 - 20,000, where CBs are born before pouring rain onto the surface of the earth. Airfame DeIce is by using oots and its such a thrill to operate and amazing to see the leading edge expand and contract like an accordion.

 

The RR Dart engine needs pampering to avoid hot starts especially in a tailwind condition. The brakes are pneumatically operated and if used poorly will sound like a cymbal in a funeral procession. The ABS by Maxaret was mechanical in nature.

 

Unlike today's aircraft where poor piloting skills are masked by the aircraft automation, passengers those days know how good you are by the way you manage the pressuriszation, cabin temp, prop sync, brake management on roll-out, and of course landing. Dowty designed the landing gear to be damn tough, and damn tough it is. However its not to friendly to pilots who flare poorly, especially with a light load.

 

Despite all that, I love this aircraft, it is rewarding to fly, full of character, talks to you via its prop sound, engine whine, controls directly linked via pulleys, unlike the current crop of airliners that are technical marvels but generally without soul, which communicates with you via cold LCDs and CRTs.

 

Some Pix

 

BKI, 25 years ago

 

BTU, 25 years ago, Note the Terminal

 

My 'office' of 5 years, note Mt Kinabalu Can anyone say the altitude and speed ?

 

20 years ago, F27 Canin, note 'new' uniform

 

Regards

 

Nik H.

 

 

 

 

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

Great photo's there ,

So old that I wasn't even born yet

[S V Choong 4]

Nik, thanks for recalling some old and fond memories of mine with the Fokker F-27. I honestly can't remember the seat coverings of the F-27 but I think somewhat similar with the Boeing 737-2H6 Advanced?

 

Your photo showing Mt Kinabalu? I bet you were flying towards BKI from SDK, LHD or TWU? I guess we Sabahan are lucky that we are often rewarded and reminded with the view of our landmark when flying towards our state capital.

 

The RR Dart engine needs pampering to avoid hot starts especially in a tailwind condition. The brakes are pneumatically operated and if used poorly will sound like a cymbal in a funeral procession. The ABS by Maxaret was mechanical in nature.

 

I suppose this is what made the hissing sound?

 

By the way, have you flown the F-50s? I suppose it will be a less exciting aircraft compared to the F-27s?

 

Can I suggest you to upload some of your photos to airlines.net or jetphotos.net?? Thanks for sharing!!

Edited November 4, 2007 by S V Choong

[Jonathan Kong 0]

Captain Nik, thanks for those nice old pictures from good old days

[Radzi 2]

Wah, a very handsome first officer there lah. Thanks for the pictures, Capt Nik.

 

Note the baggage trolley in the second picture. The type is still in use today, last saw one in SDK just a few weeks ago.

[Nik H. 3]

Nik, thanks for recalling some old and fond memories of mine with the Fokker F-27. I honestly can't remember the seat coverings of the F-27 but I think somewhat similar with the Boeing 737-2H6 Advanced?

 

Your photo showing Mt Kinabalu? I bet you were flying towards BKI from SDK, LHD or TWU? I guess we Sabahan are lucky that we are often rewarded and reminded with the view of our landmark when flying towards our state capital.

I suppose this is what made the hissing sound?

 

By the way, have you flown the F-50s? I suppose it will be a less exciting aircraft compared to the F-27s?

 

Can I suggest you to upload some of your photos to airlines.net or jetphotos.net?? Thanks for sharing!!

 

hi SV, you're most welcome. You're right about the seat covering, its similar to the -200 Pocket Rocket

 

And yes, you're right again, it was a return trip from SDK to BKI on Radial 091 or what was known as the 'direct track'. On very calm days we would fly close to the mountain top, and Panar Laban and Sayat Sayat can be clearly seen.

 

Again correct, the hissing sound is from the pneumatic brake system but if done right, you'll only hear it thrice during landing. With a lead footed pilot, the aircraft will be hissing away.

 

Another indicator of good piloting is the ability to transition from 'Ground Fine Pitch' smoothly during taxying, and avoid the irritating 'prop bite' sound cycling numerous times as the Prop Control Unit hunts for the best pitch as the pilot manupulates the power levers.

 

Despite having flown the latest State of the Art planes in the course of my career, the F27 is the one I find most satisfying.

 

And no, I never flown the F50. By the time it arrived in MAS, I was already hopping around the world in a DC10-30, another favourite plane in my books.

 

About posting my pics at airline.net, I have way too many to choose from so its no easy task to find time to choose pics that will not bore people as well as avoid giving the impression of being 'self-serving'

Edited November 4, 2007 by Nik H.

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

Nik , any photo's from the DC-10 era?

[S V Choong 4]

Thanks for the reply Nik. Fokker F-27 was the first ever aircraft I have flown with. I wonder if you have any stories to tell for TWU (as the runway is probably too short!). Seat 1B or 1C was my all time favourite on the F-27 as I can observe the pilots during flight!! Normally I will request for the f/a to pull the curtain away The RR Dart is certainly music to my ears, as I got so used to hearing them when I was still living near Tawau's old airport

 

Here is a video, I wonder if you know Captain Siva.

http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=BmKNjGO7d0k

 

As for the DC-10, have you flown the KUL-BNE-AKL leg? I have flown many times on the DC-10 on that route. I have heard that the DC-10 did not have enough range to fly KUL-AKL direct, hence a technical stop at BNE was necessary?

 

Currently there is a lack of historical photograph of MAS during the early days at both A.net and JP.net. It will be good if we can all upload our old pics so that they can be seen and with some fond memories revisited

Edited November 4, 2007 by S V Choong

[Nik H. 3]

Nik , any photo's from the DC-10 era?

 

Plenty but it'll be OT.