Fokker F-27 Friendship landing with sound of Rolls Royce Dart engines 

Brings back memories. I have over 800 hours flying these airplanes. We used to call it the “noise converter”. Converts kerosene to noise. Heavy on the controls and underpowered. But still loved flying it, and got the job done.

I flew the F27 for several thousand hours. We called it "the 22 ton dog whisle". Loved that machine!

From an era when planes had a personality.

It's a shame you can't smell the exhaust. That combined with the noise is my abiding memory of school visits to Heathrow airport in the 60's.

The flying noise of my childhood in Australia. Nothing but Friendships and Viscounts !

From 1969 till 1974 flew the F27 Friendship going back and forth to boarding school in Qld. We would get off either a TAA or Ansett F27 in Moresby then get on a Boeing 727 to fly to Brisbane.Then it would be the reverse during the school holidays get off the 727 in Moresby then fly the F27 to Rabaul then home to Buka. The sound of the engines and the smell of kerosene was the order of the day. In 1971 going back to school, while flying between Rabaul and Moresby the pilot did circle around an exploding Mt. Ulawun volcano. Great unforgettable memories in an F27 for sure. In 1979, while at Uni the F27 Friendship was replaced by the F28 Fellowship.

That kid on a bicycle up against the fence at Rongotai? It's ME!

The sound of my childhood , as we flew to Spain (Catalunia) on a BEA Vickers viscount powered by 4 RR Dart engines. It was such a distinctive sound hearing these planes pass overhead with the changing tones of the Doppler effect. Derby engineering at its best

Even though ear-shattering, I have always loved the sound of those RR darts as the F27 taxies into place after a flight

If anyone ever said to me define the sound of the 80’s, my reply would have to be the screaming sound of the RR dart engine on a Viscount or F27. Agh happy memories

Now that brings back a few memories. One thing I always loved as a kid was going to Sydney's Kingsford Smith airport and the first thing you smell is the burning aviation fuel and hear the scream of the F27 Rolls Royce Dart engines. Nothing ever sounded better than listening to the F27's coming and going from the terminal.

I love the sound of these engines.

My mother used to take us on this plane to meet grandma when i was 5 or 6. This sound made all 4 of us cry each time the plane took off. It was so loud. Hearing this noise again reminded me of those flights. Also this plane had poor cabin pressure and that noise coupled with pain in the ears due to pressure changes made it worse. This plane was a complete hell on your ears. I womder now if thats the reason why babies cry non stop on modern planes. Maybe their ears are mkre senstive than adults.😢

I miss hearing these. They were built not far from my house. I do resent how they painted over the Fokker logo on this aircraft. :|

Fondly remember those sounds growing up in the 70's. The supreme music made by the Darts....Indian Airlines had both the HS748's and F27's. Was lucky to fly in both types. They had a few Viscounts as well. Thanks Dad!

I was 9 years old and got invited to sit in the jump seat as Gulf Air put one of their F27's on the ground at Bahrain airport. What's not to like of the 1970's

Flew on the F27's of East West Airlines in NSW back in the 70's and 80's . Loved them

CLICK BAIT TITLE! IVE LOVED THAT SOUND SINCE 12 YEARS OLD, NEVER HAD EAR BLEED, EVEN STANDING 20 FEET AWAY, AND ILL BE 65 IN 3 WEEKS!😂 Love the video, do MORE! 👍🏿🥂😁

A few years ago my company had a contract with H&S Aviation. They had a small facility at Blindley Heath in Sussex, to service the remaining Dart engines. Their main facility was in Portsmouth. We installed and serviced numerous industrial cleaning machines on their sites.

Yes, I love the sound of those whining Roll Royce engines, the engines of my first commercial flight's plane, a Varig's Avro748 in 1974. I flew too a TAM F-27 in 1988, both super confortable... plenty room on seats...thanks por posting, oscar

I've flown in the old Friendships many times here in NZ. From the NAC (National Airways Corporation), I have fond memories of the trolly-dolly giving me boiled lollies (sweets/candy) . I have flown over the Southern Alps a number of times in the Friendship and got magnificent views of both sides of South Island. A great little plane.

A fantastic sound, evocative of my youth. The Brits were pretty good at making shrill, screaming gas turbine aero engines. The Darts were really memorable on Viscounts, F27s and HP Heralds, but the RR Conways on the VC10, although not turboprops, had their own distinctive banshee-like shriek while taxying, quite unlike other low BPR turbofans.

The SPANZ DC3s, the Sunderland, the Friendship, the Viscount and the Electra - wonderful memories of the sounds from childhood!

Reminds me of the ruddy awful noise the Andover's used to make at Thorney Island! I used to sail there as a boy and watch the Hercules and Andover aircraft of RAF Coastal/Transport Command operating there. Also, there were always loads of Whirlwind and Wessex helicopters. A real thrill as an aircraft obsessed young chap.....Nothing has changed, only the years between!

Had many pleasant hours, days, years testing the Dart in R&D along with its big brother, the Tyne. Happy days!

As a lad, I handled the Air UK F27s at London Stansted. Even at startup with ear defenders, those Rolls-Royce Darts I swear gave me lifelong hearing damage. They simply screamed. On a windy day, the cockpit control column bounced around happily, everything was analogue. The cabin music was played on C60 cassette tapes. The Air UK crews called it the funeral music. They were always so nice and I usually got a tea during turn around 😉

My mom used to bring dinner to my dad when he worked second shift for Texas International as a mechanic in the 70's at Houston Hobby, and I was obliged to tag along because I was so young. We would park on the street in front of the hanger and my dad would come out to eat and to talk to mom. I have distinct memories of engine run ups on Convair 600's during those visits - the sounds and the smells are with me to this day. That distinctive Rolls Royce Dart engine whine and the sound made when the props change pitch immediately take me back to those moments. (It also reminds me of the baked potato with mayonnaise that my dad would often eat :) Funny how sounds can take you back and engage all of your senses, if the memory is strong enough..... Awesome sound and awesome video.

Those damned Darts ! I flew Viscounts for several years and they have four of those things. My hearing has a complete dead spot right at the frequency of the Dart Scream. They were very delicate engines too. If you didn’t pull ground fine as soon as you had wheels on the ground you would melt the turbines. And so many lights on the flight deck to show the propeller status. Flight Fine, Lockout, Ground fine. You needed 10 lights shining during the takeoff run. They were an engine with character, but maybe not a great character.

Cant beat those RR Darts. I fondly remember the F27s, Heralds, Viscounts, HS748s, Argosy's regularly flying in the UK in the sixties and seventies....wonderful times of the past. Thanks for sharing.

Lost count of the number of times I flew in one of these between Hamilton and Wellington back in the days of NAC. The sound of those Dart engines brings back a lot of memories. If I returned early after lunch it would be on the Mt Cook Airlines HS748 another prop stalwart of aviation.

Yup! They're the reason I have "Tinnitus" today I guess... I've got about 5000 hrs on the HS-748... But I do miss those engines.

A friend of mine had the original factory training cockpit for ground mechanics in his garage after Fokker closed its doors. The wirebundle connecting it to the electronics racks were roughly cut and restoration works are still in progress as far as I know. I looked into the electronics years ago to see if I could be of any help and saw that the distinctive engine sounds were mimicked by a number of analog oscillators and noise generators. A vacuum cleaner motor was to imitate the airco sounds.

Love the sound of those RR Darts. The Spey on the 1-11 starting was another amazing sound too. Quality aero engines.

I have to agree, the smell of AVTUR and the whine of the Darts, you knew you were flying on that little, exciting holiday. Sydney to Albury on East West F-27's was may fav route.

We were lucky in Jersey that we had Chanex and JEA F27's right up until almost the bitter end. Great days Love it,

I flew on the Viscount. It had 4 of those engines. Loud is an understatement.

I worked on and taxied the F27 years ago for Mesaba Northwest Airlink. We called her "the Whistle Pig"! lol With affection of course!

The sound of an F27, taxiing into Devonport (Tasmania) then starting up and leaving, is something I'll never forget. It was ear splitting.

Late 50’s early 60’s I travelled in Vickers Viscount aircraft. Loved the sound of the RR Dart turboprops.

The memories this brings back! I have been airsick twice: the first time on one of these in 1965, between Dunedin and Christchurch in total, bumpy cloud all the way, but I have better memories than that. I have flown on more Friendships in different countries than I can remember and each time there was the sense of security given by a Dutch aircraft powered by the definitive turbo-prop engine. Then, coming in to land and seeing, right outside the window, the landing gear extending. Funny how that memory stays: it wasn't that long ago that I was flying into Rotorua in a high-wing aircraft and was looking out the window at the bottom of the engine nacelle and wondering when the undercarriage was going to appear and the flaps were fully extended and the ground was getting closer and still no landing gear and that's when I remembered that I was in an ATR. I guess some of those Friendship memories are stronger than others...

I've already watched it 10 times, going to watch it a zillion times more, just love the sound !!!

Loud as it may be, I always loved the high-pitch whine!!!!

Ah, that takes me back to the 70s, waiting at the old Napier airport for my dad to come back from overseas on an NAC Friendship. I still recall the deafening scream of those engines out on the viewing balcony, and seeing / hearing 2 or 3 F27's parked up - and watching one come in low for a landing on the short north-south runway: that was cool!

RR Dart engines...that's what a turboprop engine is supposed to sound like. Took my first commercial flight in an F-27 in 1970.

The most terrifying flight of my life, Blenheim to Wellington in a Fokker Friendship across Cook Strait in a storm with a tremendous wind. We did everything except fly upside down.

I only flew one only once - or twice if you count the return trip - but in the Troopship configuration of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Pretty bare with only two canvas benches, one on each side along the length. It's weird taking off seated sideways. Being effectively empty without cargo and only about fifty students of aeronautical engineering on a field trip on board, it accelerated pretty quickly. We had taken a coach from our college in Haarlem and drove to the Air Base Woensdrecht in the South of the Netherlands. There we boarded the Troopship and flew at about 1,000 to 1,500 ft all along the Dutch coast to the North, turning East over the Den Helder Naval base, headed for Air Base Leeuwarden in the North of the country where we would get a guided tour and a lecture on F-16 maintenance. It was a nice sunny day, but with a stiff breeze from the North-West and flying along the dunes at a relatively low altitude made for quite a bumpy ride ...... and I loved every minute of it. End of the day we were flown back on a direct route at somewhat greater altitude as we had to pass through the controlled air space of Schiphol/Amsterdam Airport, passing it on the south side and providing marvelous views of arriving and departing aircraft. Since then I've flown regional prop-liners and jets, and some regular commercial flights to further destinations, but this flight with the Troopship is the only one that remains with me.

NAC when I flew Wellington to Blenheim.. Thanks for the chance to re live those long time memories...Family hometown...

I sure miss working on and flying in those! I got to visit the factory once. We called them "Whistle Pigs".

First plane I ever flew in was an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, same engines only four of them, I sat in a seat right by the right hand engine, it was incredibly loud, but very exciting too, we took off from RAF Scampton and climbed to 10000 feet and had a short tour of Lincolnshire.

Of course, the Vickers Viscount had four Rolls Royce Darts. Used to love going on holiday from Birmingham (the old Elmdon airport) to Jersey on Viscounts in the 60's and then, in the late 70's and into the 80's, more F27s were used. Lovely sound from the engines, and the smell from the aviation fuel always stuck in my mind. wonderful memories.

I will NEVER forget marshalling a Mohawk F27 at KJHW many moons ago. I had been involved with the Allegheny C580 with their GM Allison engines, each generating 4,000 horsepower (equivalent), and never had a problem with hearing with them. The first experience with the F-27 with the Rolls-Royce engines, however, taught me the absolute value of ear protection! I had it confirmed about the RR engines being screamers when a Gulfstream came in with the RR engines. Wonderful, yet painful experiences!

This is not an airplane but a poem with wings.

Reminds me my childhood! Love the sound!

My father used to take me to Lindbergh Field (KSAN) in the early sixties when the terminal was right at the east end of the runway next to Pacific Coast Highway and we’d watch the late afternoon arrivals and departures. DC-6’s, L-188 Electra’s, 727’s, 880’s, and 720’s were the main players but Bonanza Airlines had F-27’s that flew from Phoenix to L.A. once or twice daily with a quick stop in San Diego. They never shut down the right engine since the stop was brief and I used to just love the sound of the Rolls Royce Dart. I called their planes Hummingbirds because of the sound and they were always the highlight of evening. I never got to fly in one but I built many of the old Revell kit which if memory serves me had decals for Swissair or KLM. Shame back then they never had aftermarket decals for Bonanza as it was a very nice livery. I miss the sounds those lovely engines made, best turboprop ever!

I once heard one of these planes, start, taxi out and take off from Kaitaia airport in the late 1970s from over a few kilometres away.

At Britt Airways, which operated both the F-27 and the FH-227, it was affectionately called the "whistle-pig" due to that high-pitched whine that the RR Dart engines produced. I never flew it, but I non-revved on it numerous times. It was much more comfortable to ride in, than the Swearingen/Fairchild SA226 Metroliner II that I flew!

Flew both the Convair 640 and the Grumman Gulfstream G-159, excellent engines!!

I grew up with that sound !

beautiful , the Dart engine nacelle has got to be the neatest job ! ( Herald and AVRO 748 )

I love the sound!! It makes many different sounds according the throttle, I think. I love when it whistles, when it blows and when it roars! Beautiful!

My only experience with Dart engines was working on with YS-11. That sound is hard to forget. Thanks for the great video

'The delicate sound of thunder'

Pain threshold exceeded. From the observer's perspective, the only sound more painful than those Darts of an F-27 passing overhead on mid-short finals or anywhere nearby on the tarmac is a Viscount with four Darts in fine pitch. Arrgh!!! Grew up in the 60's in a house directly under the flight path of the old BNE 13 where both types used to pass overhead at around 1300ft on finals most afternoons, so I can remember that sound well. It brings the memory back instantly just like the taste of ice cream does of an afternoon at the Saturday Matinee. When a Viscount went over, any conversation halted during those seconds of aural assault as everything in the house susceptible to the frequency sang or rattled and the TV aerial reception distorted the image on the screen. I later spent part of my early post-mil civil aviation career life around F-27s on the tarmac, but by then they were in their Indian Summer as the F-50s were being introduced alongside Dash 8s. By that time I was in airlines initially flying their regional feeder ops on turboprops, I was flying types either with Garretts or P&Ws inc the Dash all of which whether smaller or larger were all quieter.

One thing I remember vividly from my childhood in Westport is the scream of the Friendship aircraft when seeing family off at the airport.

You knew the end of your journey drawing was near as the power was reduced and then a signature lower pitched whine took over from the drumming of the props. By the end of an eight hour run, you were ready to get off. The F28 jets halved the flight time and were welcome and had their own charisma. My favourite spot was down the back near the engines and the highlight was when they spooled up for the take-off and you felt the push in your back. The idea of a turbine wheel sawing its way in through the side never entered my head and I don't think that ever happened. The next favourite was near the wing where you could see the sonic line quivering near the centre.

That noise brings back memories of being up on the observation balcony of Rhoose airport when i was a child

I spent the first 5 years of my DCA-FS time having these aircraft sending me deaf and then again another 4 years completing the job. So now I have a 50% hearing loss.

and the Viscount was "twice as noisy" - wonderful stuff.

Grew up in Central Africa and CAA had a fleet of Vickers Vicount. Fond memories of the Dart engines and the pong of kerosene.

My wife and I flew between Weipa and Cairns, Queensland many times on these great old Fokkers. They were universally known as Freedom Birds.

Just popped up on my feed and, "YES!!!" I love those Darts! I grew-up watching F-27's in Hughes Air West colours at Portland International Airport (PDX) and worked around aircraft all my youth. My ears still ring from the sound of turbo-props, which may or may not be a good thing -- YMMV. Thanks for sharing the ramp with us! Cheers!!

"it's whisper quiet!"

3,000 hours in the F-27 and I can’t hear a thing above 36,000 cycles. But who needs to hear above 36,000 cycles anyways? Love the famous RR Dart. I flew the Fairchild’s first (F-27A, B, J, and M and the FH-227C) later I flew the Fokker F.27 (F.27-100, 200, 600 and 500F). Great memories. Fine aircraft. Thanks Anthony Fokker and chief designer Ces Van Mertins!

Beautiful plane, Beautiful noise, great bit of manoeuvring and a awesome video. Thanks.🇬🇧

Just found this one, Brilliant, I love the Friendship, used to watch them all the time as a kid taxi into the old domestic terminal at Auckland.

Possibly my favourite airliner. Grew up working around the F27 and F28. At a time in Australia we saw HS748's BAE146 and these, we had variety and brilliant types. Loved flying in them all, and wish I could relive those times again.

To me these engines sound similar to the ones on AN-24/26/30 family. Never had the chance to hear a F-27 in reality. Great sound!

I love that drone sound. Used to put me to sleep

I worked on these for years. A real engineer’s engine. Sitting in the office on night shift calculating minimum torque curves on a graph brings back memories. I did hear that most of the noise came from the unsilenced intakes of the rootes blowers used to pressurise the aircraft, rather than the engine but I can’t verify that. The engines themselves had inlet ducts made of painted, shiny magnesium with no sound insulation at all so who knows?

Pure music to the ears!

I remember the Luxair Fokker 27s - never flew on one sadly. When you got even near the airport there was always at least one of these bustling about. A true workhorse... Back in 1975 it was the old airport in Luxembourg - you had a great close-up view of the parked Luxair F27s from the car parking - only separated from them by the airport fence. I was always impressed by them - they looked like huge preying birds up front. And the screaming RR Darts rounded up the scary picture....The much quieter Fokker 50, although similiar in appearance doesn't even remotely make the impression the F27 did on people...

As a child, the F27 was the first aircraft I saw. Watching the MSA (Malaysia Singapore Airlines) F27 at my hometown airport of Ipoh. I could see through the huge windows, the passengers and crew and wished I was on the plane with them. 17 years later I began my career as a FA working on the very same MAS (Malaysia Airlines) F27. This time it was me at the same airport opening the door and saying farewell to the passengers. Love the very loud engines! At most small airports we kept one engine running during transit. Those were the days. A year after I started flying, they were slowly phased out and replaced with the F50.

use to fly home from Melbourne to Wynyard on these, the noise signalled the final leg, always generated a tear

During my childhood I lived pretty close to Rotterdam Airport, that sound overhead was a pretty common occurence when I was playing outside.

We lived 3 miles from our airport. We could clearly hear them start up, taxi, and reverse thrust. A fun airliner. Great view of the ground, the control surfaces and the main landing gear.

Brings back a lot of good memories from the sixties for me. Of course the sound from those engines was deafening when you were right there beside the plane, although okay when you were a passenger.

Far out ....I didn't think you could beat a Huey sound always been my favourite....but! The F27 is just magic ,the way this video really catches the essence of those dart engines great video I enjoyed it a lot cheers 🍻

I use to fly home on the final leg on one of these for long leave in the 80's when I was in The Australian Navy, from take off to cruise level to the turn to land, it all signaled the final stages of coming home. Always stired up emotions, and a relief of finally seeing home again. Wish I could still take a flight in one.

Lots of memories, thanks.

This is pure eargasm

Not to forget the decent flames from the exhaust on start-up ! As a kid i thought the engines were defective !!!

Had service these and the Convair 640 and also the Grumman G-1. They had the Dart engines. Hated them.

Great video, thanks. I worked in the oil fields of Lybia in early 80's and flew in these aircraft from 103A to Malta every two weeks. Good memories!

Gotta love the irony. This thing, noisy as hell, parking near the whisperjet.

Your are telling me I have high tone hearing loss in my right ear from my time as first officer on the HS748. Same engines!!

Brings back momories to the early 90's at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, line maintenance on the AirUK fleet...... Happy times 😀

Two very nostalgic sounds: 1:41 The "best" sound! 3:00 The engine shutdown.

This sound remembering my childhood

I fell asleep to that sound. Air UK flights into Southampton with the friendship really brings the memories back to Me of that time.

I remember riding in one of these in 1978 from Nelson to Christchuch. The cargo hold which was right behind the cockpit was full of live chickens in wooden crates. Clucking and Feathers everywhere! One of the best flights of my life.😃