Bill Roll could have added that before West Coast & Air West, Bonanza Airlines (which also merged into Air West) converted their entire fleet of DC-3s to F-27s overnight around 1960. My dad was one of their station mgrs. I flew on one of the route inaugural flights & then on the first DC-9 inaugural when they switched to them.

I started flying the F-27 for West Coast Airlines in 1966 which became Airwest then Hughes Airwest. I can remember carrying lots of ice with that bird over the mountains in the Pacific NW over the 8 years I flew it! I have a soft spot for the F-27 since it was the first aircraft I flew as an airline Captian at age 27.

Any aircraft that gets you safely to your destination is a good aircraft...at least for that trip. The Fairchild 227 is considered underpowered, especially for routes involving mountain airports or high density altitude work. Aircraft of this type, are worked hard on short routes. They also have to operate in the worst altitudes for bad weather, and have the lowest technology in terms of de-icing equipment.

F-27/FA-227 co-pilot in 1972, typed 1973 at Piedmont Airlines.
My first larger aircraft...lots of respect for its power and flight characteristics. Enjoyed flying it once I got engine and prop management learned. Nice large windows which gave good views for the passengers but the forward part of the cabin received strong noise from the two Rolls Royce Dart engines. Operated in and out of several 4,000 ft. runways daily during warm summer months. A stable approach (on ref speed)was required. The Dart engines made lots of noise. All in all, a good flying aircraft which you treated with respect.

In 1968 I was a passenger on an FH-227, flying from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Atlanta, Georgia, on an interview trip to the East coast. Night had fallen as we approached Atlanta, and the incredible windows, which extended down to seat level, provided me the most magnificent view of the city I had ever seen before or since. With the wings at the top of the fuselage there was absolutely no impediment to viewing the dazzling display resembling thousand of miniature Christmas tree lights. Even the landing was exceptional, since you seemed to be only six feet above the tarmac, and the impression of speed during landing was truly realistic. I don't remember ever having such a wonderful flying experience, and nothing we have today in the way of passenger jets even comes close. Today you are simply in a tiny metal box with limited or no view and little feeling for what is actually happening outside. The FH-227 is and will always be my favorite passenger airplane of all time.

http://www.jetpiedmont.com/gallery/?AC=227

I flew a corporate version of the F-27 for 4 years, and it
is still my favorite aircraft over a career of more than
50 years. It's unbelieveable what this airplane is capable
of.

Este modelo o fh 227 foi aquele mesmo do acidente nos Andes em 72, pertencente a força aerea do Uruguai o avião foi fretado por um time de rugbi depois de 72 dias desaparecido 2 passageiros conseguiram o socorro 16 das 45 pessoas a bordo sobreviveram. A causa do acidente foi um erro grotesco do piloto,como gosto de avião e fiquei curioso em perquisar sobre este modelo

Hello, I study Aeronautic in UNLP(Argentina )and I NEED the appraching speed of F-27FRIENDSHIP ,F-28MK 1000 ,THANK YOU !!