Department of Transport Fokker F.28 VH-ATG (c/n 11084) was the second of three F.28s ordered at a cost of A$5,212,000 each to replace the earlier F.27s in the airways calibration role. Tested by Fokker using the 'trade-plate' registration' PH-EXP, it was registered in Australia as VH-ATG on 25 February 1977. Click here to see the Certificate of Airworthiness for this aircraft.

The photo above is thought to show VH-ATG at the Fokker plant at Schipol, the Netherlands, immediately prior to delivery to Australia. The aircraft wears the Department of Transport's 'Irish compass' logo.

The F.28s were the first Departmental aircraft since the DC-3s were re-registered in 1950 not to be registered in the VH-CA_ block. The reason was purely political. By the time the contract was signed to purchase the F.28s in 1974, the Department of Civil Aviation was dead and the organisation had been amalgamated to become the Department of Transport, Air Transport Group. Click here to check out an organisational timeline.

The photo above shows VH-ATG at Melbourne/Essendon in 1979, while that below shows it at Perth on 7 October 1980.

The Department’s Fokker 28s ranged far and wide throughout the Asia-Pacific region on navigation aid calibration and airways survey work. Fellowship VH-ATG is seen below on Norfolk Island in the mid-1980s with the New Zealand Ministry of Transport’s Fokker 27 Friendship ZK-DCA. By this time VH-ATG carried 'Department of Aviation' titles.

Click here to see this aircraft in a later colour scheme.

(Photos: 1&4-CAHS Collection / 2&3-CAHS/Ben Dannecker collection)

Back to the main Departmental F28 index

Back to Departmental Aircraft index page

If this page appears without a menu bar at top and left, click here