TF-FIM Fokker F27-200 friendship

This Fokker F-27-200 friendship, construction number 10263, was manufactured in 1964. It was taken into service with Flugfélag Íslands on 24th April 1972 and was named Glófaxi (Glowing Horse). [1]

TF-FIM Fokker F27-200 friendship © BBC Scotland

TF-FIM Fokker F27-200 friendship © Baldur Sveinsson

Flugfélag Íslands, which translates, as ‘Flight Company of Iceland’ was the 1940 relaunch name of Flugfélag Akureyrar, which had been founded in Akureyri in 1937. Initially operating as a domestic airline it adopted the name Iceland Airways for international purposes and flew its first commercial flight across the atlantic to Scotland on 11th July 1945. Until the late 1960’s Flugfélag concentrated mainly on domestic flights facing fierce competition from another Icelandic airline Loftleiðir, which had been founded in 1944. Following a failed merger proposal by the Icelandic government, domestic routes were shared between Flugfélag and Loftleiðir. In 1952 Loftleiðir pulled out of the domestic market to concentrate on International routes and Flugfélag became the main domestic carrier. Flugfélag still operated international flights under their Icelandair branding.

During the 1970’s energy crisis the economic situation for both Flugfélag and Loftleiðir worsened, again the Icelandic government attempted to merge the airlines. In 1973 a holding company called Flugleiðir was created and the two airlines, now merged, began to streamline staff and operations. In 1979, Flugfélag purchased all of Loftleiðir´s assets, and the airline became known as today’s Icelandair.

In 1997 the domestic operations of Icelandair, part of which had previously been operated under Flugfélag Norðurlands branding, were combined with the airline Norðurflug, founded in Akureyri by Tryggvi Helgason, to form Air Iceland. This allowed Icelandair to fully concentrate on international flights and Air Iceland on domestic.

The Flugleiðir holding was later reorganised as Icelandair Group for aviation business and FL Group for non-aviation, finance and investment business. [2]

An image of TF-FIM taken on 19th January 1977 [3] shows the aircraft in its original F-27 colours (white with blue and red trim) with Flugfélag Íslands written on the fuselage and displaying Icelandair and the Icelandair logo on the vertical tail fin.

The image of TF-FIM shown on this page, taken on 27th August 1979 [4], shows the aircraft in its yellow F-27 colours (white, yellow with blue and red trim) still with Flugfélag Íslands written on the fuselage but displaying just the Flugleiðir logo on the vertical tail fin. The aircraft registration was changed to TF-FLM shortly afterwards.

What can be seen in the still from the television production, which was filmed between 1st June and 18th July 1978, is a transitional period for the aircraft. TF-FIM can be seen in its yellow F-27 colours (white, yellow with blue and red trim) still with Flugfélag Íslands written on the fuselage but still displaying Icelandair and the Icelandair logo on the vertical tail fin.

On 14th January 1975 a news article in the periodical Alþýðublaðið [5] reported that the aircraft was rescued from a Flugfélag Íslands hangar at Reykjavík airport that had caught fire.

The aircraft was removed from service on 23rd March 1992 [1], an image taken on 4th May 1992 at Maastricht / Aachen in the Netherlands [6] shows the aircraft after its return to Fokker. The image may be viewed here.