Main portion of ”Olav Kyrre” now on
display!
Braathens first Fokker F-28, LN-SUC was taken on display
inside the museum on September 21st.
The main, front portion of the fuselage of “Olav Kyrre” is finally displayed inside the museum. LN-SUC`s last trip from the restoration workshops and into the museum posed no problems.
“Olav Kyrre” is to represent the use of jet aircraft in the Norwegian history of aviation. At about the same time the charter flights became popular and this will be the theme of a small exhibition inside in the cabin.
The historical value of this airplane can be compared to the first Norwegian (civilian) Twin Otter displayed besides.
Due to the relatively high cost, the complete restoration is to last another two years. The tail section will be added 2007 and the RH wing will be installed 2008.
Sometimes this
year it is expected that visitors will have access to the
cockpit area through a specially designed gangway. Later on
when the charter exhibition is done, access to the cabin area
will be possible.
Norway is transferring to jets
In the fifties and sixties, the situation in the Norwegian civil aviation was not very much different than today. SAS was the main carrier.
As things developed also Braathens SAFE and Widerøes began operating as commuters.
Comes 1967, two important things happened; Widerøes started operating Twin Otters between three short-field airports and finally Braathens SAFE got the go ahead to operate its west coast – route all the way up north to Tromsø.
The owner of the airline, Mr. Ludvig G. Braathen became a very active lobbyist. Amongst others he declared that his company would operate modern jets up to Tromsø if he got the permission from the government.
His idea was that this would result in a better service for the passengers not only inside Norway but also in the charter marked.
From 1959 to 1969, the Fokker F-27 Friendship was the main workhorse in Braathens. The company was operating the DC-6B`s on charter flights in addition to this.
Then, - 1969 Braathens started to operate Boeing 737`s in concert with new Fokker F-28 Fellowships.
Braathens suddenly appeared as a new, modern airline competing with the best, -and they made money!
“Olav Kyrre”
March 3rd. 1969, Braathens first Fokker F-28 “Olav Kyrre” made the first landing at Fornebu Airport, Oslo.
This type of airplane was designed to operate from relatively short airfields and could carry as many as 65 passengers.
In the newspapers, Braathens stated that the Fokker F-28 was tailor–made for Norway.
It was further stated that “after ten years of flying the F-27, the passengers and the Braathens knows that Fokker stands for both safety and reliability. Because of this, our choice of the new F-28 was a natural one. Now everything is, -yes, tailor-made.”
Through all its history, Braathens had a special close relationship with the KLM and the Fokker Factory. Thus, it became only natural that Braathens was one of Fokkers first F-28 customers. In fact, Braathens was the world`s first airline operating this type of aircraft on regular passenger routes.
Braathens was mainly operating the Fokker F-28 inside Norway but the type was also used on short charter flights to Mallorca and other destinations.
“Olav Kyrre” ended its active career springtime 2002, operated by the Peruvian airline Aero Continente. Funding from “Nordlandsbanken” and SND made possible the homecoming of this historical airplane. Of course, the Norwegian Aviation Museum also had to dig deep in its pockets in order to make this happen.
Why all this?
Because in this airplane, the museum have on display a special airplane representing an exciting history and a complete era in the history of flight in Norway.
Facts about the “Olav Kyrre”:
Type: Fokker F-28- 1000 Fellowship.
Serial: 11009/1969.
Register Norway: LN-SUC 03.03.69 – Braathens SAFE AS – 01.01.86.
Later registrations: I-TIAP, N37RT, OB-1636.
Norwegian history:
1969: April 1st.:First jet landing at Kirkenes Airport in the north of Norway.
1972: April 29th.: First jet from Braathens landing at Adventdalen Airport, Spitzbergen.
1974: Sept. 14th.: First
airplane landing at the new Spitzbergen Airport, Longyear.
Read more