VFW-Fokker 614

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFW-Fokker_614

The VFW-Fokker 614 (also VFW 614) was a twin-engined jetliner designed and
constructed by West German aviation company VFW-Fokker. It holds the distinction
of being the first jet-powered passenger liner to be developed and produced in
West Germany (the East German Baade 152 being the first German jet airliner), as
well as the first German-built civil aircraft to have been manufactured for a
decade.

The VFW 614 was originally proposed during the early 1960s as the E.614, which
was a concept for a 36–40 seat aircraft by a consortium of West German aircraft
companies, who were soon re-organised into Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke
(VFW). It was originally intended as a Douglas DC-3 replacement; its most
distinctive feature was that its engines were mounted in pods on pylons above
the wing. The VFW 614 was produced in small numbers during the early- to
mid-1970s by VFW-Fokker, a company resulting from a merger between VFW and the
Dutch aircraft company Fokker. However, the program was officially cancelled in
1977, the anticipated sales and thus production having not been achieved.

Development of the aircraft had been heavily influenced by the pre-war American
piston-engine Douglas DC-3 passenger aircraft. During late 1971, it was reported
that the company had anticipated overall sales of the VFW 614 airliner to
eventually reach between 300 and 400 units, which was to have included its use
by various American operators.

On 14 July 1971, the first of three prototypes performed its maiden flight. The
first flight of the aircraft was also the first time that the engine had been
airborne, having not been previously flown on a flying test-bed. To speed up
flight testing, the first and second prototypes, which were reportedly almost
identical, were dispatched to Spain for three months of comprehensive trials to
evaluate their performance under 'hot and high' conditions. Shortly after the
accumulation of 800 flying hours, the design was frozen for production and
manufacturing activity commenced on the first ten production airliners.

Development of the aircraft was protracted and orders slow to materialise,
despite a strong marketing campaign. The situation was not helped by
Rolls-Royce's bankruptcy in 1971 which threatened the supply of engines.
However, according to aircraft publication Flight International, by 1974, the
performance guarantees on both the thrust and fuel consumption of the M45H had
been fulfilled.

On 1 February 1972, the programme was damaged by the loss of the first
prototype, which was attributed to an instance of elevator flutter; which played
a role in further diminishing the order situation. By late 1974, orders had been
placed for the long-lead items to complete an anticipated 30 production
VFW-614s, along with sufficient critical items to build up to 50 airliners. By
February 1975, only ten aircraft had been ordered. During April 1975, the first
production VFW 614 made its first flight; it was delivered to Denmark's Cimber
Air four months later.

These engines were installed on the airliner via an unconventional manner,
having been mounted above the wings upon pylons at a mid-wing position. This
arrangement had several advantages, such as avoiding the structural weight
penalties imposed by rear-mounted engines and the potential ingestion risks
present when engines were mounted low down underneath the wings. The engine
configuration allowed the adoption of a short, sturdy undercarriage, which was
specially suited to performing operations from austere or otherwise
poorly-prepared runways. The position of the engine over the wing, compared to
under-wing, also shielded people on the ground from intake noise during
flyovers; this shielding effect is also present for aft-mounted engines.


Role
Regional airliner

Manufacturer
Fokker VFW

First flight
14 July 1971

Introduction
August 1975

Retired
7 December 2012

Status
Out of production, out of service

Primary users
German Air Force
Touraine Air Transport
Air Alsace
Cimber Air

Number built
19

Unit cost

$1,000,000 (1966)
US$3M (1972)

West German airline Lufthansa declined to procure any VFW 614s; at the time the
company had prioritised its development of long haul routes, for which regional
airliners were not applicable, while the German government had declined to
pressure the airline to buy the type. According to authors H. Dienel and P.
Lyth, Lufthansa's lack of interest in the type was attributed as having been a
major factor in the commercial failure of the VFW 614. Only three airlines and
the German Air Force would ultimately operate new VFW 614s. The aircraft was
initially prone to engine problems, and it was too expensive for the small
regional airlines for whose needs it was designed. Three aircraft were flown but
were never delivered; a total of four airframes were broken up prior to
completion.

During 1977, the programme was officially cancelled as a result of the lack of
sales, and the last unsold aircraft flew in July 1978. Mendenhall reports that
there had been a widespread sentiment amongst German employees that they had
been regarded as being subordinate to Fokker, which had increased over time as
the VFW 614's commercial failure had become more and more apparent. By 1981, the
majority of commercial aircraft had already been disposed of, partially due to
the manufacturer having bought back many of the aircraft that year in order that
it could simultaneously terminate support for the type. Thereafter, only the
German Air Force aircraft remained in service, the last being retired in 1999.
The last airworthy VFW 614 was in use with DLR for the Advanced Technologies
Testing Aircraft System (ATTAS) project. After being based with DLR in
Braunschweig, Germany for many years, this aircraft (registered D-ADAM) was
retired in December 2012, to the Deutsches Museum Flugwerft in Oberschleißheim,
Germany.

Specifications (VFW 614)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Capacity: 40–44 passengers in 4 abreast seating
Length: 20.6 m (67 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 21.5 m (70 ft 6 in)
Height: 7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 64 m2 (690 sq ft)
Airfoil: root: NACA 63A015; tip: NACA 65A012
Empty weight: 12,179 kg (26,850 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 19,958 kg (44,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce/SNECMA M45H Mk. 501 turbofan engines, 33.2 kN (7,500
lbf) thrust each

Performance
Maximum speed: 704 km/h (437 mph, 380 kn)
Range: 1,195 km (743 mi, 645 nmi) with 40 passengers
Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 15.75 m/s (3,100 ft/min)



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