FAIRCHILD HILLER FH-227 (N7807M)

Definitely a poor Q pic, which is partly due to the fact that I enlarged it before posting it. I had used PS to restore the original color to it; I had briefly considered converting it to B & W but I decided to try and resurrect the color because I have always liked Mohawk's black and gold livery and also Eastern's colors from that era. The print does look less "choppy" in its original smaller size but that Eastern Electra in the background at Gate 9 is a little easier to see in this enlarged version.

Gary, I love this shot. The Mohawk FH-227 about to board her pax looks to be maybe 3 feet longer than the F27's that I flew in the early 1980's. Also, we did not have the advantage of an airstair door for the aft cabin entry. Our empty weight was 28,000 pounds, but with that aft airstair the Mohawk 227's would have been a bit heavier. The EAL L188 parked at Gate 9 is in Eastern's all time classic livery.

Chris >> I'm glad you like this pic and pleased that it gives you a memory jog back to the F27s you piloted. I've got a couple pics of an F27 Friendship; it's a Turk Hava Yolari (Turkish Airlines) F27 at Trabzon, Turkey in 1969. I flew on one to Trabzon and then again in 1970 when I left Trab. Had some humans AND some animals as fellow passengers. Sort of like sitting in an airborne barnyard. Will NEVER forget the experience. About that L188 ... I have no info about it on the back of the old print but I can be 99% certain it was boarding pax for a flight to Miami. Reason I'm so sure is that all the props are shut down. When Eastern's daily Toronto-Buffalo-Miami route stopped at KBUF, the Canadian passengers who had boarded in Toronto had to clear Customs in Buffalo because Buffalo was their "First Port of Entry' to the US. The process took a few minutes so all the props would be shut down. And THAT was when I could ask the EAL gate agents (always young and female) if I could go out on the ramp and take pics. They usually said Yes and then when the plane was about to ready for departure one of the EAL ladies would step out and call me to come off the ramp. Geez, those were the days.

Outstanding photo and history Gary! The Eastern L188 Electra in the background just adds to the historical perspective of the photo. Thank you so much for sharing this piece of aviation history my friend. All 5 and should be much more!

Classic Gman I was 6th grader on this snapper, and before leaving Seattle 1964 above BFI for California, we got to watch West Coast Airlines F-27s roll in and out of BFI old terminal. Great memories and I wanted a camera but was a tad too young, plus $$ was an issue until we moved to CA and dad's new job. I never saw Mohawk having never been back east in my life, but you are right, the Electra in the background ads to this timeless scene. all 5 just for the Turkey time story!

Hey Gary, this is a great shot!! I love it!! I'm an FH-227 fanatic.