Cockpits, Profiles and Logos
The VFW-Fokker 614 was a twin-engined jetliner designed and constructed by West German aviation company VFW-Fokker and it was the first jet-powered passenger aircraft to be developed and produced in West Germany. Development of the VFW 614 originally started in the early 1960s as the E.614, a concept for a 36–40 seat aircraft by a consortium of West German aircraft companies, who were merged into Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW).
The VFW-614 was originally intended as a replacement for the Douglas DC-3 having a very distinctive design with its engines mounted above the wing. This configuration had a number of advantages, it protected the engines from ingestion damage on poor runways, allowed the undercarriage legs to be short and sturdy and shielding people on the ground to engine noise, allowing the aircraft to operate into city centre airports. In 1969 VFW merged with the Dutch Fokker company to become VFW-Fokker but production remained in German.
The prototype first flew on 14th July 1971 and the aircraft entered service with Cimber in August 1975. The program was cancelled in 1977 when only 19 aircraft, including 3 prototypes were built. The civilian service life was very limited with the manufacturer buying back the remaining aircraft in 1981.
Three aircraft flew with the German Air force until 1999 and one aircraft flew with DLR research organization until 2012.