With the Fokker 70 and the larger Fokker 100, pure jet aircraft of Dutch origin entered the Tyrolean Airways fleet, and that of the joint Austrian Arrows brand, for the first time in the 1990s.

Fokker 100: The Base Model

The Fokker 100 first flew in 1986 and was a modern development of the Fokker F28 “Fellowship”. In its standard layout it seated around 100 passengers and was powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 620 engines.

Fokker 70: The Smaller Sibling

In November 1992, Fokker introduced the Fokker 70, a variant shortened by 4.62 metres and seating around 80, which used almost the same wings and engines as the Fokker 100. The prototype flew for the first time in April 1993, series production began in February 1994, and type certification followed in October of the same year.

The Abrupt End: Fokker’s Bankruptcy in 1996

Just two years after the Fokker 70 was certified, the Dutch manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in February 1996. Production of both types ended in 1997; only 48 examples of the Fokker 70 were ever built, which meant it was not a commercial success. Austrian Airlines and Austrian Arrows, however, were among the more significant operators of both types and remained loyal to them for many years, at a time when many other airlines had already switched to other manufacturers.

Service at Tyrolean Airways / Austrian Arrows

Within the Austrian Airlines Group, the Fokker 70 and Fokker 100 were primarily used on medium-haul European routes, often alongside the Canadair/Bombardier CRJ100/200 regional jets and the larger turboprops of the Dash 8 family. After flight operations were merged in 2012, the remaining Fokker aircraft were formally operated under the Tyrolean Airways operator code, even though the jets had originally been procured as Austrian Airlines aircraft. The last Fokker 100s were retired from the group’s active fleet in early 2018.

Where Are These Types Still Flying Today?

Of the examples remaining worldwide, only a few are still in scheduled service, among smaller airlines in Papua New Guinea, Kenya and Somalia, as well as in military use. In Europe, the type has effectively disappeared from regular scheduled service.

For the complete fleet of Tyrolean Airways, see: The fleet of Tyrolean Airways · For incidents in the wider group, see: Incidents and safety record

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Sources (selection)

• aerointernational.de: Fokker 70, the last operators of the “last Dutch lady” (German)
• Wikipedia: Tyrolean Airways

Part of the fleet history of Tyrolean Airways. An independent, private history project with no connection to Austrian Airlines AG or the Lufthansa Group.