Dutch airline KLM (KL/KLM) is operating its final Fokker F70 flights the day before a series of special flights to mark its withdrawal from service.
The Fokker F70 has been a regular sight at UK airports operating the daily services to Amsterdams Schiphol (AMS/EHAM).
The Fokker F70 was First flown in 1993 was designed to operate as a short to medium range airliner capable of carrying around 80 passengers.
The F70 and its bigger brother the F100 came at a time when Fokker was losing its place in commercial aviation. The Dutch Government bailed Fokker out with an investment of 212 million Guilders (around £90m GBP) but sales for the both the F70 and F100 were much lower than expected. With the Dutch Governments investment, it’s no surprise that KLM is the largest operator of the type.
To mark the withdrawal from service KLM had one aircraft, PH-KZU, painted into a special livery to mark the companies founder, Anthony Fokker who started the company in 1912. Initially, Fokker was based in Germany before it moved to the Netherlands in 1919.
The most famous Fokker types coming during the First and Second World Wars when it built aircraft including the iconic DR1 Triplane, made famous by The Red Baron.
Fokkers own demise came just 3 years after the F70’s first flight when in 1996 the company formally went bankrupt. Just 47 Fokker F70’s were built.
