Fokker built 47 of these between 1994 and 1997 before bankruptcy closed the line, which makes this one of the rarest jets still earning a living. Alliance Airlines in Australia holds most of what is left, with smaller fleets in Papua New Guinea, Suriname, Curaçao and East Africa.
Fokker Services Group still supports the type, and the airframe was designed to a 90,000 landing life that most survivors are nowhere near.
Fokker 70 Specifications
| Manufacturer | Fokker (Amsterdam-Schiphol, Netherlands) |
| Type | Twin-engine regional jet airliner |
| Type designation | Fokker F28 Mark 0070 |
| First flight | 4 April 1993 (shortened Fokker 100 prototype PH-MKC); first production aircraft July 1994 |
| Certification | Netherlands RLD, 14 October 1994; now held on EASA TCDS A.037 |
| Production status | Out of production; delivered 1994 to 1997 |
| Units built | 47 production aircraft, though published totals run from 46 to 48 |
| Engines | 2x Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 620-15 turbofan, 13,850 lb (61.6 kN) thrust each, with thrust reversers |
| Max range | Approximately 1,080nm (2,000km) at standard weights; about 1,840nm (3,410km) in the high gross weight configuration with the centre wing tank |
| Cruise speed | Mach 0.77, roughly 455 to 460 KTAS |
| Max operating altitude | 35,000ft |
| Takeoff field length | Approximately 1,300m (4,265ft) at standard MTOW, rising toward 1,570m (5,150ft) at the 41,730 kg weight |
| Landing field length | Approximately 1,210m (3,970ft) |
| Max takeoff weight (MTOW) | 36,740 kg (81,000 lb) baseline; up to 41,730 kg (92,000 lb) by service bulletin |
| Max landing weight | 34,020 kg (75,000 lb) standard; up to 36,740 kg (81,000 lb) |
| Max zero fuel weight | 31,975 to 33,565 kg (70,500 to 74,000 lb) by configuration |
| Operating empty weight | Approximately 22,700 kg (50,000 lb) |
| Fuel capacity | 9,640 litres (2,547 US gallons) in the wing tanks; 13,365 litres (3,531 US gallons) with the optional integral centre wing tank |
| Wingspan | 28.08m (92ft 2in) |
| Length | 30.91m (101ft 5in) |
| Height | 8.50m (27ft 11in) |
| Wing area | 93.5 sq m (1,006 sq ft) |
| Passenger capacity | 79 typical single class, five abreast; 85 maximum demonstrated |
| Crew | 2 pilots |
| Design life | 90,000 landings |
| Price | Out of production. List price was roughly $20 to $25 million in the mid-1990s; serviceable airframes have since changed hands from under $1 million to around $4 million depending on hours and configuration |
Fokker 70 History and Overview
Development and Background
Fokker started work in November 1992 on a shorter aircraft for routes where the Fokker 50 turboprop was too small and the Fokker 100 too large. Rather than build a prototype, it flew the second Fokker 100 prototype to Woensdrecht and took out the fuselage plugs forward and aft of the wing. PH-MKC flew in shortened form on 4 April 1993, although several sources put the date two days earlier.
Keeping the aircraft on the existing F28 type certificate was the whole point of the exercise. The EASA type certificate data sheet still describes the Mark 0070 as derived from the Mark 0100 and differing only in a fuselage reduced by 4.623 metres. That avoided the recertification cost of a clean sheet and gave operators one type rating across both aircraft.
Launch orders came from Sempati Air and Pelita Air Service in Indonesia, 15 firm with 10 options. The first production aircraft flew in July 1994, approval followed on 14 October, and the first delivery went to Ford Motor Company as a 48-seat corporate shuttle. Fokker was declared bankrupt in March 1996 and the last Fokker 70 went to Vietnam Airlines in April 1997.
Design and Performance
Everything outside the fuselage plugs is Fokker 100. Wing, engines, flight deck, systems and landing gear carry across, and Fokker put parts commonality at around 95 percent. The shorter body takes roughly 1.7 tonnes out of the empty weight, which is where the Fokker 70 picks up range at comparable load.
Two Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 620-15 turbofans of 13,850 lb thrust sit on the rear fuselage with thrust reversers fitted. The Mark 0070 is certified on the 620 alone, where the Fokker 100 could also take the 15,100 lb Mark 650. Behind them sits the Fokker 100 flight deck, a Rockwell Collins EFIS suite with dual flight management systems and CAT IIIA autoland.
A tail-mounted clam-shell air brake lets the aircraft fly steep approaches, and the type certificate records compliance for steep approach and landing operations. Air Littoral was running 79-seat Fokker 70s into London City from November 1995, breaking the Avro RJ monopoly on jet services there.
Variants
- Fokker 70 baseline: 79 passengers five abreast, Tay Mk 620-15 engines, 36,740 kg (81,000 lb) maximum takeoff weight and 9,640 litres of fuel in the wings.
- High gross weight and extended range builds: service bulletins step maximum takeoff weight up in stages, with SBF100-51-011 reaching 41,730 kg (92,000 lb), and an optional integral centre wing tank adds 3,725 litres. Marketed as the Fokker 70ER and branded Fokker 70 LR by Alliance, but no separate model exists on the type certificate.
- Fokker Executive Jet 70: corporate and VIP configuration with optional additional tankage. The first aircraft built went to Ford Motor Company in October 1994 in a 48-seat layout.
- Fokker 70A: proposed for US regional operators with extra cargo volume and seating capped at 70 to suit scope clauses. No evidence any were built.
Operators
KLM Cityhopper was the largest operator and flew the type for 21 years, retiring its last aircraft on 28 October 2017 with farewell flights from Schiphol the following day. Austrian Airlines finished three months earlier, on 30 July 2017, having picked up six Fokker 70s alongside 15 Fokker 100s from Alliance in 2015. Both carriers replaced the type with Embraer E-Jets.
Alliance Airlines in Australia now holds the largest fleet and works it on charter and resource sector contracts. Air Niugini flies the type domestically in Papua New Guinea, Fly AllWays in Suriname and JetAir Caribbean in Curaçao run small fleets, and Skyward Express in Kenya took its first in September 2023. British Midland, Maersk Air, Cyprus Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Air Littoral and Malaysia Airlines all flew it earlier.
Government and VIP work accounts for several airframes. The Dutch government operated PH-KBX on royal and ministerial flights until May 2017, then sold it to Alliance for 3.7 million euros, and the Kenya Air Force has flown KAF308 as the presidential aircraft since new.
Current Status
Production ended in 1997 and there is no prospect of a restart. Around 25 of the 47 built were still flying in late 2023 and the figure has fallen since, with Air Niugini moving to Airbus A220s, JetAir Caribbean shopping for a replacement type and Kenya retiring its presidential aircraft during 2026.
Alliance is the variable that matters most to what survives. It wrote down its Fokker fleet and inventory by A$164.8 million in February 2026 and announced a phase out, then clarified in September that the plan drops the Fokker 100s while keeping Fokker 70s where operationally appropriate.
The used market is thin and largely off market, with no Fokker 70 listed on Controller or AvPay in October 2026. Tire and wheel support is a different question and remains straightforward, since both sizes are shared with the Fokker 100 and the main gear size also serves the COMAC ARJ21.
Fokker 70 Landing Gear and Tires
Landing Gear Configuration
The Fokker 70 carries the Fokker 100 undercarriage unchanged: a hydraulically retractable tricycle layout with twin wheels on all three units, so six tyres per aircraft. Main units retract inboard into the wing and body fairing and the nose unit retracts forward. Messier-Dowty designed the main gear, and Héroux-Devtek has supplied aftermarket gear under licence from Fokker Services since 2010.
Braking is by multiple-disc carbon brakes with hydraulic anti-skid, with autobrake settings selectable for landing and for rejected takeoff. The anti-skid dumps pressure from all brake units when the system reads flight mode, which is correct on approach and a serious problem on the ground. A Dutch Safety Board investigation into PH-WXC at Amsterdam on 5 March 2015 found a ground-flight detection fault had switched both main gear channels into flight mode, leaving the crew with no braking during taxi in.
Nose tires are the chined deflector type with the chines fitted outboard. Both engines sit on the rear fuselage, so throwing standing water sideways rather than up the fuselage sides is what keeps spray out of the intakes. A plain nose tire fitted in place of a deflector type is the wrong part on this aircraft.
Fokker 70 Tire Specifications
| Main gear tire size | H40x14.0-19 |
| Main gear ply rating | 20PR, 225 mph speed rating |
| Nose wheel tire size | 24×7.7 (24×7.7-10) |
| Nose wheel ply rating | 10PR deflector type, 225 mph speed rating |
| Wheels and tires per aircraft | Six; two per main gear leg and two on the nose leg |
| Construction | Bias, tubeless |
| Rated load, main gear | 27,100 lb per tire (Goodyear published rating for the size) |
| Brakes | Multiple-disc carbon with hydraulic anti-skid |
| Compatible brands | Goodyear, Dunlop, Bridgestone |
| Part numbers, main gear | Goodyear 409K02-2; Dunlop DR26521T; Bridgestone APS01456 |
| Part numbers, nose gear | Goodyear 247F02G1; Dunlop DR15852T; Bridgestone APS01142 |
| Shared fitment | Identical to the Fokker 100; main gear size also used on the COMAC ARJ21 |
Verify specifications against the aircraft’s Airworthiness Maintenance Manual and applicable airworthiness directives before ordering. Serial number, weight variant and wheel configuration can change the tire requirement, and inflation pressures are AMM data rather than catalogue data.
Main Gear Tires
Each main leg carries two H40x14.0-19 tires at a 20 ply rating. The Goodyear application chart lists the Fokker 70 and the Fokker 100 on identical fitments at both positions, and at a 27,100 lb rated load per tire the set covers the 92,000 lb high gross weight ceiling with margin to spare. Maximum takeoff weight on the Fokker 70 is 9,000 lb below the Fokker 100 on the same gear, so the structure is working well inside itself.
Goodyear covers the size with 409K02-2 in the Flight Leader line, a bias tubeless tire weighing 125 lb. Dunlop lists DR26521T and Bridgestone APS01456 at the same 20 ply and 225 mph ratings. The ARJ21 uses the same size, which keeps it in production independently of what is left of the Fokker fleet.
Wear is driven by cycles rather than hours, which matters on the short-sector charter and fly-in fly-out work most surviving aircraft now do.
Nose Wheel Tires
The nose unit takes two 24×7.7 tires at a 10 ply rating, speed rated to 225 mph, in the deflector type. Goodyear lists 247F02G1, with Dunlop DR15852T and Bridgestone APS01142 as the alternates. All three are the chined deflector pattern the rear-engined layout calls for.
Michelin does not currently offer either Fokker 70 size at the ply and speed rating the type requires, so in practice the choice runs between those three manufacturers. Nose tires on a rear-engined twin scrub hard in pivot turns and take shimmy loads, so they rarely match main gear life on the same airframe.
Approved and Compatible Brands
The following fitments apply to the Fokker 70 in the correct size, ply rating and speed rating:
- Goodyear 409K02-2 (Flight Leader, H40x14.0-19 20PR, 225 mph), main gear
- Goodyear 247F02G1 (Flight Leader, 24×7.7 10PR, 225 mph), nose gear
- Dunlop DR26521T (H40x14.0-19 20PR, 225 mph), main gear
- Dunlop DR15852T (24×7.7 10PR, 225 mph), nose gear
- Bridgestone APS01456 (H40x14.0-19 20PR, 225 mph), main gear
- Bridgestone APS01142 (24×7.7 10PR, 225 mph), nose gear
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fokker 70 still in production?
No. Fokker went bankrupt in March 1996 and the last aircraft was delivered to Vietnam Airlines in April 1997, after 47 had been built. Rekkof, now Fokker Next Gen, spent years trying to reopen the Fokker 70 and 100 lines and has since moved to a hydrogen regional aircraft programme instead.
What are the Fokker 70 specifications?
Two Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 620-15 turbofans of 13,850 lb thrust, 79 passengers five abreast and 85 maximum, Mach 0.77 cruise and a 35,000ft ceiling. Maximum takeoff weight runs from 36,740 kg (81,000 lb) on baseline aircraft to 41,730 kg (92,000 lb) by service bulletin. The table above lists dimensions, weights and field performance in full.
What is the range of the Fokker 70?
Roughly 1,080nm (2,000km) at standard weights with a full passenger load. High gross weight aircraft fitted with the optional integral centre wing tank reach about 1,840nm (3,410km). Published figures vary, so work from the flight manual for the specific airframe and weight variant.
What is the Fokker 70 price?
The type has been out of production since 1997, so there is no list price. New aircraft sold for roughly $20 to $25 million in the mid-1990s. Since then serviceable airframes have changed hands anywhere from under $1 million for high-time passenger aircraft up to the 3.7 million euros paid for the low-utilisation ex-Dutch government aircraft in 2017.
What does the Fokker 70 cost to operate per hour?
No manufacturer or trade figure is published for the type, and charter rates quoted around $11,000 per hour include crew, margin and positioning rather than direct operating cost. The useful comparison is what operators say when they leave: Air Niugini expects its Airbus A220s to cut operating costs by about 30 percent against the Fokkers, and Alliance cited higher than expected maintenance costs on the ageing fleet in its 2026 results.
Where can I find a Fokker 70 for sale?
Listings are sporadic and mostly handled off market through remarketers and part-out brokers rather than general marketplaces. Controller and AvPay both showed no Fokker 70 listings in October 2026. Supply is driven by fleet retirements in Australia and Papua New Guinea. If you operate one, DMI Aviation stocks tires for the type.
What interior options does the Fokker 70 offer?
The standard cabin is five abreast in a 2-3 layout, typically 79 seats and up to 85 at the maximum demonstrated capacity. Cabin width is 3.10m, the same cross-section as the Fokker 100. Corporate aircraft were delivered as the Fokker Executive Jet 70, including the 48-seat shuttle built for Ford and the Dutch government aircraft with 12 VIP seats forward and 12 business class seats aft.
What is the Fokker 70 landing distance?
Landing field length is approximately 1,210m (3,970ft) at typical landing weight, sea level, ISA. Takeoff field length runs around 1,300m (4,265ft) at standard maximum takeoff weight and rises toward 1,570m (5,150ft) at the 41,730 kg weight. The type is also certified for steep approach operations, which is what put it into London City.
What is the difference between the Fokker 70 and the Fokker 100?
Fuselage length. The Fokker 70 is 4.623m shorter, seats 79 against 107, and is certified only on the Tay 620 where the Fokker 100 could also take the Tay 650. Wing, gear, systems and flight deck are shared, parts commonality is around 95 percent, and pilots hold a single type rating covering both.
What tire size does the Fokker 70 use?
Main gear tires are H40x14.0-19 at a 20 ply rating and nose wheel tires are 24×7.7 at a 10 ply rating in the deflector type, both speed rated to 225 mph. The fitment is identical to the Fokker 100. Verify size and ply against the AMM for your serial number and weight variant before ordering.
Which tire brands are approved for the Fokker 70?
Goodyear, Dunlop and Bridgestone all produce both sizes at the correct ply and speed ratings. Goodyear lists 409K02-2 for the main gear and 247F02G1 for the nose, with Dunlop and Bridgestone equivalents in each position. Michelin does not currently cover either size at the required ratings.
How much do Fokker 70 tires cost?
Pricing varies by manufacturer and by whether the tire is new or an OEM-certified retread. A main gear tire in this size sits well above general aviation and business jet pricing, and the nose tire costs around half as much. See the product listings for current pricing, or contact us for bulk orders.
What is the tire pressure for the Fokker 70?
Inflation pressures for both positions are published in the aircraft maintenance manual and vary with weight variant and configuration. Work from the AMM figure for the specific airframe rather than a general catalogue value. Check pressures against a calibrated gauge at the intervals the maintenance programme sets.
How long do Fokker 70 tires last?
Regional jet main gear tires generally give a few hundred landings between changes, with the figure driven by runway surface, braking technique, sector length and ambient temperature. Short-sector and fly-in fly-out operations accumulate cycles quickly, so calendar life is rarely the limiting factor on this type.
How often should Fokker 70 tires be changed?
Replace at the wear limit, when cord or fabric is exposed, or when cuts, bulges or flat spots are found at inspection. Retread limits and cycle counts are set by the maintenance programme and the tire manufacturer’s care and maintenance manual. A licensed engineer and the AMM govern the final call.
