Fokker, one of the world's once-well-known aircraft names has plans to return to the sky after a checkered absence, with a new plan and a new airline partner.
Fokker Next Gen, a descendant of the Dutch aircraft manufacturer that went bankrupt in 1996, plans to have a 120-150 seat hydrogen-powered airliner, yet unnamed, to go into service by 2035. Based on size and range, it will compete in regional markets against such planes as the Airbus A220 and smaller versions of the 737, although at 2500 km it does not have their range.
The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with AirBaltic, which will provide end-user input into the development of the innovative liquid hydrogen combustion aircraft, assessing how hydrogen powered aircraft could fit into their future operations and on its routes.
The first concrete step in the new plan is to fit an existing Fokker 100 with hydrogen engines for a test flight by 2028.
AirBaltic is based in Latvia and is owned by the Latvian government. It flies a large number of routes in the Baltic countries and to the rest of Europe, using A220s; it is one of the largest users of the A220.
Fokker NextGen is the current version of what was called Rekkof Restart (yes, that's Fokker spelled backwards), which planned in 1996 to restart production of the popular Fokker 70 and Fokker 100 regional jets. The restart didn't happen, and the company then planned to build upgraded versions of the two planes, but until now no concrete steps have been taken. The company receive considerable financial support over the years from the Dutch government.
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