Rekkof Aircraft
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Rekkof Aircraft is a Dutch company dedicated to restarting the production of upgraded versions of the Fokker F70 and Fokker F100 regional jets as production of those stopped when Fokker was declared bankrupt in 1996. They first announced their plans in late 2003 and intend to first re-launch the Fokker F70NG (NG standing for Next Generation) and if enough orders are placed later also the Fokker F100NG. Notable changes on the NG models will be winglets and different engines. A possible third as of yet unnamed stretched version of the aircraft has also been mentioned.
Rekkof believes there is a sufficient market for the aircraft and that the design can still compete with similar modern regional airliners from manufacturers as Embraer and Canadair. However, while the announcement of a launch customer and the production re-start have been called "imminent" by Rekkof a number of times between early 2004 and mid-2005, none of Rekkof's plans have materialised to date. KLM, a current user of Fokker aircraft and suggested as a launch customer, has denied that they are in negotiations with Rekkof.
Though Rekkof has stated that it prefers to assemble the aircraft in the Netherlands, with Lelystad Airport and Enschede Airport Twente mentioned as possible assembly locations, Bangalore in India has now also been mentioned as a possible location with Indian engineering firm Cades Digitech planning to invest 300 million US dollars in an assembly plant.[1]
Rekkof Aircraft is a part of Panta Holdings BV, which also owns VLM Airlines and Denim Air, both airlines using Fokker 50 aircraft.
[edit] References
- ^ Cades Digitech will make Fokker aircraft, article from Daily News & Analysis, India
[edit] External links
- Rekkof Aircraft (official website)