Fokkers may take to the skies again with a new and improved Fokker

by Scott Carmichael on

In 1996, Dutch aerospace company Fokker went bankrupt. It was the end of a company that had been building planes since 1912. Even though it wasn’t the end of the Dutch aerospace industry, no new Fokkers would be delivered, and thousands of people lost their job.

Fourteen years later, Dutch entrepreneur Rosen Jacobsen has found support (and money) from the Dutch government to bring Fokker back to life, and start making planes again.

The reborn company is currently called “Rekkof” (Fokker spelled backwards), and Jacobsen hopes to relaunch with a new version of the successful Fokker 100 called the 100 NG.

Whether or not the new Fokker will actually succeed depends on support from the European Union, and whether the immense amounts of money required to develop a new plane can be found.

The first 20 million Euros have already been found, which is a decent start. Rekkof hopes to have the first Fokker 100 NG in operation in just 5 years – which seems like an overly ambitious plan. For the new plane to become successful, airlines will need to order at least 40 of the new planes. I wish them a lot of luck.

I’ve got to say, I’ve never been a huge fan of Fokkers, but that may be related to the 100’s of trips I had to make on them between the UK and the Netherlands on Air UK. Still, saying “Fokker” as often as possible is a fun and juvenile pleasure.

Las Vegas singer in hot water over abandoned moldy rotting private jet

by Scott Carmichael on

Vegas superstar Wayne Newton is in a spot of trouble over a $61,000 parking ticket for his private jet. The plane was flown to Oakland County airport in Waterford, MI five years ago, and he doesn’t seem in any kind of rush to pay the fee or remove his plane.

The plane underwent $2 million in extensive renovations at a local facility, and after the work was completed, it was parked at the airport.

The Fokker F-28 may have been renovated on the outside, but because nobody used it for several years, the inside is full of black mold, making the plane virtually unusable.

When a prospective buyer inspected the plane last year, the mold was discovered, and the sale fell through. Apparently the mold is so bad, that the plane will need to be scrapped. Mr. Newton has failed to respond to any requests by the airport, and they may end up being stuck with the $30,000 removal bill.