-- CORRECTION --
A sharp reader of the blog pointed out that the first flight of the Fokker 70 was not on the 4th of April but actually on the 2nd of April (L.B. thank you for your correction!). It shows again that although extensive research on the internet and in old fashioned books al these sources led to the wrong date of the 4th of April 1993. It should be on the 2nd of April. The blog has been corrected to reflect the correct date!
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After yesterday's short-read on the first flight of the Airbus A310 on the 3rd of April 1982, 1 day short of 11 years later another first flight took place.
On the 2nd of April 1993 the Fokker 70 prototype, PH-MKC made its first flight.
PH-MKC MSN 11243 made another first flight about 6 years earlier on the 25th of February 1987. This was as a prototype for the Fokker 100
The development of the Fokker 70 started late in 1992. The fuselage of the Fokker 100 aircraft was shortened to the Fokker 70 length by removing a fuselage plug in front of the wing and a fuselage plug aft of the wing. The Fokker 70 had a fuselage length of 30.91 m (101 ft 5 in), shortened from the 35.53 m (116 ft 7 in) length of the Fokker 100.
47 aircraft were produced in total before the demise of Fokker.
The aircraft has a maximum capacity of 72 to 85 passengers depending on the cabin layout, it can fly its passengers over a distance of 1841 NM (3410 km) It was powered by the Rolls-Royce Tay 620 engine. (which was also an engine option for the Fokker 100)
In October 1994 the aircraft was certified for flight and the first aircraft was delivered in the same month. Fokker 70’s are still in use around the world, together with her bigger sister the Fokker 100. Although sadly the numbers of aircraft in service are getting lower. For more information on the Fokker Aircraft check http://www.fokker-aircraft.info