Iran is widely known as something of an avgeek’s paradise. Many of the country’s carriers operate older aircraft that are somewhat rarer elsewhere in the world, generating interest among enthusiasts. One such type is the rear-engined Fokker 100 twinjet. Iran accounts for almost a fifth of all remaining active examples of this Dutch design.
The flag carrier
According to data from ch-aviation.com, there were 71 active examples of the Fokker 100 at the time of writing. Of these, Iran alone accounts for 14, or just under 20% of the worldwide total. Three of these fly for the country’s national airline, Iran Air. The Iranian flag carrier also has a further four inactive examples of the Fokker 100 in its fleet.
Historically speaking, another 10 Fokker 100s have flown for Iran Air. Those that remain have a hefty average age of 30 years old. They seat 104 passengers in a one-class, all-economy configuration. This sees the seats laid out in a five-abreast (3-2) setup.
The largest operator
The largest active fleet of Fokker 100s in Iran belongs to Iran Aseman Airlines. Of the eight examples of the rear-engined jet that it has at its disposal, five were listed by ch-aviation as being active at the time of writing. They are 29.1 years old on average.
Historically speaking, the carrier has operated a further 13 Fokker 100s. Its examples typically have 109 seats, representing an extra five-seat row compared to Iran Air.
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The smallest operator
At the other end of the scale, Qeshm Airlines flies the smallest active fleet of Fokker 100s in Iran. The carrier has just two at its disposal, in addition to another pair of inactive examples.
These Dutch rear-engined twinjets are comparatively young compared to other Iranian-registered examples, clocking in at ‘just’ 27.9 years old on average. Each of them seats 100 passengers in a slightly less dense (but still all-economy) configuration.
The youngest fleet
The fourth and final Iranian carrier that still has active examples of the Fokker 100 in its fleet is Tehran-based scheduled and charter operator Karun Airlines. Four of the five examples that it has at its disposal were listed as active by ch-aviation at the time of writing.
With an average age of 27.5 years old, Karun Airlines has the honor of operating Iran’s youngest Fokker 100 fleet. Much like Qeshm Airlines, each of them seats 100 passengers. Qeshm Airlines also flies two examples (one active) of the turboprop-powered Fokker 50.
Overall, Iran is a fascinating country when it comes to the diverse range of classic aircraft that its carriers operate. This is underlined by the fact that, as Simple Flying explored in August 2021, 41% of its domestic capacity is provided by the McDonnell Douglas MD-80.
What do you make of the Fokker 100? Have you ever flown on one, either in Iran or elsewhere? Let us know our thoughts and experiences in the comments.
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