Kenya Bans Import of F27 and F50 Aircraft Over Safety Concerns

(KENYA) Kenya bans import of aging Dutch-built turboprops after the aviation regulator moved to halt the intake of Fokker 27 and Fokker 50 aircraft, citing safety risks tied to their age and mounting maintenance issues. In a notice issued through Aeronautical Information Circular AIC 15/25, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the prohibition on importation, registration, and new certification for the types will take effect on November 1, 2025, a decision that could reshape regional fleets and routes served by local carriers.

“No new applications for type acceptance, registration, or certificate of airworthiness issuance for the above aircraft types shall be processed,” according to the KCAA statement.

The directive applies to all variants of the F27—Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600—and the F50, including 0502 and 070, closing the door to fresh entries or first-time approvals for any models in the families.

KCAA Director General Emile N. Arao said operators must plan now for the policy’s impact on their fleets and licensing.

“This is a critical update for all players in the aviation sector. We urge all airlines and operators to take note of this directive when applying for or renewing Air Operator Certificates (AOC) and related aviation licenses.”

The move follows a comprehensive safety review and comes amid global scrutiny over airworthiness concerns in older turboprops, including landing gear malfunctions and the rising difficulty of sourcing parts for time-expired systems.

Existing Fokker 27 and Fokker 50 aircraft already on Kenya’s registry may continue flying, but only until they are deregistered or permanently grounded, and only if they meet strict, ongoing safety checks. The restriction does not extend to foreign-registered F27 or F50 aircraft that overfly Kenyan airspace or make technical stops, provided they comply with applicable regulations, allowing international cargo and ferry flights to continue transiting through hubs such as Nairobi and Mombasa without disruption.

The decision lands heavily in a market where the Fokker 50 remains a workhorse on thin passenger routes and trunk cargo links. As of November 2025, Kenya has at least 21 Fokker 50s and seven Fokker 50(F) freighters operated by 11 local carriers: Advantage Air, AeroSpace Consortium, Buffair Services, Freedom Airline Express, i-Fly Air, Jetlite Air, Renegade Air, Rudufu, Jetways Airlines, Skyward Airlines, and Jubba Airways (Kenya). Safari Express Cargo operates the country’s only Fokker 27-400, a type with roots in the late 1950s that once dominated short-haul regional aviation across Africa.

Operators have been bracing for the phase-out. Skyward Airlines told ch-aviation the ban was anticipated, companies have begun revising fleet strategies, and the carrier hopes to keep using the type for the next five to ten years. But the KCAA’s cutoff on new imports and fresh airworthiness certificates signals a definitive endpoint for expansion or replacement within the F27 and F50 families, pushing airlines to accelerate plans for alternative aircraft that can handle rugged runways and short sectors.

One early sign of that shift is the movement of aircraft across borders. Jubba Airways (Kenya) has already transferred one Fokker 50 and one Fokker 50(F) to Ituri Airlines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, indicating both the resale value still present in the type and the practical need for Kenyan operators to trim their exposure before maintenance costs and regulatory hurdles climb further. The transfer also shows how regional carriers may redeploy assets to markets where rules remain more permissive or where fleets can be cannibalized for parts.

The ban is expected to open opportunities for ATR turboprops in Kenya, especially the ATR42 and ATR72 series that can step into routes now flown by Fokkers. Renegade Air has introduced ATR42 and ATR72 freighters alongside the ATR42-500 passenger version, positioning itself to cover domestic cargo and short-haul passenger demand as Fokker airframes age out. Jubba Airways plans to refleet its Somali-registered operations with ATR turboprops, pointing to a broader move toward newer designs with better parts availability, manufacturer support, and fuel efficiency.

The F27 and F50 have long histories in East Africa. The Fokker F27 Friendship first flew in the late 1950s and went into wide service across the continent, prized for its sturdy landing gear and ability to operate from short, rough airstrips. Production ended in the mid-1980s, and the Fokker 50—an updated derivative with more efficient engines and avionics—continued until Fokker’s bankruptcy in 1996. That timeline means even the youngest F50s are approaching three decades in service, a span that magnifies fatigue issues and complicates maintenance as original suppliers exit and parts pools dwindle.

Kenya’s move aligns with its National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP) 2023–2025, which prioritizes risk-based oversight and the phased removal of aging aircraft from commercial operations. In practice, that means regulators are weighing accident trends, component reliability, and the cost of inspections against operational demand for legacy turboprops, then intervening where the balance tilts toward unacceptable risk. The KCAA’s AIC 15/25 binds that strategy to a firm date and scope, while still allowing current operators to keep flying if they meet the letter of the safety rules.

For carriers such as Skyward Airlines and Jetways Airlines that rely on the Fokker 50 for passenger and cargo runs into smaller cities and remote regions, the transition may pinch route economics. Many Fokker 50s are fully paid off, and crews, engineers, and dispatchers know their quirks intimately, making them cheap to operate day-to-day even as heavy checks grow more intensive. A pivot to ATRs or other replacements will demand capital, retraining, and a delicate recalibration of capacity on secondary routes. Some operators could hold on to their current Fokkers as long as inspections and airworthiness directives allow, deferring big purchases while securing spares through teardown markets or limited repair shop inventories.

For now, the KCAA is clear that the door is closed to any new-to-Kenya F27 and F50 aircraft. The agency also advised operators and applicants to avoid acquiring or planning for these types given the prohibition and the looming long-term limits on continued use. Regulators say the change aims to reduce risks tied to the oldest airframes and systems, improve overall fleet reliability, and push the market toward platforms with stronger support and clearer safety margins.

Cargo operators face a particular challenge. Kenya’s seven Fokker 50(F) freighters form a backbone for time-sensitive shipments—fresh produce, medical supplies, and e-commerce parcels—moving between Nairobi, coastal ports, and inland hubs. While ATR freighters are increasingly available, lead times, lease rates, and conversion slots can be tight, and operators that specialized in the F50(F) platform must balance near-term service commitments against the timelines set by the new policy. Some relief comes from the exemption for foreign-registered aircraft making technical stops, which preserves international feed flows through Kenyan airports even as local fleets evolve.

The broader safety rationale rests not only on age but on the complexity of keeping veteran turboprops compliant. Landing gear systems, propeller governors, pressurization components, and avionics can become harder to support as type certificates change hands and specialist shops close. Each unplanned grounding or part shortage can ripple through schedules, and the risk of incidents tied to degraded systems rises as maintenance windows tighten. By drawing a line on new imports and certifications, the KCAA is trying to stop the inflow of additional risk while managing the orderly exit of aircraft already in service.

There are also regional implications. Kenya’s fleet decisions often influence neighboring markets, where cross-border leasing and shared maintenance ecosystems are common. As Kenyan carriers pivot to ATRs, demand for pilots and engineers trained on those types could increase across East Africa, while used Fokkers may flow to countries with different rules or into cargo-only operations that push them toward end-of-life roles. The transfer of airframes to the Democratic Republic of Congo is an early example of how these market shifts play out in practice.

For passengers, the changes may be subtle at first: familiar routes continue, but with newer aircraft types phased in as leases and deliveries allow. For airline finance teams, the implications are more immediate. Commitments to spare parts pools and heavy checks on aging Fokkers will be weighed against the cost and availability of ATR42 and ATR72 aircraft, while insurers and lessors factor Kenya’s policy into valuations. In time, a younger turboprop fleet could bring better on-time performance and fewer technical returns, a shift regulators argue will raise safety and reliability standards across the board.

Stakeholders seeking official guidance can refer to the KCAA’s Aeronautical Information Circular AIC 15/25 for the full text of the directive and compliance expectations. The regulator said the restriction covers importation, type acceptance, registration, and certificate of airworthiness issuance for both Fokker families, and that operators must reflect the change in applications related to AOCs and other aviation licenses. Details are available through the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

As the November 1, 2025 deadline approaches, Kenya’s carriers face hard choices about fleet renewal, route planning, and capital. The Fokker 27 and Fokker 50, once staples of the country’s domestic and regional air network, are now on a glide path to retirement under stricter oversight. The KCAA’s line is unequivocal: safety comes first, and the era of adding more Fokker turboprops to Kenya’s register is over.