Fleets are replaced because they need to be replaced, not because the new type will be fitted with a piece of equipment that could have been retrofitted to the old fleet
Give me a break! These Virgin Fokkers are between 24 and 29 yrs old! In terms of RPT aircraft, they are
antiques!
In addition to high operating hours, they would also have high operating cycle numbers, due to their higher level of short-haul work, as compared to larger aircraft.
You can drive around quite happily in your '69 Holden Premier, because it's your personal piece of vintage transport that impresses the punters and gawkers on the footpath - but try and convince RPT pax that you're going to provide them with a high-level of comfort, entertainment, features, and low noise levels, with a 29 yr old, high-hour, 40-yr-old-design, turbo-prop aircraft - and you'll be met with levels of scorn, from even the least discerning pax.
A Fokker senior executive writing on the Fokker website in a news item dated 2013, makes the statement - "I look forward to another 10 years of successful Fokker 50 operations."
In other words, Fokker are indicating that they consider the F50 will be totally obsolete by 2023.
Why would anyone spend big bucks on adding additional, very expensive avionics, to an aircraft that even the manufacturer admits will be obsolete, and possibly no longer even supported by them, within 7 yrs?