Fokker 100

Fokker 100
Laurent ERRERA from L'Union, France · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Fokker 100
Type	Regional jet
Manufacturer	Fokker
First flight	1986
Introduced	1988
Status	Retired/In service (limited)
Produced	1986–1997
Number built	283

Fokker 100 The Fokker 100 is a twin-engine regional jet airliner developed in the 1980s by the Dutch manufacturer Fokker as a stretched derivative of an earlier Fokker design. It entered service in the late 1980s with major European carriers and saw operations with airlines across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The type served prominent operators including KLM, American Airlines, Ansett Australia, Swissair, and Finnair before many examples were retired or converted for auxiliary roles.

Development

Fokker initiated the program to succeed its earlier regional types following market signals from carriers such as British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Alitalia, and SAS that requested higher-capacity short-haul equipment. Project planning involved collaborations with aerospace suppliers including Rolls-Royce plc, General Electric, Honeywell International Inc., Hamilton Sundstrand, and Messier-Dowty to meet certification standards set by authorities like EASA predecessors and the Federal Aviation Administration. The prototype achieved first flight amid industry attention from manufacturers such as Bombardier Aerospace, Embraer, Saab AB, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and British Aerospace competing in the regional market. Economic pressures on Fokker, exacerbated by orders and partnerships with airlines such as KLM Cityhopper and lease firms including ILFC and GECAS, shaped production and delivery schedules through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Design

The airframe used a low-wing monoplane layout drawing lineage from an earlier Fokker product family noted by technical suppliers like Aviointeriors and Fokker Aerostructures. The two-crew cockpit incorporated avionics suites supplied by Honeywell International Inc., with flight instruments and navigation equipment homologated under certification regimes influenced by ICAO and JAA practices of the era. Powerplants were provided by Rolls-Royce plc through a collaboration with engine support organizations similar to RRSP and MTU Aero Engines service networks. The cabin configuration appealed to carriers such as British Airways CityFlyer and Finnair seeking 85–110 seat layouts, with interior fittings from suppliers like Recaro and Zodiac Aerospace. Structural elements and landing gear technologies reflected partnerships with firms such as Fokker Techniek and Alcoa, enabling operations from airports including London Gatwick, Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport, and Sydney Airport.

Operational history

After entry into service, the type joined fleets of legacy carriers and regional subsidiaries including KLM Cityhopper, Swissair, Ansett Australia, Aerolíneas Argentinas, and American Airlines regional partners, operating on trunk and secondary routes linking hubs like Schiphol, Heathrow, Frankfurt, JFK Airport, and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. Leasing companies such as AerCap and GECAS facilitated deployments to emerging markets in China, Indonesia, South Africa, and Mexico. The aircraft participated in code-share networks with major alliances like SkyTeam and Oneworld through partner carriers, and it was involved in specialized roles with organizations including Royal Flight of Oman and various government operators. Economic trends, fleet renewals by competitors such as Bombardier, Embraer, and Airbus regional families, and the bankruptcy of the manufacturer influenced retirements and secondary-market conversions.

Variants

Multiple production and conversion variants were produced or proposed, reflecting airline requirements similar to customizations demanded by operators like KLM, BA, and Ansett. Proposed stretched or enhanced versions were studied in competition with models from Bombardier Aerospace and Embraer; some airframes were later converted for freight, VIP transport, or ATM calibration duties for organizations including Civil Aviation Authority-type agencies. Collaborations with maintenance, repair and overhaul firms such as SR Technics and Lufthansa Technik supported variant-specific modifications and retrofits during the lifecycle.

Operators

Primary civil operators historically included KLM Cityhopper, Swissair, Ansett Australia, Finnair, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and various regional affiliates of American Airlines. Leasing lessors such as ILFC, GECAS, and AerCap placed aircraft with carriers across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Americas. Non-civil operators and government customers included state aviation units and corporate VIP fleets serving entities in countries such as Nigeria, Indonesia, and Qatar.

Accidents and incidents

Throughout its operational life the type was involved in notable occurrences investigated by national bodies such as Dutch Safety Board, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Incidents involved runway excursions, hard landings, and hull-loss accidents with operators like Ansett Australia and Malev Hungarian Airlines prompting safety recommendations to agencies including EASA and FAA successors. Investigations often referenced operational contexts at airports including Amsterdam Schiphol, Melbourne Airport, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, and Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport.

Specifications

General characteristics included seating for roughly 85–110 passengers used by carriers such as KLM Cityhopper and Swissair, twin turbofan engines supplied by Rolls-Royce plc, a low-wing design, and range capability suitable for short- to medium-haul rotations connecting hubs like Heathrow and Frankfurt. Performance and systems specifications were supported by suppliers including Honeywell International Inc. for avionics and Messier-Dowty for landing gear; maintenance programs were often coordinated with Lufthansa Technik and SR Technics.

Category:Regional airliners