Exactly 36 years ago today, the Dutch-built Fokker 100 made its maiden flight, piloted by Fokker test pilot Henk Themmen and assisted by Wim Huson as the second pilot and Wim Burgers as the flight engineer.

The test flight should have taken place a day earlier, on November 29, 1986, but had to be canceled due to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) being shrouded in thick fog. The following day the fog was still around, but Fokker caught a break in the afternoon when the sun finally appeared. After two hours of flight tests, the plane landed safely back at Schiphol, where it performed an automatic landing.

The Fokker 100 was a stretched version of the Fokker F28

Based on the Fokker F28, the Fokker 100 was a stretched version of the aircraft powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay turbofan engines. Built to cater to the 100-seat market, the Fokker 100 was a dedicated short to medium-haul aircraft aimed at regional airlines. In terms of operating costs, comfort levels, and the technology incorporated into the design, the Fokker 100 was way ahead of any other plane of its type.

When designing the Fokker 100, the Dutch planemaker already had a lot of experience in the sector thanks to the F27 and F28. The trouble with the previous Fokker's was that they were too small and only ever sold to minor carriers. Fokker hoped its larger 100 would appeal to major airlines and sell well outside Europe.

Fokker worked closely with airlines on the design

Given the fact that Fokker was a small aircraft manufacturer competing with Boeing and Airbus, it was quite a feat that the Fokker 100 sold as well as it did. Once Fokker had found customers for its new jet, the company worked closely with Swissair and KLM. Swissair made it clear that they wanted a plane that could operate safely in adverse weather conditions. To combat this, Fokker incorporated an automatic landing capability into the aircraft.

Netherlands national flag carrier KLM also had specific requirements, including a forward opening door for use at airports with airbridges. The original Fokker design had the plane fitted with a downward opening door with integral stairs. Fokker kept the integral stairs as an option for airlines operating out of smaller airports.

By working closely with its customers, Fokker was able to build an ideal product to meet the demands of the marketplace. Fokker had more orders than ever before despite the plane still being on the drawing board.

American Airlines placed the largest order

Swissair was the launch customer for the Fokker 100, with deliveries of eight aircraft beginning in 1988. An important order for the plane came from USAir, who asked for 20 Fokker 100s with an option for 20 more.

Fokker knew it had a hit on its hands when one of the world's largest carriers American Airlines placed an order for 75 planes and an option for 75 more. Other customers for the Fokker 100 included TAM Brasil, China Eastern, Air UK, Korean Airlines, Sempati Airlines of Indonesia, and Air Gabon.

The plane remained in service with airlines for many years, but when the recession of the late 2000s hit, many looked to replace the aging planes with newer, more efficient aircraft. During the aircraft's production run from 1986 until 1997, Fokker built 283 Fokker 100s.