| Saab 340 | |
|---|---|
| Estonian Air Saab 340A | |
| Role | Passenger aircraft/ Airliner |
| National origin | Sweden |
| Manufacturer | Saab |
| First flight | 25 January 1983 |
| Introduction | 1983 |
| Status | Out of production, in active service |
| Primary users | Mesaba Airlines Regional Express Colgan Air Loganair |
| Produced | 1983-1999 |
| Number built | 459 |
| Variants | Saab 340 AEW&C |
| Developed into | Saab 2000 |
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio. Under the initial plan Saab built the all aluminium fuselage and vertical stabilizer, and also performed final assembly in Linköping, Sweden, while Fairchild was responsible for the wings, empennage, and wing-mounted nacelles for the two turboprop engines. After Fairchild ceased this work, production of these parts was shifted to Sweden.
The aircraft first flew on 25 January 1983, but due to declining sales, production of the Saab 340 ended in 1998.[1]
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Originally designated as the SF340, the aircraft first flew on 25 January 1983. When Fairchild exited the aircraft manufacturing business in 1985 after about 40 units, Saab dropped the name Fairchild from the project and continued aircraft production under the designation Saab 340A and 159 A models were built. An improved version, the second generation 340B, introduced more powerful engines and wider horizontal stabilizers in 1989 and the later 340Bs also had an active noise control system. Two hundred aircraft were built. The final third generation version, the 340B Plus, was delivered for service in 1994 and incorporated improvements that were being introduced at the same time in the Saab 2000. One hundred aircraft were built adding up to a total of 300 B models. The Saab 340 typically seated between 30 and 36 passengers, with 34 seats being the most common configuration. The last two 340s built were constructed as older configuration 36-seat aircraft for Japan Air Commuter.
One of the improvements introduced in the 340B Plus was the installation of an active noise and vibration control system in the cabin, reducing noise and vibration levels by about 10 dB during cruising flight. This optional feature carried over from the 340B was standard in the 340B Plus along with extended wingtips which was an option on the 340B, about 30 aircraft have the WT option.[2] Another change from earlier models was a more modern interior design and the moving of the lavatory compartment from the aft of the passenger cabin to just aft of the flight deck in most 3rd generation units. This increased total available cargo volume as the original location intruded into the cargo bin area. While the active noise control became standard on all Saab 340Bs in 1994 the first ever 340B Plus (third B+ built) was delivered new to Hazelton Airlines in Australia in 1995, later operating for Regional Express, and currently for the Japanese Coast Guard.
The military variants are the Saab 340AEW, 340AEW-200 & 340AEW-300, which are airborne early warning (AEW) and airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft. Production of all 340 models ended in 1999, and Saab ceased all civil aircraft production in 2005.
As of June 2009, Saab Aircraft AB reports there were 413 Saab 340s in service with 61 operators in 30 countries having accumulated 13,499,000 flight hours on over 15 million flights.[3] SAAB is considering extending the airframe lifespan, which initially was 60.000 hours and 90.000 cycles, up to 75,000 hours. The highest time aircraft in the fleet (-028) has reached over 57,000 hours as of March 2011 and over 60,000 cycles.[1]
Nine SAAB 340s have been written off in accidents, 6 of them without fatalities.[4]
The active fleet of current operators
Regional Express Airlines, also known as Rex has leased 25 Saab 340B+ aircraft in the largest lease deal for the type, which has a redesigned extended wing to increase flight performance and fuel efficiency. These have been put into service as of 2010. With the delivery of these 340B+'s. Some of the older aircraft were phased out including all Saab 340A's. Three of the 340A's that were converted into freighters for PEL-AIR and 1 kept as passenger aircraft. The other 4 went to SprintAir, Solinair and SOL. First Delivery was in May 2007. These B+ aircraft with extended wingtips, all formerly in service with American Eagle, were all delivered by May 2010. Interestingly the last aircraft delivered was registered as VH-REX.[5]
US Airways and United-Continental Holdings regional partner Colgan Air (to be renamed Mesaba) operates the largest Saab 340B fleet in the United States as with over 60 aircraft (2010). Colgan Air and Mesaba Aviation are wholly owned subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Source:[6]
Between 1983 and 2011, there were 10 hull loss accidents involving the Saab 340 series aircraft, resulting in the deaths of 48 people.[7]
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94[11]
General characteristics
Performance
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