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The 'Saab 340' is a two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild in a 65:35 ratio. Under the initial plan Saab built the Aluminium fuselage and Plastic fin, and also performed final assembly in Linköping, Sweden while Fairchild was responsible for the plastic wings, empennage, and engine nacelles. After Fairchild ceased this work, wings were assembled in Sweden.

Contents

History

Variants

Operators

Civil operators

Military operators

Specifications (340B)

References

External links

Related content

History

Originally designated as the 'SF340', the aircraft first flew on 25 January 1983. After Fairchild exited the aircraft manufacturing business in 1984 the designation was eventually changed to '340A'. An improved version, the '340B', introduced more powerful engines and wider tailplane tips in 1989. The final version, the '340B Plus', incorporated improvements that were being introduced at the same time in the Saab 2000, and was delivered for service in 1994.
One of the improvements introduced in the '340B Plus' was the installation of an active noise control system in the cabin, reducing noise and vibration levels by about 10db to the passengers when in mid flight. The first ever 340B Plus was delivered new to Hazelton Airlines in Australia in 1995 and later operated for Regional Express and will be operating for Japan Coast guard eventually. Another change from earlier models was the moving of the lavatory compartment from the aft of the passenger cabin to just aft of the flight deck. This increased total available cargo volume as the original location intruded into the cargo bin area. The Saab 340 typically seats from 30 to 36 passengers, with 34 seats being the most common configuration. The last 2 Saabs ever built were older configuration 36 seaters.
The military variant is the 'Saab 340 AEW & C', which is an electronic surveillance aircraft.
Saab ceased the production of civil aircraft in 2005.

Variants

★ Saab Fairchild SF-340

★ Saab 340A

★ Saab 340B

★ Saab 340B Plus

★ Saab 340B plus SAR-200

★ Saab 340QC

★ Tp 100

★ Saab 340AEW Erieye

★ S100E Argus

Operators

As of October 2005, there were 430 Saab 340's in service with 56 operators in 25 countries.^[1] In August 2006 a total of 361 Saab 340 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service around the world with some 49 operators.^[2] 9 SAAB340s have been written off in accidents, 6 of them without fatalities.

Civil operators

The major operators of the 351 Saab 340s still in airline service in August 2006 include: American Eagle Airlines (78), Mesaba Airlines (49), Colgan Air (42), Regional Express (32), Air Nelson (17), Loganair (13), Japan Air Commuter (11), Shuttle America (11), Penair (8), Aerolitoral (AeroMexico) (6) , Calm Air (6), Pacific Coastal Airlines (6), Golden Air (10 - 7 340A and 3 340B), and Estonian Air (2, on lease from Golden Air).
Regional Express Airlines has ordered 25 Saab 340B Plus aircraft in the largest lease deal for the type, which has a redesigned extended wing to increase flight performance and fuel efficiency. They should enter service over the next three to four years and will replace several currently leased Saab 340B. First Delivery was in May 2007. As of September 2007, 5 have been delivered.
;List of operators (historical):

★ Colgan Air (Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express) (USA)

★ Mesaba Airlines under the name Northwest Airlink for Northwest Airlines. (USA)

★ American Eagle Airlines (USA)

★ Rex - Regional Express (Australia)

★ Macair Airlines (Australia)

★ Aerolitoral (Mexico)

★ Air Nelson (New Zealand)

★ Loganair (British Airways franchisee) (UK)

★ Japan Air Commuter

★ Andesmar (Argentina)

★ LAPA (Argentina)

★ LAER (Argentina)

★ Kaiken Lineas Aereas (Argentina)

★ Sol Líneas Aéreas (Argentina)

★ Pen Air (USA)

★ Pacific Coastal Airlines (Canada)

★ Calm Air (Canada)

★ Transwest Air (Canada)

★ Quebec Air Express (Canada)

★ Golden Air (Sweden)

★ RegionsAir (USA)

★ Eznis Airways (Mongolia)

★ Chicago Express (USA)

★ Direct Fly (Poland)

★ Sky Taxi (Poland)

★ Sky Express (Russia)

★ Estonian Air (Estonia)

★ RAF-Avia (Latvia) - cargo

★ DOT LT (Lithuania)

★ Crossair (Switzerland)

★ Adria Airways (Slovenia)- cargo

★ Carpatair (Romania)

★ OLT Ostfriesische Lufttransport (Germany)

★ Moldavian Airlines (Moldova)

★ Air Rarotonga

★ Vildanden (airline) (Norway)

★ Air Åland

★ Finncomm Airlines (Finland)

★ Kenya Airways (Kenya)

★ SkyBahamas (Bahamas)

★ KLM Cityhopper (Netherlands)

★ Saab Aircraft Leasing Corp. list of operators

Military operators

★ : Flygvapnet

Specifications (340B)

References

1. -courtesy www.saabaircraft.com
2. Flight International, 3-9 October 2006

External links

★ [1] - Saab Aircraft AB Official website

★ [2] - Saab Aircraft Leasing

★ [3] - Saab 340 Pilots Tech Notes & Study Guide page

★ [4] - link with a SF340 production list (.xls file), historical & current disposition of all serial numbers

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