Saab 2000
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| Saab 2000 | |
|---|---|
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| Darwin Airline Saab 2000 | |
| Role | Passenger aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Saab |
| First flight | 26 March 1992 |
| Introduction | August 30, 1994 |
| Status | Out of production |
| Primary users | Eastern Airways Carpatair Darwin Airline Golden Air FlyLAL |
| Produced | 1994-1999 |
| Number built | 63 (57 still in service) |
| Developed from | Saab 340 |
The Saab 2000 is a turboprop airplane able to cruise at a speed of 665 km/h.
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Development and Design [edit]
Saab decided to build the 2000 in December 1988 due to perceived demand for a high speed turboprop which could approach the speeds of jet aircraft while retaining the efficiency provided by turboprop engines. The company had previously introduced the smaller Saab 340 twin turboprop aircraft. The Saab 2000 first flew on 26 March 1992 and entered into scheduled airline service in 1994, a few months after its certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities in March and the Federal Aviation Administration in April.
The Saab 2000 had a 15% greater wingspan than the Saab 340, and being over 24 ft. 9 in. (7.55m) longer could fit up to 58 passengers. The 2000 was the first commercial aircraft to use the 4,591shp Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engines (then built by Allison), driving slow turning six-bladed Dowty Rotol propellers. One engine was mounted on each wing, as in the 340, with the engines placed further from the fuselage than those of the 340 to reduce cabin noise.
Operational history [edit]
Sales of the Saab 2000 were fairly limited. The major initial customer was Crossair, a regional airline which had Swissair as a 56% shareholder. Crossair took delivery of 34 aircraft and was still operating the type in 2005. Due to limited demand, Saab ceased production of the Saab 2000 in 1999, with the last aircraft being delivered to Crossair on April 29 of that year.[1] General Motors (GM) operated several corporate-configured Saab 2000s and was in talks with new start-up air carrier Pro Air to have this airline operate them in scheduled service as Pro Air Express in the U.S.; however, Pro Air then encountered financial difficulties and ceased all operations before the deal could be consummated.
By the year 2000, 58 Saab 2000 aircraft remained in service. The primary reason for the low sales was the success of the newly introduced regional jets such as the Bombardier CRJ and Embraer ERJ 145 family which provided better performance and passenger comfort for the same initial price. Some smaller airlines, including Eastern Airways in the UK, have subsequently acquired 2000s at low cost and operated them on regional routes which experience lower passenger numbers.
In June 2006, Pakistan finalized the purchase of six Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft to be equipped with the Saab-Ericsson ERIEYE Airborne Early Warning system. Revised in May 2007 due to renegotiation with the Government of Pakistan, only five aircraft will be delivered, four of which will be equipped with the Erieye system. On April 3, 2008, the first Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C was rolled out and presented to Pakistan Air Force officials during a ceremony in Sweden.[2]
Variants [edit]
- Saab 2000: 50-58 seat regional airliner.
- Saab 2000FI: Flight inspection aircraft for the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, two produced.
- Saab 2000 AEW&C: Airborne Early Warning & Control variant fitted with Erieye radar and associated mission systems.
Operators [edit]
Civilian operators [edit]
Saab 2000 fleet list as of April 2012, from Saab Aircraft Leasing:
- Carpatair (6)
- Darwin Airline (6)
- Eastern Airways (8)
- Ginn Racing (2)
- Golden Air (3)
- Egyptian Government (2)
- Hendrick Motor Sports (3)
- Joe Gibbs Racing (2)
- Moldavian Airlines (2)
- Ostfriesische Lufttransport (3)
- Polet Airlines (5)
- Pakistan Government (3)
- Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (2)
- Lithuanian Airlines (1 stored)
Two prototype aircraft have been dismantled (#001 #003). #002 (non airworthy) is used for engineering training at Flygteknik Technical Training in Nykoping, Sweden. Two have been written off (#047, #053).
Current civilian operators [edit]
Military operators [edit]
- Pakistan Air Force (PAF) - 4 Saab 2000, including 3 AEW&C variants fitted with Erieye radar and associated systems.[2][3]
Accidents and incidents [edit]
- On 10 July 2002, Crossair Flight 850, operated by Saab 2000 HB-IZY made an emergency landing at Werneuchen Airfield, Germany. The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair when it hit an earth bank placed across the runway, the markings of which did not conform to standards.[4]
- On 16 August 2012, a group of Tehrik-e-Taliban militants attacked Kamra Airbase located in Punjab province of Pakistan, and completely destroyed one Saab AEW&C plane .[5]
Specifications [edit]
Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Capacity: 50–58 passengers
- Payload: 5,900 kg (13,010 lb)
- Length: 27.28 m (89 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 24.76 m (81 ft 3 in)
- Height: 7.73 m[7] (25 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 55.7 m² (600 sq ft)
- Airfoil: NASA MS(1)013
- Aspect ratio: 11:0
- Empty weight: 13,800 kg (30,424 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 22,800 kg (50,265 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Allison AE 2100A turboprop, 3,096 kW (4,152 shp) each
- Propellers: six blade constant speed Dowty propellers, 1 per engine
Performance
- Cruise speed: 665 km/h (370 knots, 424 mph)
- Service ceiling: 9,450 m (31,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 11.4 m/s (2,250 ft/min)
Avionics
- Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics suite with integrated avionics processor (IAP)
See also [edit]
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Antonov An-24/Xian Y-7/Xian MA60
- Antonov An-140
- ATR 72
- BAe ATP
- Bombardier Dash 8 Series 300
- CASA/IPTN CN-235
- CASA 3000
- Fokker 50
- Ilyushin Il-114
- Related lists
References [edit]
- ^ Flight - Airline Industry news, aviation jobs & airline recruitment
- ^ a b Saab Debut '2000 Special Mission Aircraft at Farnborough
- ^ Sweden Finalizes AEW&C Contract With Pakistan
- ^ "Report: Crossair SB20 at Werneuchen on Jul 10th 2002, landed before runway and impacted earth wall". Avherald.com. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
- ^ Tax-payers kept in the dark about loss of plane worth $250m | Thenews.com.pk
- ^ Taylor 1999, p. 232.
- ^ Lambert 1993, p.356.
- Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1-85753-245-7.
External links [edit]
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