Saab 340

Saab 340
Estonian Air Saab 340A
Role	Passenger aircraft
National origin	Sweden
Manufacturer	Saab
First flight	25 January 1983
Introduction	1983
Status	Out of production
Primary users	Mesaba Airlines Regional Express Colgan Air Loganair
Produced	1983-1999
Number built	459

The Saab 340 is a 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.

Design and development

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 production run of Saab 340s 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+. 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. All 25 3rd generation units that were originally delivered under lease to American Eagle (now on lease to Regional Express) are the only aircraft built with the extended wingtips.

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.

Variants

Hokkaido Air System Saab 340B-WT.

LADE Saab 340

Saab 340A

30 to 36-seat commuter airliner, powered by two 1,630-shp (1215-kW) General-Electric CT7-5A2 turboprop engines. (340A-001 to 340A-159)

Saab 340B

33 to 36-seat commuter airliner, powered by two 1,870-shp (1394-kW) General-Elecric CT7-9B turboprop engines. (340B-160 to 340B-359)

Saab Tp 100

VIP transport version of the Saab 340B and B Plus for the Swedish Air Force.

Saab 340B Plus

Improved version of the Saab 340B. 25 have extended wingtips. (340B-360 to 340B-459)

Saab 340B plus SAR-200

Maritime search and rescue version for the Japan Coast Guard.

• Saab 340AF (cargo)

Saab 340A QC

Quick-change freight transport version.

• TP 100A
• TP 100C

Saab 340AEW / S 100B Argus (FSR-890) Erieye

Airborne early warning version for the Swedish Air Force.

Saab 340AEW-200 / S 100D Argus (IS-340) Erieye

Saab 340AEW-300 / S 100D Argus (ASC-890) Erieye

Operators

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. The workhorse of the fleet (028) has 52,521 hours alone.

Nine SAAB 340s have been written off in accidents, 6 of them without fatalities.

Civil operators

The active fleet of current operators

American Eagle Saab 340B with Hamilton Standard Propellers at Los Angeles International Airport

A Colgan Air / United Express Saab 340 prepares to accept passengers. Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, 2005.

Saab 340B operated by Colgan Air at Logan International Airport

Flightdeck of an American Eagle Airlines Saab 340B

Regional Express Airlines has committed to lease 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. They should enter service over the next three to four years. With the delivery of these 340B+'s. Some of the older aircraft were phased out including 3 of the 340A's that were converted into freighters for PEL-AIR. First Delivery was in May 2007. As of April 2010, 24 have been delivered. These B+ aircraft, all formerly in service with American Eagle, will all be delivered by May 2010.

Delta Airlines uses a number of this aircraft on its fleet (2010).

Former operators

Saab AEW & C surveillance aircraft, at Linköping, on Saab's Diamond Jubilee in 1997

A Saab 340B operated by Regional Express Airlines in Australia

Argentina Kaiken Lineas Aereas LADE LAER LAPA Sol Lineas Aereas Australia Hazelton Airlines Kendell Airlines Canada Quebec Air Express Estonia Estonian Air Finland Finnaviation Finncomm Airlines Germany Dauair OLT Greece Sky Express Guatemala Transportes Aereos Guatemaltecos Ireland Aer Lingus Kyrgyzstan Eastok Avia Latvia RAF-Avia - cargo Lithuania Amber Air FlyLAL Nordic Solutions Air Moldova Moldavian Airlines Netherlands KLM Cityhopper New Zealand Air Nelson Norway Vildanden Poland Direct Fly Sky Taxi Slovenia Adria Airways - cargo Switzerland Crossair - launch customer Thailand SGA Airlines The Bahamas Sky Bahamas Western Air United Kingdom Guernsey Aurigny Air Services United States American Eagle Airlines Business Express Castle Aviation Chicago Express Colgan Air (Continental Express) Comair Express Airlines I/Pinnacle Airlines Indiana State University Foundation RegionsAir Shuttle America

Source:

Incidents and accidents

Between 1983 and 2009, there were 9 hull loss accidents involving the Saab 340 series aircraft, resulting in the deaths of 26 people.

• 21 February 1990. The undercarriage was accidentally retracted of a Crossair Saab 340A, on the apron at Zürich Airport. 0 fatalities, aircraft destroyed.

• 2 January 1993. Express Airlines Saab 340A crashed hard onto the runway at Chisholm-Hibbing Municipal Airport due to wing ice contamination. 0 fatalites, aircraft destroyed.

• 4 April 1994. A KLM Cityhopper Saab 340B suffered engine problems, stalled and struck the ground while landing at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Aircraft broke apart on impact. 3 people killed.

• 14 May 1997. Pilots of Regional Lineas Aéreas 340B landing at Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport were not aware of runway construction work. Aircraft ploughed through trench, sheering off the undercarriage. 0 deaths.

• 18 March 1998. Formosa Airlines 340B crashed into the ocean 11km off the city of Hsinchu in Taiwan, caused by electrical fault and disorientation of crew. 13 people killed.

• 10 January 2000. After taking off from Zürich Airport, a Crossair 340B banked steeply and entered a high-speed spiral dive, crashing into a field in Niederhasli. All 10 people killed (see article: Crossair Flight 498).

• 21 March 2000. American Eagle Airlines 340B overshot the runway at Killeen Municipal Airport, crashing into a ditch. 0 fatalities.

• 6 September 2001. Aerolitoral Airlines 340B made an emergency landing in farmland near the Las Palmas River, in Mexico. 0 fatalities.

• 8 June 2005. Shuttle America 340B, operating as United Express Airlines reported undercarriage problems on approach to Washington Dulles International Airport. Undercarriage collapsed on landing, aircraft skidded off the runway, and onto grass. 0 fatalities, aircraft damaged beyond repair.

Specifications (340B)

Saab 340B in Colgan Air livery originally delivered to American Eagle

Saab 340B in previous US Airways Express livery

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 pilots, 1 flight attendant
• Capacity: 30, 33, 34 or 36 passengers
• Airfoil: NASA MS(1)-0316 / -0312 (root/tip)

Performance

See also

Related development

• Saab 2000

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
• Antonov An-24
• ATR 42
• CASA CN-235
• De Havilland Canada Dash 8
• Dornier 328
• Xian MA60
• BAe Jetstream 41

Related lists

• List of civil aircraft

External links

• Saab Aircraft AB Official website
• Saab Aircraft Leasing
• An enthusiast Saab 340 reference site (not affiliated with Saab Aircraft)