Saab 340B

Type (Muster)
Turboprop regional airliner (Regionalverkehrsflugzeug)

Country (Land)
Sweden (Schweden)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Saab Aircraft
58188 Linköping
Sweden

Phone: 0046-13/182000
Fax: 0046-13/181802

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2 plus cabin attendant
Passengers (Passagiere): 35 standards, three-abreast with 76 cm seat pitch, or maximum of 37
Baggage (Gepäck): overhaed bins plus 6,8 to 8,3 cu m of cargo compartment in rear fuselage

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x General Electric CT7-9B
Power (Leistung): 2 x 1305 kW (1750 shp) for take-off, with automatic power reserve of up to 1394 kW (1870 shp)
Dowty four-blade propeller, 3,35 m diameter

Take-off noise (Startlärm): 78,5 EPNdB
Sideline noise (Vorbeiflug): 85,9 EPNdB
Approach noise (Anfluglärm): 91,6 EPNdB

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 19,7 3m
Height (Höhe): 6,97 m
Span (Spannweite): 21,44 m (22,75 m optional)
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 41,81 sq m
Fuselage diameter (Rumpfdurchmesser): 2,31 m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 10,39 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 2,16 m
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,83 m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 33,4 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Operating weight empty (Einsatz-Leermasse): 8225 kg
Max. payload (Nutzlast): 3795 kg
Max. fuel (max. Kraftstoff): 2580 kg
Max. zero fuel weight (Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 12020 kg
Max. ramp weight (max. Rollmansse): 13290 kg
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 13155 kg
Max. langing weight (max. Landemasse): 12930 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. operating Mach no. (max. Machzahl): 0.5
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 522 km/h at 15000 ft (4575 m)
Stalling speed with landing flaps (Überziehgeschw.): 160 km/h
Max. climb rate (Steigrate): 10,16 m/s at sea level
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 7620 m
Single engine service ceiling (Gipfelhöhe mit einem Triebwerk): 3790 m
Take-off distance (Startstrecke): 1287 m to 35 ft at sea level, 1625 m to 35 ft at 1525 m
Landing distance (Landestrecke): 1165 m from 15 m at 1525 m or 1033 m from 15 m at sea level
Range (Reichweite):
- 1379 km with 35 passengers, high-speed operation
- 1685 km with 35 passengers, long-range technique

Customers (Kunden)
Total sales of all 340 variants amount to 455, of which 436 were delivered by mid-1998. Known customers (which do not necessarily still operate the type) include:

Aer Lingus Commuter: 4 (B)
AMR Eagle: 100 (B)
Aigle Azur: 1 (A)
Air Nelson: 8 (A)
Brit Air: 6 (A)
Business Air: 5 (A)
Business Express: 17 (A), 56 (B)
Calm Air: 2 (B Plus)
Chautauqua Airlines: 2 (A), 4 (B)
China Southern Airlines: 4 (B)
Comair: 19 (A)
Crossair: 8 (A), 15 (B)
Deutsche BA: 9 (A)
Finnaviation: 5 (A), 1 (B)
Formosa Airlines: 3 (A), 6 (B)
Golden Air: 1 (B)
Hazelton Airlines: 5 (B and B Plus)
Japan Air Commuter: 10 (B)
Kendell Airlines: 6 (A)
KLM Cityhopper: 12 (B)
LAPA: 2 (A)
Mesaba Airlines: 30 (B Plus)
Northwest Airlink: 25 (A), 11 (B)
Nusantara Sakti: 2 (A)
Regional Airlines: 8 (B)
Riga Airlines Express: 1 (A)
Simmons/AMR Airlines: 16 (A)
Skyways: 4 (A), 4 (B)
Skywest: 1 (B)
Swedair: 11 (A)
TAN: 1 (A)
Tatra Air: 2 (B)
Swedish Government: 7 (Tp 100 and S 100B)
Corporate versions: 4 (A)

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Dornier 328
ATR 42

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The 340B is the latest standard version of Saabs regional airliner. It offers a bit more power and reserves from the CT7-9B engines, higher weights and increased tailplane span. The new model was announced in late in 1987 anf first flight was in April 1989. Certification was achieved on 3 July 1989, and Crossair took the first aircraft in September of that year.
In February 1994, Saab launched the further improved 340B Plus, with a Saab 2000 style interior (Generation III with larger bins) and lower maintenance costs. An active noise control system is optional. Also, extended wing tips can be fitted to increase take off weight by 450 to 650 kg. They were certified in December 1995. Another option is a gravel runway kit.
The development of the Saab 340 originally was undertaken together with Fairchild in the USA. Go-ahead was given in September 1980, with the first flight following on 25 January 1983. Swedish certification was achieved on 15 May 1984, with FAA and JAA approvals follwing in June. Crossair was the first operator. The Saab 340A version was built until September 1989, the last year with a new cabin interior by Metair to comply with the latest fire regulations.
Saab took over the programme in November 1985, while Fairchild continued as a subcontractor until 1987.
In December 1997 Saab decided to quit the regional aircraft market and end production of the 340 after finishing off the current backlog until September 1999. The reasons given were a declining dem and the fact that the operation had incurred losses of about SEK 1 billion per year over the last few years. Saab will continue its commitment to provide customer support and spare parts throughout the life-span of the fleet of more than 500 Saab regional aircraft worldwide. The responsibility for the 300 aircraft in Saab's leasing portfolio also remains within Saab.

Last updated 18. August 1998

FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany