Saab 340

Saab 340
Ronnie Robertson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Saab 340
Type	Regional airliner
Manufacturer	Saab AB
First flight	25 January 1983
Introduced	1984
Status	In service / retired by many operators

Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a twin-engine turboprop regional airliner developed by Saab AB in cooperation with Fairchild Aircraft during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Designed to serve short-haul routes between secondary airports and major hubs, the type entered service amid competition from models produced by De Havilland Canada, Fokker, ATR, and Bombardier Inc.. The program saw operators across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, and it influenced regional network planning by carriers such as British Airways, KLM, Scandinavian Airlines System, and American Eagle.

Design and development

Saab initiated the project following studies that involved Lars-Erik Nilsson-era planning within Saab AB and market assessments by consultants linked to European Commission aviation forecasts. The collaboration with Fairchild Aircraft produced a clean-sheet design featuring a pressurized fuselage, a high-aspect-ratio wing, and a conventional tail derived from aerodynamic work at the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden). Propulsion choices centered on the General Electric CT7 turboprop family and the Turbomeca alternatives evaluated by engineering teams from Hawker Siddeley and Rolls-Royce advisers. The prototype incorporated composite fairings influenced by research at the National Aeronautical Research Institute and adopted cockpit ergonomics guided by studies from FAA human factors specialists. Certification testing engaged organizations including Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom), Transport Canada, and national authorities in Sweden and United States.

Variants

Production versions were developed to meet differing airline needs. The standard production airframe was adapted into a stretched feeder variant developed after discussions with airline groups such as IATA and national flag carriers like Finnair. Corporate and military conversions drew interest from procurement offices of Swedish Armed Forces, Royal Australian Air Force, and paramilitary operators including United States Coast Guard-linked entities. Freight and combi conversions were performed by specialist shops associated with ST Aerospace, Lufthansa Technik, and independent MRO firms in Netherlands and United States. Customer support packages were negotiated with service partners including SAS Group, British Airways, QantasLink, and regional subsidiaries of Air France and KLM.

Operational history

The Saab 340 entered revenue service with regional networks organized by carriers such as Brymon Airways, British European Airways successors, and Commuter Airlines in North America. The type supported route structures connecting hubs operated by British Airways CityFlyer-era management, KLM Cityhopper, and legacy networks overseen by SAS Group. Over decades, the fleet adapted to changing regulatory regimes from entities like European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Federal Aviation Administration rulemaking. Economic pressures after events affecting Oil crisis of 1979-era fuel prices and the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 influenced retirements and secondary-market transfers to operators in Africa, South America, and Asia. Military and government use included surveillance and transport roles for ministries in Sweden and custom missions coordinated with agencies such as United Nations peacekeeping logistics.

Operators

Major commercial operators historically included national and regional carriers: SAS Group, KLM, Finnair, British Airways, Qantas, American Eagle Airlines (1979–2014), and Horizon Air. Smaller and feeder airlines deployed the type within networks operated by Iberia Regional affiliates, Aer Lingus Regional, and charter firms servicing governments of Norway and Sweden. Military and governmental users encompassed entities like the Swedish Air Force support units, coastal surveillance wings partnered with United States Coast Guard-style missions, and special mission outfits contracted to European Union border-management programs. Maintenance and overhaul work circulated through organizations such as Lufthansa Technik, ST Aerospace, and indigenous MRO shops tied to national aviation authorities.

Incidents and accidents

The Saab 340 fleet experienced a range of incidents investigated by agencies including Air Accidents Investigation Branch and National Transportation Safety Board. Notable occurrences involved controlled flight into terrain inquiries, engine-failure events, and cockpit-procedure deviations scrutinized by investigators from Swedish Accident Investigation Authority and Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Responses to accidents prompted airworthiness directives from European Union Aviation Safety Agency and operational revisions adopted by carriers including KLM and British Airways regional subsidiaries. Emergency landings and ground incidents were also recorded and resolved through recovery operations led by local airport authorities affiliated with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

Specifications

- Crew: Typically two pilots drawn from pools maintained by operators such as SAS Group and KLM. - Capacity: Seating layouts commonly configured for regional carriers including Horizon Air and QantasLink; conversions for freight users worked with logistics firms linked to UPS Airlines-style operations. - Engines: Twin turboprops selected after consultation with suppliers like General Electric and component manufacturers from Rolls-Royce supply chains. - Performance: Range and speed parameters matched regional network planning models used by IATA and analyzed in studies from Royal Aeronautical Society.

Category:Regional airliners