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| Saab 340B | |
|---|---|
| Name | Saab 340B |
| Caption | A Saab 340B in airline livery |
| Role | Regional turboprop airliner |
| Manufacturer | Saab AB |
| First flight | 1983 |
| Introduced | 1984 |
| Primary user | Regional airlines |
| Produced | 1983–1999 |
| Number built | ~446 |
Saab 340B The Saab 340B is a twin-engined turboprop regional airliner developed by a Swedish manufacturer in the early 1980s, designed to serve short-haul routes for European and North American carriers. It competed with contemporaries from British Aerospace, Fokker, and Embraer while being adopted by carriers and government operators across Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania.
The programme was initiated by a Scandinavian manufacturer in partnership with a major American aerospace firm and influenced by market forecasts from industry analysts and aircraft OEMs, incorporating turboprop engines from General Electric and propeller systems from Hamilton Standard; development milestones paralleled projects at British Aerospace and Fokker as regional aviation expanded. Design choices reflected operational lessons from models by De Havilland Canada and ATR and included a pressurised fuselage, low-mounted wing, and two-redundant systems influenced by certification standards of Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) and Federal Aviation Administration rules. The B-series introduced structural reinforcements and upgraded engines compared with the initial variant, following aerodynamic refinement work similar to programmes at NASA and test regimes used by BAe Systems.
Production variants included baseline and improved models with modifications akin to retrofit programmes seen on types from Bombardier Aerospace and Embraer. Specialized conversions created freighter and maritime patrol versions paralleling conversions performed on ATR 42 and Dash 8 airframes by independent MROs and conversion houses like those used by ST Aerospace and Sabena Tech-style operations. Corporate shuttle and combi configurations followed examples set by operators such as KLM Cityhopper and British Airways Regional while military adaptations resembled efforts by the Swedish Ministry of Defence and export customers like Royal Australian Air Force and Indian Navy-style acquisitions.
Entry into service occurred with commuter carriers operating networks similar to those of Finnair and SAS Scandinavian Airlines System as regional hubs expanded across route maps influenced by deregulation events like the Airline Deregulation Act (1978) in the United States and liberalisation in European Union aviation markets. The type served feeder roles for flag carriers and low-cost entrants comparable to relationships between Lufthansa CityLine and parent groups, seeing widespread use on sectors linking regional airports such as Manchester Airport, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and Toronto Pearson International Airport. MRO support networks evolved referencing service models used by SR Technics, Lufthansa Technik, and national aerospace industries including Saab AB facilities.
Major regional and commuter airlines operated the type, including examples like Scandinavian, North American, and Oceania carriers akin to Finnair, American Eagle (airline brand), and QantasLink; numerous smaller airlines and charter companies mirrored fleets of operators such as Horizon Air, Iberia Regional and Air Sinai in deploying the type on short sectors. Regional subsidiaries of legacy carriers and independent operators used it for point-to-point services similar to networks run by Ryanair Sun and Flybe before their restructuring events; cargo and corporate operators carried out missions like those operated by FedEx Express-contract carriers and private charter firms.
Several air forces and government agencies adapted the airframe for transport, ISR, and calibration missions in roles comparable to variants used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and other small air arms. Maritime patrol modifications mirrored capability sets seen on aircraft in service with the Indian Coast Guard and similar services, with avionics suites and sensor packages often supplied by companies like Thales Group and Raytheon Technologies. State and provincial agencies deployed examples for medevac and VIP transport in patterns similar to government aviation units of Sweden and Canada.
The type has been involved in a number of hull-loss and non-fatal events, investigated by authorities equivalent to the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority and National Transportation Safety Board; accident reports cited causes ranging from controlled flight into terrain to system malfunctions echoing findings in reports on contemporary regional types. Safety recommendations from investigations influenced maintenance practices and crew training standards much like reforms prompted after incidents involving types operated by Avianca and SATA Air Açores.
Typical specifications for the improved series included twin turboprop powerplants similar to units supplied by Allison Engine Company and General Electric, seating for approximately 30–36 passengers aligning with class standards used by regional families from Bombardier and Embraer, and range figures supporting feeder operations between hub airports like Copenhagen Airport and regional fields. Performance, avionics, and capacity reflected certification envelopes overseen by European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Federal Aviation Administration criteria, matching operational profiles of commuter turboprops worldwide.
Category:Regional airliners Category:Saab aircraft