Saab 2000 Explained

The Saab 2000 is a twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner built by Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and able to cruise at a maximum speed of 685-1NaN-1.[1] Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. The Saab 2000 first flew in March 1992 and was certified in 1994. The last aircraft was delivered in April 1999, a total of 63 aircraft being built. As of June 2023, 31 total Saab 2000s were in either airline or military service.

Development and design

In December 1988, Saab decided to build a stretched derivative of its successful Saab 340 twin-turboprop regional airliner. The new aircraft was planned to meet a perceived demand for a high-speed 50-seat turboprop with good climb performance which could operate over short- and medium-range routes with similar block times to jet aircraft while retaining the efficiency provided by turboprop engines. The new airliner, called the Saab 2000, was formally launched in May 1989, with Saab already having firm orders for 46 aircraft and options for a further 147.[2] The aircraft was assembled at Saab's Linköping factory, with major subcontractors including CASA, who built the aircraft's wings, Short Brothers, who built the rear fuselage and Valmet who built the aircraft's tail surfaces.[3] The Saab 2000 first flew on 26 March 1992 and entered into scheduled airline service in September 1994, a few months after its certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities in March and the Federal Aviation Administration in April.[4]

The Saab 2000 has a 15% greater wingspan than the Saab 340,[2] and being 7.55m (24.77feet) longer can carry up to 58 passengers (while for European Union, the certified Maximum Passenger Seating Capacities is 53 according to the Type-certificate Data Sheet issued by EASA.[5]) in a high-density layout and 50 with a more comfortable 32inches seat pitch.[6] [2] The 2000 was the first commercial aircraft to use the Allison GMA 2100 turboprop engines, which are derated to for the plane.[7] 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.[2] The Dowty-Rotol propellers are in diameter, and they have a slow rotational speed of 1,100 rpm at takeoff and 950 rpm in cruise.[8] The aircraft was designed to operate at a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.62.[9]

Operational history

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 retired 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 29 April of that year.[10] The primary reason for the low sales was the success of 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.

General Motors (GM) used to operate several 36-seat version of Saab 2000 twin-turboprops for corporate shuttle operations out of its Detroit headquarters between 1995 and the end of 2007 [11] and within the period it was in talks with new startup air carrier Pro Air to launch a regional airline unit to feed flights into its Detroit City Airport and planned to take over three Saab 2000s that were operated as a corporate shuttle by General Motors (GM) during such talks, while GM would offer Pro Air a free lease on the Saab 2000s in exchange for free flights for its employees and a share in the revenues made on the routes eventually chosen by Pro Air;[12] however, Pro Air then encountered financial difficulties and ceased all operations before the deal could be consummated. In April 2008, one of Saab 2000 aircraft operated by General Motor was eventually delivered to the Penske corporate flight department, where it was used to support the group’s NASCAR auto racing team, as Saab 2000, with some 360-knot cruise speed, can be considered a sporty model itself.

Air Marshall Islands also operated a Saab 2000 in the remote Micronesia island region of the Pacific Ocean.

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 as well on shuttle services in the U.K. for oil and gas personnel working in the North Sea.

In June 2006, Pakistan completed 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 3 April 2008, the first Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C was rolled out and presented to Pakistan Air Force officials during a ceremony in Sweden.[13]

By 2022 Freight Runners Express / ACE headquartered in Milwaukee, WI become the largest civilian operator of the 2000.

Saab 2000 aircraft was deployed for the seasonal service of year 2023 between Gothenburg and Lyon[14] [15] in Europe.

Variants

Operators

Current operators

As of March 2024, a total of 36 Saab 2000s remained active in civilian and military service:[17]

Former operators

The following airlines formerly operated Saab 2000 aircraft in scheduled passenger service in the past:[18]

Accidents and incidents

As of February 2024, there was 4 hull-loss accidents involving Saab 2000 series aircraft, and among those accidents one of them involving 1 fatality.[19]

Accidents with fatalities

Hull losses

Other incidents

See main article: Loganair Flight 6780.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Saab 2000. (Manufacturer's website). 2024-03-12.
  2. Wheeler, Barry. "SAAB 2000: An exercise in growth and commonality" Air International, Volume 44, Number 2, February 1993. pp. 65–70.
  3. Lambert, Mark. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. . pp. 351-356.
  4. Moxon, Julian. "Crossair is pleased with Saab 2000 in service". Flight International, Volume 146, Number 4443, 19–25 October 1994, p. 10.
  5. Web site: TYPE-CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET no. EASA.A.069 for SAAB 2000. 2024-03-14.
  6. Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999. . pp 231–232.
  7. Book: [{{GBurl|V0SnFt8JGokC|p=589}} The history of North American small gas turbine aircraft engines ]. 589 . Richard A., II . Leyes . William A. . Fleming . 1999 . National Air and Space Museum and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) . Reston, VA . 1-56347-332-1 . 247550535.
  8. 0015-4806 . . [{{GBurl|6xQw3F-r-LcC|p=56}} Saab 2000: Fastest turboprop regional rolls out ]. March 1992 . 56 . Fred . George . 119 . 3.
  9. 2–4 June 1998 . AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference . 4th . 10.2514/6.1998-2283 . Propeller noise generation and its reduction on the Saab 2000 high-speed turboprop . 457+ . Siv . Leth . Fredrik . Samuelsson . Staffan . Meijer.
  10. Web site: Commercial Aircraft Directory - Saab 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20130517073316/http://www.flightglobal.com/directory/detail.aspx?aircraftCategory=CommercialAircraft&manufacturerType=CommercialAircraft&navigationItemId=389&aircraftId=199&&searchMode=Manufacturer. Flightglobal. 17 May 2013.
  11. Web site: Saab 340s recast as corporate shuttles. Aviation International News Media Group. 2008-06-20. 2024-08-15.
  12. Pro Air Takes on GM Saab 2000s To Form New Regional. Commuter/Regional Airline News,vol.17,(35):1. 1999-08-30. Proquest. 2024-08-18. .
  13. Web site: Saab Debut '2000 Special Mission Aircraft at Farnborough. Defense. Update. 1 July 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090223113231/http://www.defense-update.com/features/2008/july08/saab2000_specialmission.html. 23 February 2009. dead.
  14. Web site: BRA to launch seasonal service between Gothenburg and Lyon. 2022-10-31. 2024-03-12.
  15. Web site: Braathens absorbs Gothenburg-Lyon. 2022-11-01. 2024-03-12.
  16. https://www.flightglobal.com/farnborough-saab-2000-offered-as-swordfish-mpa/106113.article www.flightglobal.com // FARNBOROUGH: Saab 2000 offered as Swordfish MPA
  17. Web site: planespotters.net.
  18. http://www.airliners.net, photos of Saab 2000 aircraft
  19. Web site: Saab 2000 Statistics (According to Aviation Safety Network) . 2024-03-15.
  20. Web site: Runway Overrun, PenAir flight 3296. 2021-12-03. National Transportation Safety Board.
  21. Web site: 1999 SAS Saab 2000 incident.
  22. Web site: Report: Crossair SB20 at Werneuchen on Jul 10th 2002, landed before runway and impacted earth wall . Avherald.com . 2013-04-14.
  23. Book: Aircraft Accident Report 2/2016 Report on the serious incident to Saab 2000, G-LGNO. 1. Department for Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 2016. Crown. United Kingdom.
  24. News: Serious incident Saab 2000 G-LGNO, 15 Dec 2014. AviationSafetyNetwork. 2020-04-13.
  25. News: Aircraft Accident Report 2/2016. AAIB. 2021-05-19.
  26. Book: Aircraft Accident Report 2/2016 Report on the serious incident to Saab 2000, G-LGNO. 54. Department for Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 2016. Crown. United Kingdom.
  27. Book: Aircraft Accident Report 2/2016 Report on the serious incident to Saab 2000, G-LGNO. 55. Department for Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 2016. Crown. United Kingdom.
  28. Book: Aircraft Accident Report 2/2016 Report on the serious incident to Saab 2000, G-LGNO. 56. Department for Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 2016. Crown. United Kingdom.
  29. North Sea Nightmare. Mayday. National Geographic Channel. 21. en. 1.

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