Swearingen SA226-TC Metro
Swearingen Aircraft · United States · first flew 1969 · airliner
The SA226-TC Metro is the original production version of Swearingen's compact 19-seat pressurised twin-turboprop regional airliner, the forerunner of the Metro II/III family that became a workhorse of third-level and commuter operations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Long narrow 'sausage' fuselage with small circular windows — 19-passenger pressurised regional twin |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long narrow 'sausage' fuselage with small circular windows — 19-passenger pressurised regional twin
- T-tail, straight low-wing and prominent engine nacelles on outer panels
- Three-bladed Garrett TPE331 propellers; original Metro is shorter-window version than Metro II
Distinguished from Metro II by smaller, more circular cabin windows rather than the larger squared-oval windows of the later variant. Identical T-tail and narrow fuselage shape. Three-bladed Garrett props.
Specifications
- The Swearingen SA226-TC Metro has a length of 18.09 m (59 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.1 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 470 km/h (292 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Jack Swearingen developed the Metro from his Merlin business twin, stretching the fuselage to seat 19 passengers in a narrow single-aisle cabin. First flight was 26 August 1969. Around 20 production examples were completed under the Swearingen banner before Fairchild acquired the company in 1971 and introduced the improved Metro II in 1974.
Variants
No significant sub-variants; the original Metro was shortly superseded by the Metro II. The SA226 certification basis applies to both original Metro and Metro II.
Where you'll see it
US commuter carriers in the early 1970s; small production run limits surviving examples. Many were absorbed into cargo or charter roles.
Related aircraft
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