Saab 340

Saab · Sweden · first flew 1983 · airliner

The Saab 340 is a 33-37 seat twin-turboprop regional airliner, the most successful Swedish-built airliner and a commuter mainstay of the 1980s and 1990s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × turboprop, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Compact regional fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Low wing with wing-mounted props
Conventional low-set tailplane
Compact regional fuselage

Identify it by the low straight wing carrying both engines, a conventional low-set tailplane on the fin, and a short, neatly proportioned fuselage.

Specifications

The Saab 340 has a length of 19.7 m (65 ft).
It has a wingspan of 21.4 m (70 ft).
Its maximum speed is 523 km/h (325 mph).
Typical crew: 2 flight crew.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Launched jointly with Fairchild as the SF340, the aircraft first flew in 1983; Saab took sole control and renamed it the Saab 340. The improved 340B brought more powerful General Electric CT7 engines and greater weights. Around 459 were built before production ended in 1999.

Variants

The baseline 340A gave way to the 340B and 340B Plus, the latter with an extended tailplane and improved hot-and-high performance. The QC quick-change and dedicated freighter conversions kept many airframes flying as cargo aircraft.

Where you'll see it

The Saab 340 was a familiar sight at UK regional airports, flown by carriers including Loganair on Scottish island and mainland routes and by Flybe predecessor operators on cross-Channel and domestic links. Eastern Airways operated the type extensively from Humberside and other eastern UK airfields.

Related aircraft

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