Saab 91 Safir

Saab · Sweden · first flew 1945 · light aircraft

The Saab 91 Safir is a Swedish all-metal two- or three-seat primary trainer that was notable for adopting tricycle undercarriage at a time when most trainers still used conventional tailwheel layouts. It was used by the Swedish Air Force and exported to several nations.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.08 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

All-metal low-wing two/three-seat trainer with Lycoming or de Havilland Gipsy Major
Tricycle undercarriage — early adoption for a light trainer
Swedish Air Force checker-scheme trainer

A clean all-metal low-wing monoplane with tricycle gear and a rounded Scandinavian aesthetic. The tricycle gear distinguishes it from most contemporary light trainers of the late 1940s.

Specifications

The Saab 91 Safir has a length of 8.08 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.6 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 295 km/h (183 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

First flown in 1945, the Safir entered Swedish Air Force service as the Tp 91 and was sold to Austria, Ethiopia, Finland, Norway, and Tunisia among others. It was produced in several variants with differing engines through the late 1950s.

Variants

Variants include the Saab 91A, 91B (with Lycoming engine), 91C (with de Havilland Gipsy Major), and 91D with different equipment fits.

Where you'll see it

Served primarily with the Swedish Air Force and export customers; no longer in military service but examples survive in private ownership and at museums in Sweden and elsewhere.

Related aircraft

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