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Saab considering return to civil aircraft manufacturing
Swedish manufacturer Saab is considering a strategic return to manufacturing regional turboprop aircraft after a 15-year hiatus. (www.flightglobal.com) Ещё...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I, the 1990s flew a number of times on American Eagle´s 340s and 2000s in and around Texas (Houston IAH, DFW and Tyler) and the seats were awfully unconfortable, just like flying on a paratrooper C-47 but in talking to a couple of pilots they told me that there were good flying machines.
SAAB aviation and automotive where at some point the same company but they separated and the latter is in deep trouble after a failed attempt by GM to own them and make a go. The air division has a lot of Swedish government work including the Gripen fighter jet but frankly speaking they would be risking hundreds of millions of Euros in a crowded field of otherwise excellent turbo-pro aircraft.
What crowded field? Only the Q400 and ATR are still in production, and neither of them is available with less than 50 seats. The Beech 1900, Saab 340, and Embraer 120 fleets are all aging rapidly, with no obvious replacement.
The regionals are looking for 50+ seats, they are not in the small commuter sector which brings in little income.
Maybe they will produce a Saab 340C model, with newer technology engines.
Realistically, the smarter move would probably be to buddy up with Bombardier or something. The 2000 still outclasses ATR's in my opinion.