SAAB340 Performance

[eng1170]

Are these wee machines overpowered, or do they just possess a very good wing design/aerodynamics, the reason I ask is that I regularly see these machine's departing from EGPF/GLA and am amazed how quickly they gain altitude and seem to do so quite effortlessly.

Are they nice aircraft to fly from a pilot's perspective with regards to handling and controlability, especially in Scotland? (where the weather can be rather unpleasant at time to say the least!!)

TIA,

Eng :ok:

[Eff Oh]

I have to say I loved flying the SF340. We never had any worries with performance, from memory they are all packs off take offs. I did not work for Loganair, (I was bmi) so we never operated to the islands to the extent that Loganair do. However it was never a problem werever we went, it really was fun! :)

[Firestorm]

The Saab isn't overpowered by any means, but performs well with light loads: full loads are a not so nippy, but are quite uncommon for Loganair. Also, I think you are contrasting it with some very big jets that go out of Glasgow, on very long sectors and that use lots of runway. Initial climb is typically around 2400 fpm, but that slows down pretty quickly to less than 1000 fpm with a decent number of pax, a decent airspeed and climbing above FL100. On average, a climb to FL200 takes 20 minutes or more.

They are pretty decent to fly and do handle well: we don't have to cancel many flights, or divert too often, because of exceeding operating limits. There is a good level of automation, but plenty of manual as well.

[F111]

On the subject of Saab performance, what would a typical TAS and fuel flow/hr be at 10000, F150 and F200?

Cheers
F111

[MkVIII]

Is there any truth to the RUMOUR that the EARLY Sf340's had an inherantly weak main spar that was somewhat problematic until SAAB rectified it with a redesigned spar?

Just an old tale I heard many moons ago, that is probably bunk.

[fernytickles]

Great fun aeroplane to fly. I agree with Eff Oh, don't recall any perf. problems. Just had very uncomfortable cockpit seats as they were well used, and suffered from having no APU when operating in colder or hotter weather on the turnarounds. Apart from that, it always, always gave you a challenge to get a smooth landing, which was fun :)

[eng1170]

Firestorm, ref your comment about comparing the '340 to bigger jet's departing GLA, I had mean't the initial question to be relative to similarly sized aircraft of similar powerplant.

I live within a few miles of the airport and have seen the '340's pass over the house at considerably higher altitude than other aircraft in same sort of class which was what triggered my curiosity.

Many thank's for you reply though, and generally good comment's about the aircraft from everyone.

(And for any Loganair pilot's......Shame you can't taxi the thing past our hangar a bit quieter!!! LOL)

Eng :ok:

[stilton]

Fernytickles

You hit the nail on the head, flew the 340a model for a year
and remember it being distinctly underpowered, and with truly the worst pilot seats ever invented.

Absolute agony on a multi-sector day, worse even than the MD80
I flew a few years later.

[matspart3]

What's the landing performance like?

Can you land one (factored) with a full pax load in 1000m?

[Firestorm]

Matspart3: not without a stonking headwind and an uphill runway.

[Eff Oh]

Forgot about those seats!!! :D We all used to suffer from a condition that we called "SAAB arse." :D :D :D But then again, it was not as bad as the bench "jumpseat"!!!!! :uhoh:

[ft]

F111,
it depends on airspeed, of course. You have the option of normal or long range cruise. For a heavy aircraft:

10000 ft press. alt: 218-280 KTAS, 390-585 kg/h
15000: 223-284 KTAS, 355-529 kg/h
20000: 233-283 KTAS, 336-467 kg/h

No guarantee at all that I didn't get a number wrong somewhere. :D

Regards,
Fred

[fernytickles]

Eff Oh - I'm glad I brought back the happy memories for you ;)
Saab Arse and the cabin heaters full blast into the cockpit at 5am on a frozen morning trying to defrost the windscreen so we could see the start up signal from the engineer..... And running a music tape on the PA system for the mail flights to help stay awake on a Kinloss-killer......bleurgh :ugh: