Сааб 2000: Жоғары жылдамдықты турбовинтті ұшақ туралы мәліметтер

Twin engined high speed turboprop airliner built by Saab

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Production took place in Linköping, Sweden. The Saab 2000 first flew in March 1992 and was certified in 1994. The last aircraft was delivered in April 1999, a total of 63 aircraft being built. As of June 2023, 31 total Saab 2000s were in either airline or military service. The aircraft was assembled at Saab's Linköping factory, with major subcontractors including CASA, who built the aircraft's wings, Short Brothers, who built the rear fuselage and Valmet who built the aircraft's tail surfaces. The Saab 2000 first flew on 26 March 1992 and entered into scheduled airline service in September 1994, a few months after its certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities in March and the Federal Aviation Administration in April. The Saab 2000 has a 15% greater wingspan than the Saab 340,) in a high density layout and 50 with a more comfortable seat pitch. One engine was mounted on each wing, as in the 340, with the engines placed further from the fuselage than those of the 340 to reduce cabin noise. The aircraft was designed to operate at a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.62.

Sales of the Saab 2000 were fairly limited. The major initial customer was Crossair, a regional airline which had Swissair as a 56% shareholder. Crossair took delivery of 34 aircraft and retired the type in 2005. Due to limited demand, Saab ceased production of the Saab 2000 in 1999, with the last aircraft being delivered to Crossair on 29 April of that year. The primary reason for the low sales was the success of newly introduced regional jets such as the Bombardier CRJ and Embraer ERJ 145 family which provided better performance and passenger comfort for the same initial price. General Motors (GM) operated several corporate configured Saab 2000s and was in talks with new startup air carrier Pro Air to have this airline operate them in scheduled service as Pro Air Express in the U. S.; however, Pro Air then encountered financial difficulties and ceased all operations before the deal could be consummated. Air Marshall Islands also operated a Saab 2000 in the remote Micronesia island region of the Pacific Ocean. Some smaller airlines, including Eastern Airways in the UK, have subsequently acquired 2000s at low cost and operated them on regional routes which experience lower passenger numbers as well on shuttle services in the U. K. for oil and gas personnel working in the North Sea. In June 2006, Pakistan completed the purchase of six Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft to be equipped with the Saab Ericsson ERIEYE Airborne Early Warning system. Revised in May 2007 due to renegotiation with the Government of Pakistan, only five aircraft will be delivered, four of which will be equipped with the Erieye system. On 3 April 2008, the first Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C was rolled out and presented to Pakistan Air Force officials during a ceremony in Sweden. By 2022 Freight Runners Express / ACE headquartered in Milwaukee, WI become the largest civilian operator of the 2000. Saab 2000 aircraft was deployed for the seasonal service of year 2023 between Gothenburg and Lyon in Europe.

On 17 October 2019, PenAir Flight 3296 had a runway overrun while landing at Unalaska Airport in Alaska with 42 occupants on board; 1 person died and 9 were injured. The probable cause was the incorrect wiring of the wheel speed transducer harnesses on the left main landing gear during overhaul, causing the antiskid system to malfunction. Contributing factors were Saab's failing to consider and protect against human error during maintenance, in its design of the harness; the FAA's lack of consideration of the RSA size, allowing the Saab 2000 to operate at the airport; and the flight crew's willingness to land with a tailwind exceeding the airplane's limit due to their plan continuation bias, aggravated by PenAir's failure to apply its qualification policy which allowed the pilot to operate at a challenging airport with limited experience at the airport and in the craft.

On 8 October 1999, the Saab 2000 aircraft, registered as SE LSF and named "Eir Viking", was being taxied by two technicians while then crashed into closed hangar doors at Arlanda airport in Sweden. The plane was damaged beyond repair. On 10 July 2002, Swiss International Air Lines Flight 850, operated with a Saab 2000, was forced to make an emergency landing at Werneuchen Airfield, Germany, as a result of severe weather. One of the sixteen passengers on board suffered minor injuries. The aircraft, registered as HB IZY, was damaged beyond economic repair when it hit an earth bank placed across the runway, the markings of which did not conform to standards.

On 15 December 2014, Loganair Flight 6780 was struck by lightning while approaching Sumburgh Airport. When the commander made nose up pitch inputs the aircraft did not respond as he expected. After reaching 4,000 ft the aircraft pitched to a minimum of 19° nose down and exceeded the applicable maximum operating speed by 80 kt, with a peak descent rate of 9,500 ft/min. The flight subsequently suffered from control difficulties and nosedived from 4000 feet to 1000 feet after the crew tried taking over the controls, but failed to notice that the autopilot was still engaged. The pilots then declared a mayday and returned to Aberdeen Airport. There were 33 occupants onboard and no injuries were reported. The subsequent investigation discovered that the planes' autopilot could not be overridden by pilot input, making it unique among all other aircraft in service. AAIB reported safety actions to be taken regarding the autopilot operation; putting "Notice to Aircrew (NOTAC 123/14)" in place; and revision to Autopilot Standard Operating Procedures. This incident is featured in the first episode, titled "North Sea Nightmare", of Season 21 of Mayday.