Saab 340

The Saab 340 (also Saab SF340) is a joint Swedish and American twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30–36 passengers and, as of 2023, over 250 operational aircraft remained in active service worldwide. Under the production arrangement in which production was split 65:35 between Saab and Fairchild, Saab constructed the all-aluminum fuselage and vertical stabilizer along with final assembly of the aircraft in Linköping, Sweden, while Fairchild was responsible for the wings, empennage, and wing-mounted nacelles for the two turboprop engines. After Fairchild ceased this work in 1985, production of these components was transferred to Sweden. On 25 January 1983, the Saab 340 conducted its maiden flight. During the early 1990s, an enlarged derivative of the airliner, designated as the Saab 2000, was introduced. However, sales of the 340 and 2000 aircraft declined due to intense competition within the regional aircraft market, and Saab was forced to cease production of both aircraft in the late 1990s due to financial losses.