High gas prices aid prop-plane comeback
Mar 24, 2008, 8:39 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 297
SAAB makes the 340 and the 2000 t'prop where as Fairchild use to make the Metroliner and then bought Dornier that made the Do-328. The SAAB 2000 is supposed to be one of the best t'props on the marker even though it came in very late in the game
SAAB=Sweedes aren't aircraft builders. or Send Another Aircraft for Bags
Mar 25, 2008, 1:43 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
The Saab 340 was designed and built when the average passenger weights used by US airlines was about 20 pounds lighter than what is used today. The higher average weight figures means that you can no longer fill the (34) seats, with the accompanying bags, with a reasonable amount of fuel. Lots of the smaller airliners have been affected by this change. The ERJ-145 was also hit hard but they came up with a relatively simply modification that allows an increase in the max structural weight which largely eliminates the problem.
Mar 25, 2008, 1:57 am
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, Flying Blue, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 1,894
I think this is long overdue. I've always tried to be careful about my own carbon foot-print, and I was pleased to find a website that showed that as someone who does not own a car, my carbon usage from commuting is 10% that of a car owner (actually, even less, since I usually just walk or bike all the way to work). But then I learned that a single long haul jet trip can contribute as much as a full year of commuting by automobile! I've been doing more an more of my discretionary travel by rail and ship, but expanding the network of places served by turboprop would give us another means to cut down.
Mar 25, 2008, 5:35 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 540
And nope I'm not referring to AA regionals. I've no idea about those.
Mar 25, 2008, 6:18 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney - Australia
Programs: BD, QF, QR/EY/GF & HH Gold/SPG, Hertz#1G
Posts: 11,079
Ah, takes me back to the really, really old days of flights in Fokker Friendships, on East West Airlines, 'bringing people together'.
That may have been almost thirty years ago. It was very exciting, my first flight.
That may have been almost thirty years ago. It was very exciting, my first flight.
Mar 25, 2008, 8:34 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
Mar 25, 2008, 8:54 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
SAAB and Fairchild are two completely different companies.
SAAB makes the 340 and the 2000 t'prop where as Fairchild use to make the Metroliner and then bought Dornier that made the Do-328. The SAAB 2000 is supposed to be one of the best t'props on the marker even though it came in very late in the game
SAAB makes the 340 and the 2000 t'prop where as Fairchild use to make the Metroliner and then bought Dornier that made the Do-328. The SAAB 2000 is supposed to be one of the best t'props on the marker even though it came in very late in the game
SAAB=Sweedes aren't aircraft builders. or Send Another Aircraft for Bags
Mar 25, 2008, 9:36 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Indian Harbour Beach, Fla, USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plt
Posts: 1,986
Ahhh, the 1980s, flying aboard East West Airlines turboprops on a cheap fare that required a stop and sometimes a plane change in either Tamworth or Albury (one of the two -- my memory is weakened with age) to get from Sydney to Melbourne.