Delta plans to open Saab 340 base at Atlanta hub

[WSurf]

You wanna talk about old! Piedmont Airlines flys planes from 1985!!!

And they are probably gonna fly atleast another 5-10 years.

 

[willbob]

Where do people get this stuff? The 340's at XJ average to be about 11 years old. Parts are plenty, there is no issue of support from saab or any of the other oem's. 11 years is very young for an airliner. With that said, however, the paint on them is flat out embarrasing as is the interior condition. Taking care of the aircraft is definitely not our company's strong suit. The Saab's at Mesaba are as ghetto as they get.

It, like every aircraft on the planet, has quirks or systems that are less reliable than others. Also, factor in what the mx department is told to fix and to defer and with what quality of parts (when given a choice the cheaper the better-notice how well the new landing lights are working out?).

Take what you hear from pilots, expecially those whose experience consists of 1 post-college airline and 1 or 2 airplanes with a grain of salt.

I don't know about that, parts are getting harder to find, Saab and GE just barely support the airplane and engines. With the new icing proceedures (boots on continous in icing conditions-+5C & visable moisture) there are going to be ALOT of broke airplanes this winter. my guess is Q300s

 

[Raskal]

I don't know about that, parts are getting harder to find, Saab and GE just barely support the airplane and engines. With the new icing proceedures (boots on continous in icing conditions-+5C & visable moisture) there are going to be ALOT of broke airplanes this winter. my guess is Q300s

Again, besides the highly regarded crew room rumors, what is the source of this? Saab (a very healthy company)and the oem's have plenty of parts-when is the last time a plane was down while waiting more than a day for a part? Can you provide an example?

As for GE...someone is seriously yanking your chain. The CT7 engine is used in multiple rotorcraft, aircraft and many of these are military applications. It is put on newer aircraft (the Sikorsky S92 for example). GE has a ton of support for the powerplant and will for a long time to come. Again, where the hell are you getting this crap?

 

[flap operator]

I predict Q200/300/400 for CRJ200 and Saab/Brasilia/ATR replacement at the new Delta.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

It is PLANNED to have 5 of the 49 Saabs we have out of service for maintenance EVERY day. Just as we plan to have 1 CRJ200 and 2 CRJ900 out EVERY day. planes break, planes requre maintenance checks, planes can't fly 24/7. It is, and has been, built into the planning from the start.

 

[Tarzan]

Again, where the hell are you getting this crap?

Delta has sought relief from the 80% number that Skywest Inc will operate out of ATL. SkyWest Inc granted it for a year. So, I hear now that ASA is getting a Snaab program together. The 340's will moved over and operated by ASA folks about a year after the consolidation is finished.

 

[flyn96]

Part of why the saab took a hit in reliability last winter was the big influx of junior crews. Nothing against them and its better to err on the side of caution but when you've got less than a year and maybe have never seen a winter at Mesaba its hard to know whats a Saabism and what needs to be written up. Not to mention then new AD on icing from Saab that requires ice systems to be on pretty much all the time vs before when it was pilots discretion.

 

[WSurf]

I predict Q200/300/400 for CRJ200 and Saab/Brasilia/ATR replacement at the new Delta.

I don't think thats a good prediction. I believe I saw a memo that stated that once Bombardier Finished its current orders on the Q200/300's that they will not take any more orders. Production of the Q200 and Q300 will cease in May 2009.

They will then only build the Q400 and will look more into developing a 90 seat version of the Q400.

 

[Monster Buck]

I don't know about that, parts are getting harder to find, Saab and GE just barely support the airplane and engines. With the new icing proceedures (boots on continous in icing conditions-+5C & visable moisture) there are going to be ALOT of broke airplanes this winter. my guess is Q300s

Well hopefully you guys can use good sound pilot judgment while applying this rule.

 

[Monster Buck]

I don't think thats a good prediction. I believe I saw a memo that stated that once Bombardier Finished its current orders on the Q200/300's that they will not take any more orders. Production of the Q200 and Q300 will cease in May 2009.

They will then only build the Q400 and will look more into developing a 90 seat version of the Q400.

Not making any more. Perfect. Thats just when Mesaba usually starts buying or leasing something.

 

[Monster Buck]

Delta has sought relief from the 80% number that Skywest Inc will operate out of ATL. SkyWest Inc granted it for a year. So, I hear now that ASA is getting a Snaab program together. The 340's will moved over and operated by ASA folks about a year after the consolidation is finished.[/quote.

I 'll bet money that doesn't happen. Where did you hear that ASA was starting this program from?

 

[OCP]

He made it up!

 

[Tarzan]

He made it up!

DID NOT! A guy on the crew bus told me. His sister dates a guy that knows a girl that is cousin twice removed from a dude in the know at Delta. If that ain't reliable, I would not know what is then.

 

[USCtrojan]

DID NOT! A guy on the crew bus told me. His sister dates a guy that knows a girl that is cousin twice removed from a dude in the know at Delta. If that ain't reliable, I would not know what is then.

That's a proven source on Flightinfo!

Trojan

 

[willbob]

Again, besides the highly regarded crew room rumors, what is the source of this? Saab (a very healthy company)and the oem's have plenty of parts-when is the last time a plane was down while waiting more than a day for a part? Can you provide an example?

As for GE...someone is seriously yanking your chain. The CT7 engine is used in multiple rotorcraft, aircraft and many of these are military applications. It is put on newer aircraft (the Sikorsky S92 for example). GE has a ton of support for the powerplant and will for a long time to come. Again, where the hell are you getting this crap?

Wow I've never really been called out on FI like this before, I don't know if I should be insulted or honored.

#1 I like the Saabomatic it's what I fly and its a great airplane I hope Big Buck is right and its around for a long time.

#2 When is the last time SAAB produced a new aircraft that wasn't military? the next time I fly 457XJ I will look at the airworthyness certificate and let you know when they made the last B+. They made a handful of Saab2000s which from what I have heard is to bad, because they were a great airplane, but sadly the French beat them by about 6 mounths on the ATR72 type certificate which is why there are so many ATRs around and not so many Saab2000s.

#3 The CT7s are produced in great numbers for many applications, however the CT7-9B are to the best of my knowledge only used in the SF340B+ and I am sure that there is not alot of parts interchangability (sp). Just the differences between the A, B-, and B+ had pilots not to mention mechanics pulling their hair out.

#4 Q300s make sense because they are a great fit and Bombarder is at least on the same continent. The last time I had to deal with a broke airplane that required Saab counsultation it took about 12 hours for them to tell us "sorry figure it out yourself".

My 2 cents

 

[profit]

#2 When is the last time SAAB produced a new aircraft that wasn't military? the next time I fly 457XJ I will look at the airworthyness certificate and let you know when they made the last B+. They made a handful of Saab2000s which from what I have heard is to bad, because they were a great airplane, but sadly the French beat them by about 6 mounths on the ATR72 type certificate which is why there are so many ATRs around and not so many Saab2000s.

I'm not sure, but I thought Saab made 3 that went to China Airlines before they shut the line down.

 

[WSurf]

The Saab 2000's was shut down because of the onset of the RJ's. I believe they tried to market it just when the CRJ's came about. At that time it was a tuff sell over an RJ.

Now not so much!


I see the Saab 2000's in CLT sometimes. From what I understand a racing team owns 2 of them. Sweet looking machine it is.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

64 were built. 54 are still flying, only 3 in the US. Most are used in Europe.

 

[dustrpilot]

I thought GM had a 2000 in DTW. No?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Long since sold the three they had to Hendricks motorsports. I believe GM only has Gulfstreams now, got rid of all the CE-750s.