SF340 Mesaba in ATL

[Marinedog]

I was wondering if anyone knows why on Detanet it shows the SF340 having only 18 seats? I'm trying to get an idea on the loads for a flight but something doesn't seem right....Can someone who has been on one of the SAAB's in ALT let me know...The SAAB I used to fly had more seats than that.....

 

[TOOL CRIB]

You're going to Hilton Head right? Weight restricted for the tiny runway there. Check a TRI flight I bet it'll have more seats open.

 

[Marinedog]

yes I am...what a TRI flight

 

[Seaknight1]

yes I am...what a TRI flight

A flight to KTRI (Tri Cities TN)

 

[SEVEN]

I was wondering if anyone knows why on Detanet it shows the SF340 having only 18 seats? I'm trying to get an idea on the loads for a flight but something doesn't seem right....Can someone who has been on one of the SAAB's in ALT let me know...The SAAB I used to fly had more seats than that.....

The Mesaba Saabs (B+ Models) have 34 seats. ATL to HHH (Hilton Head Island) is usualy weight restricted to around 24 pax due to the 4000 ft landing distance in HHH. With the new weight and balance system, an ATL to TRI (Tri Cities, TN) flight should be able to carry around 30 to 32 pax depending on if an alternate airport is needed. If extra fuel is needed, we can usually carry 27-30 pax. Hope this helps.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

An XJ Saab has never been known to be able to leave without seats open.

 

[SEVEN]

An XJ Saab has never been known to be able to leave without seats open.

It is frustrating at times for sure. Back in the day....I I've actually seen a full load (34 pax plus a jumpseater in the front) This was before the FAA raised the standard weights a few years back. Now we are lucky if we can carry 30. There was talk a while back with Saab of raising the GTOW to 29500 or 30000 pounds from the current 29000 lbs.
For now though...we'll be pushing back from the gate with 5 open seats, 2 sad non-revers and a piss*ed off jumpseater. Welcome to the Saab.

 

[CptMurf]

An XJ Saab has never been known to be able to leave without seats open.

Just like a 9E 200 is restricted to 48 pax on most flights and can't carry a jumpseater in the flightdeck.

The problem with the SAAB's (other than the FAA mandated pax weights) is that the gate agents are in charge of the loads. The Saab can operate off a 4000 foot strip any day of the week, I did it in CYKF all the time (fully loaded). You might have do a flaps 15, method A (holding brakes) takeoff, which will increase you effective load, but it'll do it. The agents don't take this into consideration, nor do they count half weights most of the time.

 

[79%N1]

Good thing Delta got rid of all those darn ATR's, huh!

 

[Cpt Oveur]

Do you really credit Delta into thinking that far ahead about replacing and aircraft knowing its capabilities? Delta originally wanted EV to send CRJ-700s in there thinking it would be no problem. The people who make these decisions do not fly airplanes or know too much about them.

 

[Raskal]

Good thing Delta got rid of all those darn ATR's, huh!

Wish they would've given them to us, should've dumped the saabs-great airplane but the new weights killed it.

 

[DoinTime]

Do you really credit Delta into thinking that far ahead about replacing and aircraft knowing its capabilities?

If the bean counters retained an entire fleet type to accommodate service into one seasonal airport they should be strung up by their toes. Somehow though many pilots seem to think this is a good idea (thankfully pilots don't run airlines). I heard the same cries from pilots when XJ pulled the Avro out of service and Aspen was left without a viable airplane.

Guess what??? Northwest's entire route network was not built around Aspen during ski season. Likewise, Delta's entire network is not built around Hilton Head during golf season. Putting specialized equipment into the fleet just to accommodate special use airports like these is fiscal suicide.

 

[JoeMerchant]

If the bean counters retained an entire fleet type to accommodate service into one seasonal airport they should be strung up by their toes. Somehow though many pilots seem to think this is a good idea (thankfully pilots don't run airlines). I heard the same cries from pilots when XJ pulled the Avro out of service and Aspen was left without a viable airplane.

Guess what??? Northwest's entire route network was not built around Aspen during ski season. Likewise, Delta's entire network is not built around Hilton Head during golf season. Putting specialized equipment into the fleet just to accommodate special use airports like these is fiscal suicide.

That's true...but it is also true that I am now flying to a dozen former ATR cities while burning almost twice as much fuel and taking 16 fewer people...block times aren't that much different...

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

If the bean counters retained an entire fleet type to accommodate service into one seasonal airport they should be strung up by their toes. Somehow though many pilots seem to think this is a good idea (thankfully pilots don't run airlines). I heard the same cries from pilots when XJ pulled the Avro out of service and Aspen was left without a viable airplane.

Guess what??? Northwest's entire route network was not built around Aspen during ski season. Likewise, Delta's entire network is not built around Hilton Head during golf season. Putting specialized equipment into the fleet just to accommodate special use airports like these is fiscal suicide.

Putting a less capable airplane on routes that made good use of that capability is also fiscal suicide...

 

[Sinca3]

Where do the Saab fly out of ATL? Besides HHH and TRI.....

 

[SEVEN]

Where do the Saab fly out of ATL? Besides HHH and TRI.....

That's it for right now. Just HHH and TRI. TRI is used just as a bridge from DTW to get to ATL.

 

[777forever]

That's true...but it is also true that I am now flying to a dozen former ATR cities while burning almost twice as much fuel and taking 16 fewer people...block times aren't that much different...

Apparently heavy maintenance flights combined with the ATR frequently breaking down would have ate up the fuel saving very quickly....

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Does the Saab really burn that much more gas vs. seats? What is the burn plan vs. the ATR?

 

[JoeMerchant]

Does the Saab really burn that much more gas vs. seats? What is the burn plan vs. the ATR?

I wasn't comparing the ATR vs. the Saab...I was referring to the former ATR routes I now fly in 200...burning a lot more fuel and taking 16 fewer people....

 

[777forever]

Apparently heavy maintenance checks combined with the ATR frequently breaking down would have ate up the fuel saving very quickly....

fixed