Saab Scandia
| Saab 90 Scandia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Saab Scandia of SAS at London Airport (Heathrow) in May 1953 | |
| Role | Passenger aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Saab |
| First flight | November 16, 1946 |
| Introduction | 1950 |
| Status | Out of service, one preserved |
| Primary users |
VASP ABA, SAS |
| Produced | 1946–1954 |
| Number built | 18 |
The Saab 90 Scandia was a civil passenger aeroplane, manufactured by the Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (SAAB), in Linköping, Sweden. In 1944, as it was becoming clear that hostilities in Europe (the Second World War) would soon be at an end, SAAB realised that the company had to diversify from purely military endeavours if it were to survive. The board therefore decided to put into action a plan to manufacture a twin-engined, short- to medium-haul passenger aircraft, as a successor for the Douglas DC-3. (This was the same commercially driven stimulus that led to automobile production, with the Ursaab and subsequent Saab 92 passenger vehicles.)
The design of the 90 Scandia was quite similar to the DC-3. The only distinct visible difference was that the 90 had tricycle landing gear while the DC-3 had a tailwheel. The 90 had to compete with the many surplus DC-3s available on the market at the same time, making sales difficult.
Development started in February 1944. Takeoff weight was specified at about 11,600 kg, with a range of about 1,000 km. The prototype Saab 90 (Scandia) first flew in November 1946. It was capable of seating 24–32 passengers, with low-speed capability. It was to be fitted with Pratt & Whitney R-2000 engines. It had a single nosewheel and fully retractable landing gear. ABA Swedish Airlines, a predecessor of SAS, ordered 11 examples. The Type certificate was issued in June 1950. Delivery started in October 1950 but, after testing, specification had changed to the Pratt & Whitney R-2180-E Twin Wasp E. Two Brazilian airlines (VASP and Aerovias do Brasil) also ordered a total of six aircraft. The prototype was subsequently converted to a luxury private executive aircraft for the Brazilian industrialist Olavo Fontoura.
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