Saab Scandia (90)

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For the automobile, see Saab 90.

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 was 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 Dakota. (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 is quite similar to the DC-3. The only distinct visible difference is that the 90 has tricycle gear while the DC-3 is a taildragger. The 90 had to compete with the many surplus DC-3s available on the market at the same time making sales difficult.

1 History
2 The end
3 Post script
4 Operators
5 Specifications
6 External links

[edit] History

The protoytype Saab 90 (Scandia) first flew in November 1946. It was capable of seating 24 or 32 passengers, with low-speed capability. Take-off weight was specified at about 11,600 kg, with a range of about 1,000 km. It was to be fitted with Pratt and Whitney R-2000 engines. It had a single nose-wheel and fully retractable undercarriage. ABA Swedish Airlines, a predecessor of SAS, ordered 10 examples. The 'Type Certificate' was issued in June 1950. Delivery started in October 1950 but, after testing, specification had changed to the Pratt and Whitney R-2180-E1. Two Brazilian airlines (VASP and Aerovias do Brasil) also ordered a total of 6 aircraft. The prototype was subsequently converted to a luxury private executive aircraft, for the Brazilian industrialist Olavo Fontoura.

[edit] The end

The Swedish Airforce put heavy and insistent demands upon the SAAB factory, for the Saab J29 (Tunnan) fighter aircraft, which spelled the end of the Scandia project in Sweden, with residual production being undertaken by Fokker, in the Netherlands.

[edit] Post script

Altogether, only 18 examples were sold. The entire SAS fleet was eventually purchased by VASP, in 1957.

A larger version with pressurised cabin called 90B was planned, but never made.

The last flight with a 90 Scandia was on 22 juli 1969.

At least five 90 Scandia have had accidents and at least 64 persons have been killed in them. Mostly due to pilot error.

Only one 90 Scandia, PP-SQR, remains. It stands outdoors in a museum in Bebedouro, Brazil. It is said to be complete, but in very bad condition. SAAB tried to buy the plane for it's 50 year jubilee in 1987, but the owner asked an price SAAB thought was unreasonably high. A rumous also tells about a trade deal where SAAB would get the plane and in turn build a hospital.