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The Saab 340 was a product of a 1979 joint feasibility study involving Fairchild in the U.S.A. and Saab-Scania in Sweden, into a 30-40 seat commercial airliner design. The SF340 was launched in September 1980. Saab were responsible for fuselage, fin and final assembly, and Fairchild were responsible for wings, engines and empennage.
The first prototype flew on 25 January, 1983, with production aircraft following from March 1984. From the beginning of November 1985 Saab took over production entirely, eventually re-designating the aircraft from SF340 to 340A.
Deliveries of a more powerful and higher performance version, the 340B, commenced in September 1989. A further improved 340B Plus followed in March 1994; but slow sales forced Saab to cease 340 production in 1998.
Nine 340As and 17 Saab 340B's appeared on the Australian civil register in 2001.
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