On Monday, March 6th, the new Saab 2000F took to the air for the first time. The aircraft was rolled out at TAM’s workshops at 10.30 a.m. whereafter the pilots Petter Lundquist and TAM test pilot Åke Wargh – did the extensive pre-flight checks.
This first flight was a mere post maintenance flight, with a focus on systems tests, as the aircraft had been in the workshops since last autumn for the extensive rebuild as a freighter as well as regular maintenance and avionics upgrade.
The 45 minute flight went well, with all systems working as expected, with further flight testing commencing mid-March.
“Despite some delays in the conversion process, I am glad to see that we now are back on track with the Saab 2000F, we are very much looking forward to add this new aircraft to our long line of Saab 340 cargo conversions that continue to attract operators world-wide, with a vast number of additional conversions in the coming the next 12-18 months. With the Saab 2000F, we can meet any need for a profitable regional cargo aircraft“
Pär Gulle, TAM Managing Director.
The new Saab 2000 cargo conversion, developed in close collaboration with launch customer Jetstream Aviation Capital of Miami, Florida, has been designed with a firm focus on the operators’ needs, having built-in features aimed at maximizing operational effectiveness.
