Author: Terry

SABCA S.13 Junior

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The SABCA S.13 Junior was a single seat high-wing basic training ultra-light glider of 1930.

At the start of the 1930s, SABCA wanted to relaunch the construction of gliders and designed this initiation glider to obtain A and B certificates for young pilots.

First flying in 1930, the glider was directly inspired by the German Zögling, the most visible difference being the stabilizer in the shape of a half-disc.

This glider will have a short career, especially since it was banned from flight for about a year, following a fatal accident.

SABCA S.2

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The SABCA S.2 was an airliner built in Belgium in 1926. It was a conventional, high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed, tailskid undercarriage. The flight deck was open, but the passenger cabin was fully enclosed. Power was provided by a single 240 hp Siddeley Puma engine in the nose, driving a two-blade propeller, and whose exhaust was collected in a single stack that extended up over the wing. Metal was construction throughout, with corrugated skin. Only a single example was built, which served with SABENA.

SABCA / Societe Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aeronautiques

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Belgium
Formed December 1920, SABCA had a close SABENA association and that airline used SABCA’s only S.2 single-engined monoplane transport. Built Handley Page 3-engined airliners for SABENA Belgian Congo service; also other private-owner prototypes.

At the end of 1920 the Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques (SABCA) was created to ensure the construction, testing and overhaul of aeronautical equipment for the development of civil aviation and air transport (SABENA will be founded three years later). It will begin with the overhaul and overhaul of Belgian Military Aeronautics aircraft, before starting, in 1922, to build foreign aircraft under license.
The first designs and new realizations will be due to members of the staff of SABCA, encouraged and supported by the company. Among others, the moto-aviette Jullien SJ-1 (in 1923), of Henri JULLIEN, engineer director of the design office of the SABCA, and the “Limousine” Demonty-Poncelet of Mathieu DEMONTY (technical director) and Paul PONCELET (head of the wood section) (in 1924).

On his own, but with the support of SABCA, Paul PONCELET designed and built the “Castar” in 1922-1923, then in 1923 the “Vivette”.

SABCA’s first project was a small aeroplane called the Sabca J1, which was powered by the engine of a FN motorcycle. The company also constructed “Sabca” 1500 with a 200 HP engine and some gliders. It later assembled the Handley-Page, Fokker F VII, and the Savoia-Marchetti used by Sabena. Held Breguet and Avia licences, and from 1927 directed attention to metal construction. Outcome was S-XI 20- passenger monoplane with three 500 hp engines, as well as similar S-XII 4-passenger monoplane with three 120 hp engines. Built under license Renard R.31 reconnaissance monoplane and Savoia-Marchetti S.73 transport.

In October 1937, the Belgian aircraft manufacturer Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques (SABCA) made a marketing agreement with the Italian company Caproni, with SABCA selling some of Caproni’s military aircraft in certain markets, including the Caproni Ca.135, Ca.310 and the Ca.312, which were to be designated SABCA S.45bis, S.46 and S.48 respectively. As part of this agreement, Caproni were to develop a replacement for the Belgium Air Force’s Fairey Fox biplanes, which were used as two-seat fighters and reconnaissance aircraft, but were obsolete.

Built S.47 2-seat low-wing monoplane fighter of 1937 in collaboration with Caproni. Company revived in 1950s. In 1960s assembled, maintained, and repaired Republic F-84; also collaborated with Avions Fairey on Hawker Hunter and made Vautour components for Sud- Aviation. Much work of various kinds on Lockheed Starfighter, Dassault Mirage, and Breguet Atlantic; also missile and space activities. Dassault Aviation took 53 percent shareholding, while in 1998 Fokker’s shareholding was then reportedly being sold. Recent work has included weapon system integration, development of the cockpit front panel, final assembly, and flight testing of Belgian ArmyA-109 helicopters; update of F-5s; production and upgrading of F-16s; upgrade of Mirage 5s and F1s; production of servo actuators; and construction of subassemblies for Dassault, Boeing, Airbus, and Fokker aircraft.

Saalfield Skyskootor

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Skyskootor N345L

The 1960 Saalfield Aircraft Co Skyskootor, with a molded fiberglass fuselage, was sold either as a complete aircraft or in component form. $3,495-3,995 assembled with motor, $1,995 as a kit less motor.

Engine: 72hp McCulloch 4318A (factory overhauled) or 4318E (new)
Rotor: 21’4″
Length: 10’0″
Useful load: 440 lb
Max speed: 85 mph
Cruise speed: 65 mph
Min speed: 25 mph
Range: 250 mi
Ceiling: 12,000 ft
Seats: 2

SAAB 2000

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Saab’s experience with the S340 commuter airliner turned its attention to the future needs of regional and ‘feeder’ carriers. Having forged a market with its smaller aircraft, Saab used the S340 as a baseline from which to develop a new, high-speed turboprop airliner which was to be called the Saab 2000, with a max payload of 5900 kg or up to 2 crew and 58 passengers. The go-ahead came with a launch order from Moritz Suter’s Crossair, already a firm Saab customer, which signed for 25 aircraft with a further 25 on option, on 15 December 1988.

SAAB 2000 Article

By late 1989 project definition for the Saab 2000 had been completed, with the contracting out of major portions of the aircraft’s construction. CASA of Spain was responsible for the wing design and production, though Saab defined the basic airfoil structure. Valmet of Finland was to build the entire tail unit and elevators, while in England, Westland is responsible for the rear fuselage. For the cockpit, a Collins Proline 4 avionics suite was selected, while a radical reduction in cabin noise levels over existing aircraft was also promised. The concept of ‘hub bypass’ was central to Saab’s sales efforts for the aircraft. To achieve this, Saab planned to build an aircraft capable of 665km/h over a 1850km sector, a speed comparable with the BAe 146 (Avro RJ). A jet-like climb performance was also essential, with figures of 0-6096m in less than 11 minutes assured. The original choice of engine fell between General Electric’s GE38, then under development for the US Navy’s projected LRAACA maritime patrol aircraft, and the Pratt & Whitney PW300 turbofan. In the event, and in conjunction with Crossair, Saab opted for the Allison GMA 2100 turboprop, driving six-bladed, low-noise Dowty propellers. As part of the deal Allison was contracted to build the engine nacelles.

Production of the first prototype began at Linkoping in February 1990. Several European aerospace firms participated in the Saab 2000 manufacturing program including CASA, Westland and Valmet of Finland.

The prototype’s (SE-001) maiden flight occurred on 26 March 1992. A four-aircraft test programme was established with aircraft No. 2 (SE-002) involved in stability and control certification. Much of the high-temperature and adverse weather flying was undertaken by the No. 2 Saab 2000, which completed two visits to Spain. The first full production-standard aircraft was SE-003, with which all the systems certification was achieved, only the autopilot certification being outstanding in mid-1993. Certification in Europe was granted in March 1994 and by the FAA in April 1994. Functional reliability flights were undertaken by aircraft No.4 (SE-004), as part of the ongoing test programme which exceeded 1,200 hours across the fleet.

All Saab’s performance guarantees have been met or exceeded. Take-off and landing distances were bettered by 100-200m. Time from brake release to 6096m is less than eight minutes, and in proving this the Saab 2000 easily broke the existing time-to-climb record for an aircraft in its class (previously held by a Grumman E-2 at 10 minutes). Range and weights have all been better than expected on the production standard aircraft, and the promised cruise speed of 665km/h at 8534m is, on average, 15km/h better. In a dive the Saab 2000 has reached 794km/h with no ill effects. International noise requirements have been bettered by 9.1 decibels.

The fuselage diameter is 91 inches, allowing for a single row of passenger seats on the left side and double row on the right. The gear up limiting speed is 175 kt, with extension being 220 kts and a cruise speed of over 665km/h.

Reducing cabin noise was a cornerstone of the Saab 2000 design philosophy and Saab has developed a so-far unique anti-noise system that has been test flown on a Saab 340, ready for inclusion on its larger sibling. This involves a series of microphones, located around the interior, which monitor cabin noise and then re-broadcast an equal opposite; wave, thus effectively ‘switching off’ background noise and vibration.

August 1994 saw the first delivery to Crossair and September 1994 the first revenue service.
Saab originally foresaw a market for 1,400 new 40- to 50-seat regional airliners by the end of the century, and sales of 400 Saab 2000s were anticipated. While the manufacturer held well over 100 paid options, only 36 firm orders had been received by July 1993. The seventh aircraft and the first for Deutsche BA (formerly Delta Air) flew on 24 June 1993.

Lack of sales and profitability forced Saab to cease the 2000 production with just 63 aircraft built. The last SAAB 2000 was delivered to Crossair in April 1999.

Gallery

Engines: 2 x Allison AE2100A turboprop, 4152 shp / 3096kW
Props: Dowty 6 blade
Wingspan: 24.76 m / 81 ft 3 in
Length: 27.03 m / 89 ft 8 in
Height: 7.73 m / 25 ft 4 in
Max take-off weight: 22000 kg / 48502 lb
Loaded weight: 13500 kg / 29763 lb
Max. speed: 680 km/h / 423 mph
Cruise: 360 kt
Ceiling: 9450 m / 31000 ft
Range w/max.payload: 2557 km / 1589 miles
Pax cap: 50-58