THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration has granted full certification, for the Saab 340B Plus extended wingtip programme, enabling the introduction by American Eagle, of 25 of the new type.
American Eagle already operates more than 100 Saab 340Bs. Extended wingtips were certificated late in 1995 by Transport Canada for operation by Manitoba-based airline Calm Air.
The 0.66m extensions on each wing are said to provide the turboprop aircraft with improved short-field and hot-and-high performance, permitting greater range and payloads from previously restricted airfields.
Extended wingtips are an optional feature, but they cannot be retrofitted because of changes to the wing and the wing/fuselage intersection.
Source: Flight International
