AIRWAYS SPECIAL Farewell to the Saab 340
12 Children ’ s Hospices Across Scotland ( CHAS ) raffle draw prices . April 2023 Hangar Tour
13 Loganair ’ s first Saab 340B G-LGNA MSN199 cockpit overhead panel
14 Loganair ’ s first Saab 340B G-LGNA MSN199 in the Loganair Hangar in Glasgow Jan 2024
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way up . A pause on the runway , a bit of commentary about how a full power takeoff works , and then we were off , pushed back into our seats . The climb-out was steep and , sadly , we were in the clouds before we knew it . The goodie bag was red and had a ‘ Saab 340 24 years ’ celebration logo on it . It included a certificate for taking part in the celebrations , a book on the history of the Saab 340 in Loganair ’ s fleet , a Loganair Saab 340 baggage tag , a Saab 340 sticker , and finally , two Tunnocks caramel wafers . Anything Tunnock-related is what people always remember about Loganair , as it is one of the last airlines to still operate complimentary onboard service .
The cruising attitude for the flight was 8,000ft , with the entire route being covered in 15 to 20 minutes . Departing from Runway 23 , we headed straight towards
Greenock before turning toward the Isle of Bute and back over the Firth of Clyde . We then flew back , heading north of the airport and flying between Loch Lomond , Balloch , and Dumbarton . Just after Dumbarton , we slowly broke through the clouds . Shortly after turning onto our final approach over Milngavie , we descended over the Drumchapel and Clydebank area to touch down on Runway 23 .
From stand to stand , the flight had lasted around 48 minutes , with a total airtime of 23 . Upon deboarding , some passengers managed to take a look inside the cockpit and speak to the Captain . Sadly , I was unable to do so , as I was near the back of the plane , and the turnaround for the flights was 30 minutes . The Captain , Edward Watt , turned 66 not long after that final Saab flight , bringing his over 35-year career at Loganair to a close and retiring after over 40 years in the skies .
As we disembarked , the check in agents took more photos of every passenger ; this time with a big Saab 340 farewell cutout . We walked back into the terminal , and the next set of enthusiasts already had their tickets scanned before heading down to board .
Despite it being such a sad milestone for Scottish aviation , the atmosphere all round was upbeat . Adored by passengers and by all the Loganair staff , the Saab 340s will be dearly missed , though many of them will continue to fly as freighters . For passenger travel , the ATRs just don ’ t quite hold the special sentimental value of the Saab .
I feel very privileged to have been part of the ceremonies .
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