The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has scrapped plans to order further Saab 2000 flight-inspection aircraft in response to the Swedish manufacturer's recent announcement that it is to halt civil-turboprop production.
Japan is scheduled to take delivery of the first two Saab 2000s already on order at the end of the year. The JCAB had planned to order a total of five aircraft and was seeking funding in the next fiscal year (1998/9) budget, beginning on 1 April, for a third Saab 2000.
The final two aircraft were pencilled in for funding in 1999-2001. "Saab's announcement that it is ceasing production of civil aircraft means that we have been forced to look elsewhere, however," says Nobu Ochi, director of the JCAB's operations and flight-inspection division.
He adds that, with preparations for budgetary requests for fiscal year 1998 now in their final stages, "-a decision on what aircraft to replace the third Saab 2000 with has to be made urgently".
The JCAB selected the Saab 2000 in early 1997 after having ruled out the Aero International (Regional) ATR 42 and de Havilland Dash 8. Plans to order a Saab 2000 simulator have already been abandoned.
Source: Flight International
