Ramon Lopez/TORONTO
SAS Commuter underlined plans to standardise on the Bombardier de Havilland Dash 8 family for its regional-fleet needs at the unveiling ceremony of the new 70-seat Series 400, when it revealed that it will dispose of its 50-seat Saab 2000s when their leases expire early in the next decade.
SAS Commuter finalised its order, announced in August 1996, for up to 53 Dash 8-400s during the roll-out ceremony of the new variant at Toronto on 21 November. The Scandinavian regional airline is known to want Bombardier to launch a new version of the 50-seat Dash 8-300, the -300X, which will incorporate the Sextant Avionique glass-cockpit suite being introduced on the -400. Bombardier confirms that talks on the subject are under way.
SAS Commuter's Dash 8-400 deal includes 15 firm orders, 18 options and "rolling" options for a further 20. The contract has the flexibility for the aircraft on option to be taken as the smaller -300.
The airline took delivery of four Saab 2000s in 1997 ,on five-year leases from Saab Aircraft Credit, which are operated from Stockholm's Arlanda Airport. Another two will go into service in early 1998, and Saab had hoped at one stage to provide up to ten more 2000s. SAS Commuter President Ole Pedersen says that the Saab 2000 leases will not be renewed. SAS has the option to extend or end the leases after three years. 22 46-seat Fokker 50s are also operated that will need replacing.
Pedersen says that the 2000s will be a "gapfiller", pending the delivery of the Dash 8-400s between July 1999 and December 2000.
The first Dash 8-400 is due to be flown in December. Four aircraft will participate in the year-long flight-test programme. Certification is expected in the first quarter of 1999. Bombardier holds 31 orders plus 32 options for the -400 from six airlines.
Source: Flight International
