Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
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The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised
, twin turboprop
airliner
first produced by Swearingen Aircraft
and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas
, United States
.
turboprop-powered business aircraft. Ed Swearingen, a Texas
fixed base operator
(FBO), started the developments that led to the Metro through gradual modifications to the Beechcraft
Twin Bonanza
and Queen Air business aircraft, aircraft he dubbed Excalibur.
Then a new fuselage
(but with a similar nose) and vertical fin
were developed, married to salvaged and rebuilt (wet) Queen Air wings and horizontal tails, and Twin Bonanza landing gear
; this became the SA26 Merlin, more-or-less a pressurized
Excalibur. Through successive models (the SA26-T Merlin IIA and SA26-AT Merlin IIB) the engines were changed to Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
and then Garrett TPE331
turboprops. These were marketed as business aircraft seating eight to 10 passengers.
An all-new aircraft was built and called the SA226-T Merlin III with new nose, wings, landing gear, cruciform horizontal tail
This and subsequent Merlin and Metro models have a trimmable horizontal stabilizer (THS) usually used on jet aircraft, one of only a small number of turboprop aircraft to have this design feature (the competing Beechcraft Model 99
being another). and inverted inlet Garrett engines. Ultimately a stretch of the Merlin III was designed, sized to seat 22 passengers and called the SA226-TC Metro. Because FAA regulations limited an airliner to no more than 19 seats if no flight attendant
was to be carried, the aircraft was optimized for that number of passengers. The standard engines offered were two TPE331-3UW turboprops driving three-bladed propeller
s. A corporate version called the SA226-AT Merlin IVA was also marketed and initially sales of this version were roughly double that of the Metro.
Prototype construction of the Metro began in 1968 and first flight was on August 26, 1969. Swearingen Aircraft encountered financial difficulties at this stage, and late in 1971 Fairchild (which was marketing the Metro and building its wings and engine nacelles), bought 90% of Swearingen and the company was renamed Swearingen Aviation Corporation. It was at this point that the previously cash-strapped company was able to put the Metro into production.
In 1974, the original Metro models were replaced by the SA226-TC Metro II after about 20 Metros and about 30 Merlin IVAs had been built.The article "Final Metro Delivery" in Airways magazine Issue 64 states that Metro deliveries totalled 18. The Metro production list shows that by the end of 1974, 22 Merlins had been built. Among the changes made were larger, squared-oval windows and optional provision for a small Rocket-Assisted Take Off
(RATO) rocket in the tail cone, this being offered to improve takeoff performance out of "hot & high" airfields in the event of an engine failure.
The Metro and Metro II were limited to a maximum weight of 12,500 pounds (5,670 kg) in the USA and countries using imperial units, and 5,700 kgs in countries using SI units. When this restriction was lifted the Metro II was re-certified as the Metro IIA in 1980 with a maximum weight of 13,100 pounds (5,941 kg) and the Metro II's TPE331-3 engines replaced by -10 engines of increased power.
The SA227-AC Metro III was next, also initially certified in 1980 at up to 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg) this increasing to 14,500 pounds (6,577 kg) as engines and structures were upgraded. An option to go as high as 16,000 pounds (7,257 kg) was offered. Externally, improvements incorporated into the Metro III were a 10 ft (3.05 m) increase in wing span, four-bladed props, redesigned "quick-access" engine cowling
s and numerous drag-reducing airframe modifications, including landing gear doors that close after the gear is extended.
Once again a corporate version was offered as the Merlin IVC (the model name was chosen to align with the contemporaneous short-fuselage Merlin IIIC). A version with strengthened floors and the high gross weight option was offered as a cargo aircraft
known as the Expediter. Both the Expediter and the Merlin IVC were designated the SA227-AT. Finally, due to reliability problems with Garrett engines in the second half of the 1980s, the Metro IIIA was offered with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
A-45R turboprops in place of the Garrett units; however none were actually delivered. A special model was the SA227-BC Metro III built for Mexican airline AeroLitoral, which took delivery of 15 of the 18 of this model that were produced.
Improvements beyond the Metro III provided better systems, more power and a further increase in takeoff weight. This design effort resulted in the SA227 CC (for Commuter Category) and SA227-DC models, initially called the Metro IV then renamed Metro 23, so named as they were designed for certification under FAR Part 23
(Amendment 34) standards. A Metro 23 EF with an external pod under the lower fuselage for greater baggage capacity was also offered as well as an Expediter 23 and Merlin 23. The SA227-CC was an interim model with TPE331-11U engines and only a handful were built.
. It shared the tail and cockpit
with the Merlin/Metro. The two engines were to be Garrett TFE731
turbofan
s then in development; they were originally to be mounted on the aft fuselage, however during the course of design work their location was moved to under the high-mounted wing. Early flights were to be undertaken with General Electric CJ610
engines fitted. Development continued after Fairchild acquired the company, but the project was shut down nine weeks from first flight. It was later cut up as scrap and the fuselage used as a Metro display at trade shows.
At the 1987 Paris Air Show
, Fairchild released details of proposed developments of the Metro designated the Metro V and Metro VI. These versions would have featured a longer fuselage with a taller "stand-up" cabin providing 69 in (180 cm) of interior height for passengers; a redesigned, longer wing; engines moved further out on the wing from the fuselage; a "T-tail" and various system improvements. A Merlin V corporate version of the Metro V was also planned. The Metro V was to be fitted with the same engines as the Metro 23 and the Metro VI was to be fitted with more powerful TPE331-14 engines. The Metro VI was shelved within months of being announced due to a lack of customer interest, but Fairchild did not proceed with the Metro V either.
One version that did see the light of day was the Metro 25, which featured an increased passenger capacity of 25 at the expense of the baggage space found in earlier models; the deletion of the left rear cargo door and the addition of a passenger door on the right-hand rear fuselage; and a belly pod for baggage. A Metro III was converted as a Metro 25 demonstrator, it flew in this configuration in October 1989. Also mooted but not built was the Metro 25J, which would have been another jet-powered aircraft with TFE731s in over-wing pods.
The type certificates for Metro and Merlin aircraft are currently held by M7 Aerospace
.
, Zaire
, the first customer to put the Metro into service. The first airline to put them into service was Commuter Airlines
in January 1973, followed shortly after by Air Wisconsin
.
At least one Metro IIA flies in Canada with Perimeter Aviation
. Two SA227-CCs are today registered with Canadian operator Bearskin Lake Air Service Ltd.
, while another two are operating in New Zealand. A fifth also flew with Bearskin Airlines
but was destroyed in a mid-air collision in 1995.
In service with Perimeter Aviation in Canada, this long-term operator of the Metro II made a number of modifications to suit its use in northern and remote Canadian sites where rudimentary gravel "strips" were common. Some of the many innovative changes to the design of the Metro allowed the aircraft to fly more efficiently as well as cutting down on the "noise factor" that was attributed to the early models. The airline installed Garrett
engines with quieter and more efficient four-bladed Hartzell propellers. Their Metros are also all equipped with modern avionics suites including certified AlliedSignal
KLN 90B GPS
.
Many of the improvements resulting in the Metro 23 came about during work to produce the military C-26B
model for the United States Air Force
.
A Metro III aircraft was modified for the Colombian Air Force
for counternarcotics reconnaissance purposes. The Colombian National Police also operates several Metro 23 aircraft for counternarcotics reconnaissance purposes. In addition, the Peruvian Navy operates a Metro 23 and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard operates a Metro III, both similarly configured. A "Regional Security System" Metro III with a large belly radome has been seen in the Caribbean.
In civilian service the type has proved to be popular, with sales in the 19-seat airliner market rivalled only by the Beechcraft 1900
.The long-fuselage SA226/SA227 series has slightly outsold the Beechcraft 1900 series but many were built as Merlin corporate aircraft. The similarly-sized de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
has outsold both types but is a different class of aircraft. It is especially popular in Australia. Since the first example (a Merlin IVA) arrived in 1975, almost 20% of the fleet has operated in that country. As of December 2008, 61 Metros and Expediters are registered in Australia, more than all of its market rivals combined.
Metro production ended in 1998, however by this time Regional Jet
s were in vogue and turboprop types were out of favour with airlines, and several airframes remained unsold at the factory. The final aircraft, Metro 23 c/n DC-904B, was not delivered (to air charter
company National Jet Aviation Services of Zelienople, Pennsylvania
) until 2001. A total of 703 Metro, Expediter, Merlin IV series and C-26 series aircraft were built. In addition, 158 other SA226 and SA227 series aircraft were built as short-fuselage Merlin IIIs, IIIAs and IIIBs.123 SA226-Ts (of which 31 were Merlin IIIBs built with assigned C/Ns intermingled with those of Metro IIs), and Merlin IIICs and 300s (35 SA227-TTs, of which 25 were IIICs and 10 were 300s; again with assigned C/Ns intermingled with Metros, in this case Metro III/Merlin IVCs). In addition, three SA226-ATs were converted on the production line as SA226-TCs; four SA226-TCs were similarly converted as SA226-ATs; and one short-fuselage SA227-TT was converted as a long-fuselage SA227-AC. These eight aircraft each had two different constructor's numbers of various model names.
Some 55 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.
.Several Metro IIs are used as training aids for instructing aircraft technicians serving in the Australian Defence Forces. They are owned by the RAAF but did not fly in ADF service
South Africa
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
, twin turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
first produced by Swearingen Aircraft
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation
SyberJet Aircraft, formerly Emivest Aerospace Corporation, and prior to that Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation SSAC, is an aircraft manufacturer. Their primary product is the Swearingen SJ30-2 small business jet...
and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Design and development
The Metroliner was an evolution of the Swearingen MerlinSwearingen Merlin
The Swearingen Merlin or the Fairchild Aerospace Merlin is a pressurised, twin turboprop business aircraft first produced by Swearingen Aircraft, and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas.-Design and development:...
turboprop-powered business aircraft. Ed Swearingen, a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
fixed base operator
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
(FBO), started the developments that led to the Metro through gradual modifications to the Beechcraft
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....
Twin Bonanza
Beechcraft Twin Bonanza
|-See also:-References:Twin Bonanza Association http://twinbonanza.com...
and Queen Air business aircraft, aircraft he dubbed Excalibur.
Then a new fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
(but with a similar nose) and vertical fin
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...
were developed, married to salvaged and rebuilt (wet) Queen Air wings and horizontal tails, and Twin Bonanza landing gear
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
; this became the SA26 Merlin, more-or-less a pressurized
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
Excalibur. Through successive models (the SA26-T Merlin IIA and SA26-AT Merlin IIB) the engines were changed to Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
and then Garrett TPE331
Garrett AiResearch TPE-331
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
turboprops. These were marketed as business aircraft seating eight to 10 passengers.
An all-new aircraft was built and called the SA226-T Merlin III with new nose, wings, landing gear, cruciform horizontal tail
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
This and subsequent Merlin and Metro models have a trimmable horizontal stabilizer (THS) usually used on jet aircraft, one of only a small number of turboprop aircraft to have this design feature (the competing Beechcraft Model 99
Beechcraft Model 99
|-See also:-External links:*...
being another). and inverted inlet Garrett engines. Ultimately a stretch of the Merlin III was designed, sized to seat 22 passengers and called the SA226-TC Metro. Because FAA regulations limited an airliner to no more than 19 seats if no flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
was to be carried, the aircraft was optimized for that number of passengers. The standard engines offered were two TPE331-3UW turboprops driving three-bladed propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
s. A corporate version called the SA226-AT Merlin IVA was also marketed and initially sales of this version were roughly double that of the Metro.
Prototype construction of the Metro began in 1968 and first flight was on August 26, 1969. Swearingen Aircraft encountered financial difficulties at this stage, and late in 1971 Fairchild (which was marketing the Metro and building its wings and engine nacelles), bought 90% of Swearingen and the company was renamed Swearingen Aviation Corporation. It was at this point that the previously cash-strapped company was able to put the Metro into production.
In 1974, the original Metro models were replaced by the SA226-TC Metro II after about 20 Metros and about 30 Merlin IVAs had been built.The article "Final Metro Delivery" in Airways magazine Issue 64 states that Metro deliveries totalled 18. The Metro production list shows that by the end of 1974, 22 Merlins had been built. Among the changes made were larger, squared-oval windows and optional provision for a small Rocket-Assisted Take Off
JATO
JATO is an acronym for jet-fuel assisted take off. It is a system for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets....
(RATO) rocket in the tail cone, this being offered to improve takeoff performance out of "hot & high" airfields in the event of an engine failure.
The Metro and Metro II were limited to a maximum weight of 12,500 pounds (5,670 kg) in the USA and countries using imperial units, and 5,700 kgs in countries using SI units. When this restriction was lifted the Metro II was re-certified as the Metro IIA in 1980 with a maximum weight of 13,100 pounds (5,941 kg) and the Metro II's TPE331-3 engines replaced by -10 engines of increased power.
Cowling
A cowling is the covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles and aircraft.A cowling may be used:* for drag reduction* for engine cooling by directing airflow* as an air intake for jet engines* for decorative purposes...
s and numerous drag-reducing airframe modifications, including landing gear doors that close after the gear is extended.
Once again a corporate version was offered as the Merlin IVC (the model name was chosen to align with the contemporaneous short-fuselage Merlin IIIC). A version with strengthened floors and the high gross weight option was offered as a cargo aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
known as the Expediter. Both the Expediter and the Merlin IVC were designated the SA227-AT. Finally, due to reliability problems with Garrett engines in the second half of the 1980s, the Metro IIIA was offered with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
A-45R turboprops in place of the Garrett units; however none were actually delivered. A special model was the SA227-BC Metro III built for Mexican airline AeroLitoral, which took delivery of 15 of the 18 of this model that were produced.
Improvements beyond the Metro III provided better systems, more power and a further increase in takeoff weight. This design effort resulted in the SA227 CC (for Commuter Category) and SA227-DC models, initially called the Metro IV then renamed Metro 23, so named as they were designed for certification under FAR Part 23
Federal Aviation Regulations
The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
(Amendment 34) standards. A Metro 23 EF with an external pod under the lower fuselage for greater baggage capacity was also offered as well as an Expediter 23 and Merlin 23. The SA227-CC was an interim model with TPE331-11U engines and only a handful were built.
Further development
In the 1960s Swearingen Aircraft developed a prototype SA-28T eight-seat jet aircraft with a flapless delta wingDelta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
. It shared the tail and cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
with the Merlin/Metro. The two engines were to be Garrett TFE731
Honeywell TFE731
|-See also:-External links:*...
turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
s then in development; they were originally to be mounted on the aft fuselage, however during the course of design work their location was moved to under the high-mounted wing. Early flights were to be undertaken with General Electric CJ610
General Electric CJ610
|-See also:-External links:*...
engines fitted. Development continued after Fairchild acquired the company, but the project was shut down nine weeks from first flight. It was later cut up as scrap and the fuselage used as a Metro display at trade shows.
At the 1987 Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
, Fairchild released details of proposed developments of the Metro designated the Metro V and Metro VI. These versions would have featured a longer fuselage with a taller "stand-up" cabin providing 69 in (180 cm) of interior height for passengers; a redesigned, longer wing; engines moved further out on the wing from the fuselage; a "T-tail" and various system improvements. A Merlin V corporate version of the Metro V was also planned. The Metro V was to be fitted with the same engines as the Metro 23 and the Metro VI was to be fitted with more powerful TPE331-14 engines. The Metro VI was shelved within months of being announced due to a lack of customer interest, but Fairchild did not proceed with the Metro V either.
One version that did see the light of day was the Metro 25, which featured an increased passenger capacity of 25 at the expense of the baggage space found in earlier models; the deletion of the left rear cargo door and the addition of a passenger door on the right-hand rear fuselage; and a belly pod for baggage. A Metro III was converted as a Metro 25 demonstrator, it flew in this configuration in October 1989. Also mooted but not built was the Metro 25J, which would have been another jet-powered aircraft with TFE731s in over-wing pods.
The type certificates for Metro and Merlin aircraft are currently held by M7 Aerospace
M7 Aerospace
M7 Aerospace LP is an aerospace company with its headquarters on the property of San Antonio International Airport in San Antonio, Texas.M7 is the successor organization to Fairchild-Dornier Aviation, having bought much of that firm's assets out of bankruptcy. M7 occupies the...
.
Operational history
Two of the original Metro model were delivered in 1972 to Societe Miniere de Bakwanga (MIBA) in KinshasaKinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, the first customer to put the Metro into service. The first airline to put them into service was Commuter Airlines
Commuter Airlines
Commuter Airlines was a commuter airline based in Binghamton, New York from the 1960s to the 1984. It began as Broome County Aviation, Inc, owned by Jerry Winston. Winston was not only the owner, he was also one of the pilots. From the beginnings in 1957 until the end in 1984 it was a family run...
in January 1973, followed shortly after by Air Wisconsin
Air Wisconsin
Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation is an airline based at Outagamie County Regional Airport in the town of Greenville, Wisconsin, United States, near Appleton. Air Wisconsin is the largest privately held regional airline in the United States...
.
At least one Metro IIA flies in Canada with Perimeter Aviation
Perimeter Aviation
Perimeter Aviation LP is an airline based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Perimeter Aviation operates 35 aircraft on scheduled, charter, and medevac service. It also operates four aircraft on charter service. It was established and started operations in 1960...
. Two SA227-CCs are today registered with Canadian operator Bearskin Lake Air Service Ltd.
Bearskin Airlines
Bearskin Lake Air Services Ltd., trading as Bearskin Airlines, is a regional airline based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. It operates services in northern Ontario and Manitoba...
, while another two are operating in New Zealand. A fifth also flew with Bearskin Airlines
Bearskin Airlines
Bearskin Lake Air Services Ltd., trading as Bearskin Airlines, is a regional airline based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. It operates services in northern Ontario and Manitoba...
but was destroyed in a mid-air collision in 1995.
In service with Perimeter Aviation in Canada, this long-term operator of the Metro II made a number of modifications to suit its use in northern and remote Canadian sites where rudimentary gravel "strips" were common. Some of the many innovative changes to the design of the Metro allowed the aircraft to fly more efficiently as well as cutting down on the "noise factor" that was attributed to the early models. The airline installed Garrett
Garrett AiResearch
Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch...
engines with quieter and more efficient four-bladed Hartzell propellers. Their Metros are also all equipped with modern avionics suites including certified AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal
AlliedSignal was an aerospace, automotive and engineering company that acquired and merged with Honeywell for $15 billion in 1999, after which the new group adopted the Honeywell name.AlliedSignal was created through a 1985 merger of Allied Corp...
KLN 90B GPS
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
.
Many of the improvements resulting in the Metro 23 came about during work to produce the military C-26B
C-26 Metroliner
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, general editor. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
model for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
A Metro III aircraft was modified for the Colombian Air Force
Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
for counternarcotics reconnaissance purposes. The Colombian National Police also operates several Metro 23 aircraft for counternarcotics reconnaissance purposes. In addition, the Peruvian Navy operates a Metro 23 and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard operates a Metro III, both similarly configured. A "Regional Security System" Metro III with a large belly radome has been seen in the Caribbean.
In civilian service the type has proved to be popular, with sales in the 19-seat airliner market rivalled only by the Beechcraft 1900
Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
.The long-fuselage SA226/SA227 series has slightly outsold the Beechcraft 1900 series but many were built as Merlin corporate aircraft. The similarly-sized de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
has outsold both types but is a different class of aircraft. It is especially popular in Australia. Since the first example (a Merlin IVA) arrived in 1975, almost 20% of the fleet has operated in that country. As of December 2008, 61 Metros and Expediters are registered in Australia, more than all of its market rivals combined.
Metro production ended in 1998, however by this time Regional Jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
s were in vogue and turboprop types were out of favour with airlines, and several airframes remained unsold at the factory. The final aircraft, Metro 23 c/n DC-904B, was not delivered (to air charter
Air charter
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft as opposed to individual aircraft seats...
company National Jet Aviation Services of Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Zelienople is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,123 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which 98% is land and 1.35% is water....
) until 2001. A total of 703 Metro, Expediter, Merlin IV series and C-26 series aircraft were built. In addition, 158 other SA226 and SA227 series aircraft were built as short-fuselage Merlin IIIs, IIIAs and IIIBs.123 SA226-Ts (of which 31 were Merlin IIIBs built with assigned C/Ns intermingled with those of Metro IIs), and Merlin IIICs and 300s (35 SA227-TTs, of which 25 were IIICs and 10 were 300s; again with assigned C/Ns intermingled with Metros, in this case Metro III/Merlin IVCs). In addition, three SA226-ATs were converted on the production line as SA226-TCs; four SA226-TCs were similarly converted as SA226-ATs; and one short-fuselage SA227-TT was converted as a long-fuselage SA227-AC. These eight aircraft each had two different constructor's numbers of various model names.
SA226 Series
- 198 SA226-TC Metro and Metro II
- 56 SA226-AT Merlin IVA
SA227 Series
- 291 Metro III
- 273 SA227-AC (11 to US Armed Forces as C-26As)
- 18 SA227-BC (3 to US Armed Forces as C-26Bs)
- 43 SA227-AT
- 21 Merlin IVC
- 22 Expediter
- 115 Metro 23
- 5 SA227 CC
- 110 SA227-DC (37 to U.S. Armed Forces as C-26Bs)
Variants
Military
- C-26 MetrolinerC-26 Metroliner|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, general editor. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
- version for the US Armed Forces
- Tp88 - Metro III (one aircraft) delivered to the Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
for use as a VIP transport.
Operators
Civil operators
As of July 2010 a total of 342 Fairchild Metro/Merlin aircraft (all variants) remained in airline service. Major operators include:- AeroconAeroconAerocon is a Bolivian airline.It started its operations in 2005.In 2006 the airline transferred its operational base to Trinidad. It is also called the Airline of Beni Department....
(8) - Aeronaves TSM (20)
- Aeronova (5)
- Air Cerberus (7)
- AirworkAirworkAirwork is an airline based in Auckland, New Zealand. It operates a joint venture airline, Air Post, which is 50% owned by Airwork and New Zealand Post. It also operates freight services in Australia for Toll Priority...
(5) - AmeriflightAmeriflightAmeriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with its headquarters in Hangar 1 on the grounds of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services to destinations in 30 US states, Canada, Mexico, and...
(44) - Bearskin AirlinesBearskin AirlinesBearskin Lake Air Services Ltd., trading as Bearskin Airlines, is a regional airline based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. It operates services in northern Ontario and Manitoba...
(14) - Berry AviationBerry AviationBerry Aviation is an American charter airline based in San Marcos, Texas, United States. It was established and started operations in 1983 and operates charter passenger and cargo flights as well as work for the US Postal Service...
(8) - BinAirBinAirBin Air GmbH is a charter airline based in Munich, Germany, specializing in ad hoc freight services across Europe. The company was established in 1996 and operates a fleet of 11 Swearingen Metro turboprop aircraft....
(9) - Carson Air (15)
- Hardy Aviation (5)
- IBC AirwaysIBC AirwaysIBC Airways is an FAR Part 135 on-demand airline headquartered at 500 NW 34 ST, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315. IBC Airways operates on-demand cargo services to the Caribbean. Its main bases are Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport...
(7) - Key Lime AirKey Lime AirKey Lime Air is an American Based airline located at Centennial Airport in Colorado. It was established and started operations in 1997 and operates charter, training, United Parcel Service cargo feeder operations.- Fleet :...
(19) - Landmark (9)
- LC BusreLC BusreLC Busre is an airline based in Lima, Peru. It operates scheduled domestic flights. Its main base is Jorge Chávez International Airport .- Destinations :LC Busre currently flies to these destinations:* Andahuaylas - Andahuaylas Airport...
(6) - Merlin AirwaysMerlin AirwaysMerlin Airways is an American airline based in Billings, Montana, USA. It operates freight services under contract to FedEx Express and UPS Airlines. The airline previously conducted FAR Part 121 passenger operations in Alaska and Texas as well as providing charter service for gambling junkets...
(5) - Pel-AirPel-AirPel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd is an airline based in Mascot, Sydney, Australia. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Regional Express Holdings, which also owns Australian airlines Regional Express Airlines and Air Link....
(13) - Peninsula Airways (5)
- Perimeter AviationPerimeter AviationPerimeter Aviation LP is an airline based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Perimeter Aviation operates 35 aircraft on scheduled, charter, and medevac service. It also operates four aircraft on charter service. It was established and started operations in 1960...
(21) - Sharp AirlinesSharp AirlinesSharp Airlines is a regional airline headquartered in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. Its main bases are Portland Airport, Adelaide Airport and Launceston Airport. The airline also provides charter operations to regional Victoria and South Australia...
(5) - Skippers AviationSkippers AviationSkippers Aviation is an airline based in Osborne Park, a suburb of Perth. It is a charter company specialising in mining crew changes, executive charters and general flying for the mining industry in Western Australia, as well as search and rescue and medevac operations. It was established and...
(5) - Sunwest AviationSunwest AviationSunwest Aviation is a charter airline based at the Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The airline has a fleet of 42 aircraft, including 18 jets.-Fleet:As of May 2011 the Sunwest Aviation fleet includes:*5 Raytheon Beech 1900D...
(6) - Toll Aviation (10)
- Western AirWestern AirWestern Air Limited is an airline with its headquarters on the grounds of San Andros Airport in Andros Island, Bahamas. It was established in 2001 by Rex and Shandrice Rolle, currently the firm's president and CEO and vice president and COO, respectively....
(8)
Some 55 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.
Military Operators
- Argentine Air ForceArgentine Air ForceThe Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
- Argentine ArmyArgentine ArmyThe Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
.Several Metro IIs are used as training aids for instructing aircraft technicians serving in the Australian Defence Forces. They are owned by the RAAF but did not fly in ADF service
- Belgium Air Force
South Africa
- South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
- No. 21 Squadron SAAF
- Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
- Royal Thai Air ForceRoyal Thai Air ForceThe Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
Accidents and incidents
- On 12 June 1980, a Metro II operating as Air WisconsinAir WisconsinAir Wisconsin Airlines Corporation is an airline based at Outagamie County Regional Airport in the town of Greenville, Wisconsin, United States, near Appleton. Air Wisconsin is the largest privately held regional airline in the United States...
Flight 965 suffered engine failure following massive water ingestion during a thunderstorm; the crew lost control and crashed near ValleyValley, NebraskaValley is a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,788 at the 2000 census.Valley is the hometown of Gail Rock, who used it as the basis for the small town Clear Rock in her Addie Mills books, of which "The House Without a Christmas Tree" is best known.The Town of...
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Both crew members and 11 passengers died; two passengers survived with serious injuries. - On January 19, 1988, a Fairchild Metro III operating as Trans-Colorado AirlinesTrans-Colorado AirlinesTrans-Colorado Airlines, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States operated from August 1980 until July 1988. The airline operated flights for Continental Airlines under the Continental Express banner beginning in 1986.-Early history:...
Flight 2286 under the Continental ExpressContinental ExpressContinental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
brand, crashed near Bayfield, ColoradoBayfield, ColoradoBayfield is a Statutory Town in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,549 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bayfield is located at , along U.S...
. Both crew members and seven of the 15 passengers died. Of the surviving passengers, only one was uninjured. - On 8 February 1988, a Metro III operating as Nürnberger Flugdienst Flight 108 suffered a lightning strike, following which the electrical system failed. The right wing separated from the aircraft during an uncontrolled descent and the aircraft disintegrated and crashed near KettwigKettwigKettwig is the southernmost borough of the city of Essen in western Germany and, until 1975, was a town in its own right. Kettwig is situated next to the Ruhr river, at a median height of 53 metres above sea level. It is the most recently incorporated borough of Essen and also the largest in size,...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Both crew members and all 19 passengers died. - On September 26, 1989, Skylink Airlines Flight 070, a Fairchild Metro III was on a scheduled flight from Vancouver(YVR) to Terrace (YXT), British Columbia with two pilots and five passengers on board. The aircraft crashed one quarter mile to the west of Terrace Airport while the crew was attempting to carry out a missed approach in IFR conditions. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a post-crash fire. All seven occupants were fatally injured in the crash.
- On February 1, 1991, SkyWest AirlinesSkywest AirlinesSkywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
Flight 5569, operated with a Metro III, collided with USAir Flight 1493USAir Flight 1493USAir Flight 1493 was a scheduled United States domestic passenger flight from Syracuse Hancock International Airport, New York to San Francisco International Airport, California that collided with SkyWest Flight 5569 upon landing at a scheduled stopover at Los Angeles International Airport...
, resulting in the death of the 10 passengers and two crew members on board the Metro. - On September 16, 1995, a Tamair Metro III, VH-NEJ, crashed shortly after take off from Tamworth, NSW, Australia, killing all three on board. The crash occurred following a "V1 cut" at night and raised many questions regarding the safety of asymetric training operations at night.
- On June 18, 1998, PropairPropairPropair Inc. is a charter airline with its headquarters on the property of Rouyn-Noranda Airport in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. It operates charter and medevac flights. Its main base is Rouyn-Noranda Airport. It has a secondary base at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.-...
Flight 420, a Metro II flying from Dorval International Airport (now Montreal-Trudeau International Airport) to Peterborough AirportPeterborough AirportPeterborough Airport, , is located south-southwest of the city of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The airport includes a main asphalt runway oriented east-west, and a smaller turf runway oriented northwest-southeast. A new terminal building is to be completed in 2011...
in Peterborough, OntarioPeterborough, OntarioPeterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, experienced a wing/engine fire during the initial climb. It attempted an emergency landing at MirabelMontréal-Mirabel International AirportMontréal-Mirabel International Airport, originally called Montréal International Airport and widely known simply as Mirabel is an airport located in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, northwest of Montreal and was opened October 4, 1975...
, but crashed near the runway threshold, in part due to a landing gearUndercarriageThe undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
failure. The two pilots and the nine passengers on board were killed. - On May 3, 2005, a Metro III operating a cargo flight as Airwork Flight 23Airwork Flight 23Airwork Flight 23 was a New Zealand Post cargo flight between Auckland International Airport and Woodbourne Airport that disintegrated on 3 May 2005.-History of the flight:...
broke up in midair and crashed near StratfordStratford, New ZealandStratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
, New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Both crew members died. - On May 7, 2005, a TransairTransair (Australia)Transair was an airline based in Australia. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority cancelled the Air Operator's Certificate, at the request of Transair, on 4 December 2006 . Transair ceased all operations from that date...
Metro 23 crashed near Lockhart RiverLockhart River, QueenslandLockhart River is a coastal Aboriginal community situated on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. The population consists mostly of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, whose ancestors were forcibly moved to the area beginning in 1924...
, north of Cooktown, QueenslandCooktown, QueenslandCooktown is a small town located at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repairs in 1770. At the 2006 census, Cooktown had a population of 1,336...
in Australia. A total of 15 people died in what is, as of December 2009, the worst airline crash in Australia since the 1960s. - On 10 February 2011, Manx2 Flight 7100Manx2 Flight 7100Manx2 Flight 7100 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Cork, Republic of Ireland. On 10 February 2011, the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner 3 operating the route crashed on its third attempted landing at Cork Airport, killing six of the twelve people on...
, on a flight from BelfastGeorge Best Belfast City AirportGeorge Best Belfast City Airport is a single-runway airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Situated adjacent to the Port of Belfast it is from Belfast City Centre. It shares the site with the Short Brothers/Bombardier aircraft manufacturing facility...
, Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
to Cork, IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, crashed on landing in fog, resulting in the death of six people. - On 6 September 2011, AeroconAeroconAerocon is a Bolivian airline.It started its operations in 2005.In 2006 the airline transferred its operational base to Trinidad. It is also called the Airline of Beni Department....
Flight 238Aerocon Flight 238Aerocon Flight 238 was a domestic scheduled passenger service operated by Aerocon, flying between El Trompillo Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and Teniente Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport, Trinidad, Bolivia. On 6 September 2011, it was operated by a Swearingen SA.227BC Metroliner III,...
from El Trompillo AirportEl Trompillo AirportEl Trompillo Airport is located in the south part of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, about 2km away from the central plaza.-Creation:It was created in 1920 with a lane that measured no more than 800 meters . The airport was given the name of “Captain Horacio Vasquez” honoring a pilot who died in an accident...
, Santa Cruz de la SierraSanta Cruz de la SierraSanta Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
, Bolivia to Teniente Jorge Henrich Arauz AirportTeniente Jorge Henrich Arauz AirportTeniente Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport is an airport in Trinidad, Bolivia. It is the main hub both for Amaszonas and Aerocon. Teniente Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport is the main airport and entrance to the Bolivian Amazonic region.-Airlines and destinations:...
, Trinidad, BoliviaTrinidad, BoliviaTrinidad, officially La Santísima Trinidad , is a city in Bolivia, capital of the department of Beni. The population is 130,000 ....
disappeared on approach to Trinidad. The flight was operated by Swearingen SA-227 Metroliner CP-2548. Eight of the nine people on board were killed.