Fairchild (1) SA-227AC Metro
The Fairchild Metro/Merlin (also known by its Swearingen origins) is a pressurised twin-turboprop regional aircraft, distinguished by its unusually long, thin fuselage relative to its wingspan. That slender shape, sometimes nicknamed the 'flying cigar tube', kept the cabin narrow but let the type cruise faster than many bulkier regional turboprops of similar size. It became a common regional airline and cargo aircraft in North America, valued for its speed on shorter feeder routes. A related executive variant, the Merlin, shared the same basic airframe for corporate transport use.
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Did you know?
Nicknamed the 'flying cigar tube', the Metro's unusually long, thin fuselage let it cruise faster than bulkier regional turboprops of similar size.
Specifications
| Length | 19 m (62 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 21.8 m (72 ft) |
| Height | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 19 |
| Persons on board | 12 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 6.5 t |
| Range | 1,000 NM (1,852 km) |
| Maximum speed | 280 kt (519 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft (7,620 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 27,000 ft (8,230 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,400 ft/min (12.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 870 m (2,854 ft) |
| Landing distance | 770 m (2,526 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 2,400 l |
| Engines | 2x PT6A-41 |
| Units built | 291 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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