The optimal aircraft type for the Swedish domestic market

Abstract: In this thesis we have made an analysis of the Swedish domestic market, and concluded different limiting and enabling factors that are important to examine when creating an aircraft specification for an aircraft suitable for use on this market. The authors focus on three different parts that are considered important to be included in the specification; aircraft size, aircraft dimensions and aircraft performance. Aircraft size has been established through the use of a model and by a literature study, while aircraft performance and dimensions have been established primarily through market studies. The Swedish domestic market is today primarily built up by regional airlines and the large actor Scandinavian airlines; this has also been the situation historically. The regional airlines operates on a point-to-point basis while Scandinavian airlines operates on a hub-and-spoke-network. The aircraft size has been found to depend on a number of different factors. Passenger demand and competition are the most important while type of operations and environmental impact also plays a large role. To create stronger competition towards other airlines and other forms of transportation, the flight frequency has been deemed a key factor. Studies show that airlines rather face rising demands by increasing the frequency than by increasing the aircraft size. Aircraft dimensions and aircraft performance are mainly restricted by airport constraints such as runway length, airport fire-fighting category and pavement strength. An aircraft specification has been developed, and the importance of flight frequency and airport constraints found on the Swedish market have been taken into consideration. The large variations in demand, and also the variations in type of operations in the Swedish domestic market have made it impossible to create a single aircraft type, however, by creating three different size versions of the aircraft it will be adapted to the different demands that have been found on the market.