Short 330

Short Brothers developed the Short 330 from the boxy SC.7 Skyvan family, stretching the basic utility-aircraft concept into a commuter and light transport aircraft. The type first flew in the mid-1970s and entered service as a practical, relatively inexpensive regional aircraft. Its development also set up the later Short 360 and military C-23 Sherpa derivatives.

The aircraft used a high-wing twin-turboprop configuration with a rectangular cabin optimized for short regional sectors and easy loading. Its unpressurized cabin, sturdy landing gear, and simple systems kept operating costs low for routes where speed was less important than payload, cabin volume, and field practicality. Compared with the Skyvan, the 330 provided a longer cabin and greater commercial utility.

Operational use centered on commuter routes, island services, light cargo, and military support tasks. The type's moderate performance was offset by useful volume and robust short-haul economics. In military form, the C-23 Sherpa used the 330 lineage for tactical and administrative lift, showing how the commercial platform could be adapted to logistics missions.