It was a wooden conventional biplane with wide track tailwheel landing gear, powered by a nose-mounted 185 hp (138 kW) Alfa-Romeo 115 engine.

Two aircraft were sold to the Italian airline Ala Littoria which were followed by three production batches for the Regia Aeronautica.

Early accidents in use resulted in structural strengthening and modification to the production aircraft.

The SAIMAN 200 was used by Regia Aeronautica primary training schools and some were also used for liaison duties.

After the 1943 armistice the surviving aircraft were also used by the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, the Germans and the Allies.