Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) is a little over a year away from completing certification of the new -600 version of its ATR 72 twin turboprop, with the smaller ATR 42-600 due to follow just a few months later in early 2011. Despite the slow sales environment in the air transport sector, the European airframer has been able to log 54 orders for the 70-seat ATR 72 and seven for the 50-seat ATR 42 from eight customers in seven countries. The latest order, placed last month by Libya’s flag carrier Libyan Airlines, is for two 48-seat ATR 42s to be delivered by year-end and is valued at $35 million (U.S.). ATR remains convinced that its investment in a new generation of turboprop transports will pay off when the market recovers.
Here at the Dubai Airshow, ATR (Stand C410) is encouraged that none of the 22 order cancellations it has received during the economic downturn have been from customers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. However, senior vice president commercial John Moore acknowledged a slowdown in the Indian market that was booming until a year or so ago. Nonetheless, the July 2008 merger between Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan has not resulted in any cancellations among the 65 ATR 72-500s that the carriers had ordered between them (35 for Kingfisher and 30 for Air Deccan). In fact, the merged Kingfisher Airlines has converted 23 of these aircraft to the new -600 version.
More In Aircraft
