Aircraft
Smaller ATR Gets EASA Nod

ATR’s 50-seat 42-600 turboprop was certificated by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) late last month, bringing to fruition a test campaign that saw the larger, 70-seat ATR 72-600 gain certification in May last year. The aircraft have been updated with glass cockpits and modern avionics systems along with other refinements, including the Armonia cabin designed by Italian car designer Giugiaro. The first example is to enter service later this summer with an undisclosed customer.

“We are pleased to see that the entire ‘-600’ family is now ready to operate for our customers,” said ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato. “Today we are the only manufacturer of 50-seat aircraft in the world.” The company at present has orders for 15 ATR 42-600s, which have sold in smaller numbers compared to the popular ATR 72. It now offers only the -600 variant of each (a few 72-600s are still being built, all of which are to be delivered by the end of 2012).