Bagnato Eager To Plant ATR Flag in U.S.
ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato sees a continued trend away from 50-seat regional jets in the U.S. (Photo: ATR)
ATR chief executive Filippo Bagnato sees a continued trend away from 50-seat regional jets in the U.S. (Photo: ATR)

Despite the difficulty ATR has encountered in penetrating the U.S. turboprop market, company CEO Filippo Bagnato continues to express optimism that the Franco-Italian partnership will experience a resurgence in what perhaps represents its final frontier of a sort. Now controlling some 60 percent of the market for 50- to 90-seat airplanes based on unit sales backlogs, the last Western maker of 50-seat-category turboprops sees itself as a potential lifeline for small U.S. cities and communities that can no longer support the services of regional jets of any size.