Tag Archives: ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600)

ATR delivers its 1,500th aircraft

ATR on November 29 celebrated its 1,500th aircraft delivery with the entire ATR employee community.

The ATR 72-600 (JA06JC) was delivered to Japan Air Commuter at the end of October. This represents the latest in a year of milestones for the market-leading regional aircraft manufacturer, after the delivery of the 1,000th ATR 72 in July and the 500th ATR -600 Series in August. Since its first delivery, over 30 years ago, ATR has become the leader in regional aviation.

Since 2010, 75% of turboprop sales have been ATRs and the company currently has the largest market share of all regional aircraft. Nearly 500 50-seat ATR 42s and over 1,000 72-seat ATR 72s have been delivered to more than 200 operators in 100 countries. The company’s first aircraft programme, the ATR 42, was launched with the first delivery to French regional operator Air Littoral. ATR subsequently launched a larger version of the aircraft, the ATR 72, which was first delivered to Finnair. Since their respective launches, the ATR 42 and 72 have evolved with important improvements. The latest and most modern version of the aircraft, the -600 series, was launched in 2009, with the first delivery to Royal Air Maroc in 2011.

ATR’s prolonged success is a consequence of this policy of continuously developing its product and striving to go further with its customer service offer. The aircraft provides operators with unbeatable economics, operational flexibility, and state-of-the-art avionics, while passengers can enjoy the widest and most comfortable cabin in regional aviation. ATR’s recent innovations such as its Standard 3 avionics, ClearVision™, and Cabinstream™ ensure that its products continue to be the most advanced regional aircraft in the market. In addition to developing its products, ATR continues to concurrently strengthen its customer support, innovating new methods to lower Direct Maintenance Costs whilst increasing its Training footprint and offering a Customer Care Center that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And looking forward, ATR is also exploring the opportunities and impact of new propulsion technologies in the regional aircraft ecosystem.

Regional aviation provides vital connectivity and delivers significant economic advantages to communities worldwide. ATR’s market forecast predicts the need for over 3,000 turboprops in the next 20 years, in part to cater for nearly 3,000 new routes. A 10% increase in regional flights contributes an additional 5% of tourists, increases regional GDP by 6% and Foreign Direct Investment by 8%. This in turn leads to further social-economic development and more employment.

Top Copyright Photo: JAL – Japan Air Commuter ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWED (JA06JC) (msn 1524) TLS (Eurospot). Image: 943849.

JAC aircraft slide show:

Royal Air Maroc orders an additional ATR 72-600

Royal Air Maroc, is adding an additional ATR 72-600 to its fleet. This will bring its total ATR 72-600 fleet to six aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered before the end of the year and will be configured in the same dual-class configuration as the airline’s current ATR fleet.

Royal Air Maroc was the launch customer for the ATR -600 series and took delivery of their first ATR 72-600 in 2011. In the following seven years, ATR has delivered in total over 500 ATR-600 series aircraft, becoming the market leader in the regional segment thanks to its unbeatable economics, the widest and most comfortable cabin, operational flexibility, and state-of-the-art avionics.

In 2018 in the Africa region, ATR has delivered brand-new ATR 72-600s to Air Sénégal and Air Botswana. EWA Air and Royal Air Maroc will be the next customers to receive their new ATR-600s before the end of the year.

Japan Air Commuter takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

Japan Air Commuter Co. Ltd (JAC) took delivery of its first ATR 72-600 (JA06JC) following the conversion in June of one of its orders of an ATR 42-600 to its larger 72 version. The aircraft will have a 70-seat configuration.

The first ATR 42-600 entered service with JAC in early 2017 and the up-gauging of this order reflects the -600’s ability to effectively open and grow routes with the lowest possible risks, thanks to its 40% fuel burn advantage over its turboprop rival. The delivery of this larger aircraft allows JAC to fly more passengers to airports with shorter runways that are only accessible by turboprop. JAC have already taken delivery of five ATR 42-600 aircraft and they are going to introduce first ATR 72-600 in Japan with this delivery. With the delivery of the ATR 72-600 they will benefit from the commonality between the models. The ATR 42 and 72 share a Single Type Rating and 90% of spare parts. The versatility of the ATR -600 Series allows it to go where other aircraft simply cannot follow, performing a variety of operations with unbeatable economics.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by ATR): JAL – Japan Air Commuter ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWED (JA06JC) (msn 1524) TLS (Eurospot). Image: 943849.

JAC aircraft slide show:

Air Botswana celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new livery

Air Botswana (Pty) Limited signed a firm order for two new ATR 72-600s. The company has taken the opportunity of the new aircraft to introduce a new livery as it celebrates 30 years of flying.

The first ATR 72-600 has been painted at Toulouse pending delivery.

The pictured F-WWEE (msn 1433) will become A2-ABK on delivery.

Top Copyright Photo: Air Botswana ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWEE (A2-ABK) (msn 1433) TLS (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 944207.

Air Botswana aircraft slide show:

Chorus Aviation announces multi-aircraft leasing transaction with the Lion Air Group

Chorus Aviation Inc. announced today an agreement to lease four new ATR 72-600s to the Lion Air Group.

The first of these aircraft is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2018, with the remaining three scheduled for delivery in the first and second quarters of 2019. It is anticipated that the aircraft will be operated by members of the Lion Air Group in Indonesia and Malaysia.

This transaction marks the second multi-aircraft leasing transaction in the fast-growing Southeast Asia region, expanding Chorus’ leasing business to 12 lessees in 12 countries and a total of 78 aircraft.

Upon completing the transaction contemplated by this announcement, Chorus Aviation Capital’s customers will comprise: Aeromexico Connect; Air Nostrum; Azul Airlines; CityJet; Ethiopian Airlines; Flybe; Falcon Aviation Services; KLM Cityhopper; Lion Air Group; Philippine Airlines; Virgin Australia; and its Chorus affiliate, Jazz Aviation.

Top Copyright Photo: Wings Air (Indonesia)-Lion Group ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) PK-WHP (msn 1290) DPS (Pascal Simon). Image: 944060.

Wings aircraft slide show:

Aurigny signs Letter of Intent for three ATR 72-600s equipped with the new ClearVision™ system

Aurigny and market leading turboprop manufacturer ATR today announced the signature of a Letter of Intent for the purchase of three ATR 72-600s, subject to the approval of the States of Guernsey. These three aircraft are expected to replace the current three ATR 72-500s operated by the airline.

These new ATR -600s will feature the new ClearVision™ Enhanced Vision System (EVS), which uses an external camera to display an augmented outside-view in real-time to a head-mounted visor, worn by the pilot. The EVS significantly improves a pilot’s vision and as Guernsey is situated in the English Channel it is regularly affected by fog, often at short notice, leading to disruptions to flight operations. An ATR equipped with the ClearVision™ EVS addresses this pain point of the pilot’s limited visibility and could have saved 50% of the forbidden landings (24 of 48) in Guernsey, over the period of a year. Aurigny anticipates that this innovation will deliver significant savings in their future operations.

ClearVision™ is an option on ATR’s latest avionics suite, Standard 3, which delivers important operational improvements. In addition to the EVS selected by Aurigny, ClearVision™ also offers a Synthetic Vision System (SVS) that provides the pilot’s Head-Up Display with digital images of terrain and obstacles, from an extensive database. Operators can also opt for a Combined Vision System (CVS), combining the EVS and SVS, and offering pilots the best possible vision and situational awareness.

ATR anticipates that in the next 20 years, there will be a need for over 3000 turboprops while regional air traffic will grow 4.5% on a yearly basis. A significant proportion of this growth will come from route creation, with 30% of the traffic growth coming from routes that do not currently exist. ATR aircraft are proven route openers, with the -600 series aircraft opening over 100 routes a year on average.

Aurigny Chief Executive Officer, Mark Darby, said: “Once we have the approval from the States of Guernsey to proceed, the entry into service of the new aircraft equipped with the new ClearVision™ system will reduce flight disruptions, which will be very good news for the people of Guernsey, who rely on air travel for essential connectivity. Beyond beating the fog, upgrading to the -600 series will also further enhance the operational efficiency of Aurigny. We are also excited about welcoming our passengers into the modern ATR cabin and offering them even more comfort when they fly.”

ATR Chief Executive, Christian Scherer, remarked: “Aurigny’s pioneering use of ClearVision™ will be a first in commercial aviation, here in Europe. Being the first to offer such a solution to our clients and operators demonstrates ATR’s constant desire to match their needs. In the regional aviation market, many airlines fly in challenging locations and ClearVision™ offers an opportunity to give pilots increased visibility and improved situational awareness without requiring expensive upgrades to an airport’s infrastructure – which in many occasions may even be completely unfeasible.”

Photo: ATR.

Air Botswana signs for two ATR 72-600s

Air Botswana today signed a firm order for two ATR 72-600s. Having operated ATR -500 series aircraft since 1996, the Botswanan national flag carrier has been an ATR operator for more than 20 years and will now upgrade and restructure its fleet with the addition of the latest generation turboprop aircraft. The ATR -600 series is the market leader in the regional aviation segment with a 40% fuel burn advantage against its turboprop competitor. It is a proven route opener, having opened 150 routes in 2017 thanks to its versatility and operational efficiency.

The aircraft will be configured with a 70-seat, dual class cabin, and deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. They are also equipped with the newest navigation aid tools. The airline currently operates a fleet of three ATR 42-500s and one ATR 72-500. With this deal, the airline will start a progressive replacement of their former turboprop fleet, adding the newest standards of comfort.

ATR estimates that there will be the need for over 3000 turboprops in the next twenty years, with more than 10% of these aircraft destined for Africa & the Middle East and foresees the creation of some 300 new routes.

Copyright Photo: The new ATR 72-600s are expected to replace the older ATRs. Air Botswana ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) A2-ABS (msn 788) JNB (Paul Denton). Image: 910347.

Air Botswana aircraft slide show:

Azul intends to open flights to up to 35 new cities in the coming years

Azul has made this announcement:

The arrival of air service to a city gets the attention of local business people and entrepreneurs; it also sparks the interest of someone planning a holiday or work trip, and consequently supports and boosts the local economy. With this vision, Azul plans to expand its network by up to 35 new cities in the coming years in various regions of Brazil, as well as to select international destinations.

On March 24, the company debuted its newest destinations: Rosario and Cordoba, both in Argentina.

The list of potential new cities also includes Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Caruaru, Mossoró, Serra Talhada, Guarapuava, Toledo, Umuarama, Pato Branco, among others.

The vast majority of the markets will be served with ATR 72-600 aircraft (top), which have capacity for up to 70 passengers and are best suited for short-haul flights. The Company’s guidance for 2018 already contemplates the addition of eight to ten new destinations, representing less than 5% of the capacity growth expected for this year.

Jaguaruna, for example, a city where the company began operations at the end of 2016, has already reached the milestone of nearly 90,000 passengers flown in just over one year. The gradual growth of the base is directly related to Azul’s connectivity and to the company’s extensive network, the largest in the country, which allows passengers to travel to over 100 destinations in Brazil and abroad. Through our codeshare flights with our partners, customers can also travel anywhere in the world by connecting through the United States and Portugal.

Copyright Photo: Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) PR-ATH (msn 991) VCP (Marcelo F. De Biasi). Image: 908285.

Azul aircraft slide show:

Mandarin Airlines receives its first ATR 72-600

ATR on November 24, 2017 delivered the first of the nine ATR 72-600s to Mandarin Airlines. The ATR 72-600 will bring the regional subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines the highest standards of comfort alongside unbeatable economics.

Besides the contract for the aircraft, ATR is also willing to provide engineering and technical support to China Airlines and its subsidiaries to set-up in-house capabilities for ATR heavy maintenance, up to C-checks.

Commenting on the delivery, Jenny Tsao, President of Mandarin Airlines said: “The ATR 72–600 features several strengths, with fuel-efficiency as the major point. These enable Mandarin Airlines to operate domestic flights with higher efficiency and more profitability. With ATR 72-600s joining the fleet, Mandarin Airlines will significantly increase the flight frequencies on each domestic route and then introduce some potential new sectors afterwards. The ATR 72-600 contributes to increased flight frequencies so as to enhance passenger service, allowing passengers to benefit from, for example, three to five daily flights instead of one to two daily currently. Intensive flight frequency is a main goal as we introduce ATRs into our market.”

IndiGo takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, on November 17, 2017 took delivery of its first ATR 72-600. The airline and ATR announced earlier this year an agreement for the acquisition of 50 ATR 72-600s. This delivery represents a major step in the airline’s ambitious plan to further develop its fleet with the introduction of fuel-efficient and cost-effective ATR 72-600s, thus expanding its regional footprint and bringing air connectivity to smaller Indian airports and communities.

The introduction of the new ATR fleet goes in line with the Indian government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme, which aims to boost economic development, employment and tourism by connecting small and remote cities. Under this scheme 100 new airports are expected to be created in the next three years.

IndiGo_ATR_All India Permit_Landing_Page.png

IndiGo plans to put the new type into revenue service on December 21, 2017 on the following routes:

Our brand-new fleet of ATRs is flying to more of India. Bookings now open for the below sectors:-

Flight Number	Origin	Destination	Departure	Arrival	Starts	Starting Fare*
6E 7107	Bengaluru	Tirupati	9:40	10:35	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7121	Bengaluru	Rajahmundry	10:45	12:30	16-Jan-18	1999	Book Now
6E 7125	Chennai	Rajahmundry	17:55	19:40	16-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7102	Chennai	Mangalore	11:35	13:30	21-Dec-17	1499	Book Now
6E 7101	Hyderabad	Mangalore	6:40	8:40	21-Dec-17	1999	Book Now
6E 7103	Hyderabad	Nagpur	16:15	18:10	21-Dec-17	1999	Book Now
6E 7105	Hyderabad	Tirupati	6:25	7:50	9-Jan-18	1999	Book Now
6E 7112	Hyderabad	Tirupati	12:40	14:05	9-Jan-18	1999	Book Now
6E 7116	Hyderabad	Tirupati	19:25	20:50	9-Jan-18	1999	Book Now
6E 7118	Hyderabad	Rajahmundry	7:05	8:20	16-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7123	Hyderabad	Rajahmundry	14:35	15:50	16-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7101	Mangalore	Chennai	9:05	11:05	21-Dec-17	1499	Book Now
6E 7102	Mangalore	Hyderabad	13:50	15:40	21-Dec-17	1499	Book Now
6E 7104	Nagpur	Hyderabad	18:30	20:25	21-Dec-17	1999	Book Now
6E 7119	Rajahmundry	Bengaluru	8:40	10:25	16-Jan-18	1999	Book Now
6E 7124	Rajahmundry	Chennai	16:10	17:35	16-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7122	Rajahmundry	Hyderabad	12:50	14:05	16-Jan-18	999	Book Now
6E 7126	Rajahmundry	Hyderabad	20:10	21:25	16-Jan-18	999	Book Now
6E 7106	Tirupati	Bengaluru	8:10	9:15	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7113	Tirupati	Bengaluru	14:45	15:50	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7108	Tirupati	Hyderabad	10:55	12:05	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7115	Tirupati	Hyderabad	17:35	18:50	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now
6E 7117	Tirupati	Hyderabad	21:10	22:35	9-Jan-18	1499	Book Now