SEO Version
80
Latin
aero
magazine
Número 2 - 2012
ANIVERSÁR IO
in 1989. Some twenty years
later, as of the end of 2011,
ATR aircraft fy with exactly
175 diferent operators in 94
countries (that’s roughly half
of the world’s countries!), for
a total of over 1,200 units
sold in both versions (430
ATR 42 e 789 ATR 72), the
long-body ATR being clearly
preferred by the airlines for
its lofty cash return. ATR’s
present day commercial
success proves, if necessary,
the strong recovery that
the turboprop segment is
experiencing on the regional
transport market. Particularly
in times where the price
of oil remains on the high
side against very uncertain
economic prospects in many
regions of the world.
Amusingly enough a few
years back in time, obsessed
by proftability and value
development, the share-
holders of ATR were ready
to give up their company on
account of sinking annual
sales! It is true that only
10 aircraft left the Blagnac
assembly lines in 2005. Only
followed by 26 in 2006, 44 in
2007, 60 or so in 2008 – just
as the small business jet
market was impacted by the
world economic crisis. But
since then – revenge of the
high-wing biturboprop – the
ATR production turnover is
increasing dramatically and
2,000 additional jobs had
been created by 2010 to
cope with the fast ramp up
necessary for accepting new
orders – which reached a re-
cord high in 2011 with more
than 150 frm orders
Except for single aisle jets
like the Airbus 320, no Eu-
ropean commercial airliner
has ever met with such a
sellout. And the lastest Series
600 ATRs – introduced at the
2011 Paris air show – really
represent a step forward,
both for the passengers and
the 2-man crew, in term of
fying comfort and cabin
noise reduction.
For the long-term future,
will there still be a place for
aircraft like the ATR? Quite
certainly is the answer.
Especially on a 7-billion
human planet. Let’s recall
that thought of completing
the range with a twin jet ATR
existed at one time before
the repeated oil shocks
shelved the project, luckily
and indirectly prompting
ATR to refne its “little air bus”
concept into the Series 600
aircraft which adds a full
“glass cockpit” to a well-pro-
ven airframe with a com-
pletely redesigned interior.
Many are those who hope
that in Toulouse and Naples
engineers look forward to
carry even further the ATR
economical concept. As a
cheeky Filippo Bagnato (the
present chairman of ATR)
loves to remind:
“Now a
French-Italian team is capable
of being world champion in
something more
important
than football: aviation that is!”.
Um ATR 72-712A (MSN 794)
comprado em 2008 pela a Sevenair
e usado hoje pela Tunisair Express.
TS-LBE, an ATR 72-712A bought in
2008 by Sevenair and used today
by Tunisair Express.
© R. Sant
As aeronaves ATR são muito
procuradas no mercado de segun-
da mão. O ATR 42-300 MSN 245 foi
usado pela primeira vez pela Air
Jamaica antes de voar atualmente
com a Mauritânia Airways. É visto
aqui quando usado pela Tuninter.
ATRs are highly demanded on the
second-hand market. ATR 42-300
MSN 245 was first used by Air
Jamaica before flying today with
Mauritania Airways. It is seen here
when used by Tuninter.
© R. Sant
num futuro distante? Muito
certamente, é a resposta.
Especialmente em um pla-
neta com 7 bilhões de seres
humanos. Vale lembrar que a
idéia de complementar sua
gama de produtos com um
ATR a jato existiu em uma
época antes dos repetidos
choques do petróleo engave-
tarem o projeto, felizmente,
e indiretamente, levando a
ATR a refnar o seu conceito
de “pequeno ônibus aéreo”
para os aviões da Série 600,
equipados com um“glass
cockpit” em uma estrutura
testada e aprovada e com
um interior completamente
redesenhado. Muitos são
aqueles que torcem para que
os engenheiros em Toulouse
e Nápoles melhorem ainda
mais o conceito econômico
do ATR. Como o irreverente
Filippo Bagnato (atual
presidente da ATR) gosta de
lembrar : “
Agora, uma equipe
franco italiana é capaz de ser
campeã do mundo em alguma
coisa mais importante do que
o futebol: na aviação !”
Curiosamente espalhada
por toda Itália e França, a
divisão da produção de todos
os ATR foi inspirada pela
divisão adotada pela Airbus.
A Alenia Aeronautica produz
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