ATR ATR-42

Summary

Description

During the 1960s and 1970s, as European aircraft manufacturers underwent considerable corporate restructuring, French aerospace manufacturer Aérospatiale and Italian aviation conglomerate Aeritalia commenced discussions on the topic of working together to develop an all-new regional airliner. Prior to this, both companies had been independently conducting studies for their own aircraft concepts, the AS 35 design in the case of Aerospatiale and the AIT 230 for Aeritalia, to conform with demand within this sector of the market as early as 1978. On 4 November 1981, a formal co-operation agreement was signed by Aeritalia and Aerospatiale, signaling the merger of their efforts and separate concept designs into a single aircraft design. This agreement served as the basis and origins of the ATR company, and as the effective launch point of what would become the fledgling firm's first aircraft, designated as the ATR 42. On 16 August 1984, the first ATR 42 conducted its maiden flight from Toulouse Airport, France, and during September 1985, type certification was awarded. On 3 December 1985, the first production aircraft, designated as the ATR 42-300, was delivered to launch customer Air Littoral, with the first revenue service taking place on 23 December.

The ATR 42 is a high-wing airliner with a T-tail, designed for regional transport and certified in the transport category. Its features include twin turboprop engines, originally Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120s. To facilitate operations in icing conditions, the aircraft is equipped with deicing boots, while its retractable landing gear is enclosed within fairings under the fuselage, leaving the sides of the wheels visible during flight. The aircraft design omits an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU); instead, a propeller brake on the starboard engine allows the engine to remain running, providing power during ground operations. The pressurized cabin features a circular cross-section, offering a width of 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in) to accommodate four-abreast seating configurations, typically configured for 48 seats at a 30-inch seat pitch.

The ATR 42 has seen global use across a diverse range of operators and environments. On 21 August 1990, US airline American Eagle placed a large order for ATRs, composed of 41 ATR 42s and 59 ATR 72s, with the 500th ATR built delivered to them on 5 September 1997. ATR gained a foothold in the Cuban market following an order from airline Cubana de Aviacion for the ATR 42 on 28 June 1998. By 2011, ATR’s CEO Filippo Bagnato noted the strength of Africa as a market for the type, due to its low fuel consumption and maintenance costs, austere airstrip capability, and autonomous operation without ground support equipment. Despite a majority of ATR sales in the Asia Pacific region, orders from Chinese airlines remained elusive until the late 2010s due to local market conditions and tariffs. In January 2017, Japan Air Commuter (JAC) took delivery of its first ATR 42-600, becoming the first owner-operator of the type in Japan as a replacement for its aging Saab 340 fleet. Silver Airways became the first airline to fly the -600 variant in the USA on 22 April 2019. Aside from civilian use, the ATR 42 has seen military use by the Colombian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Myanmar Air Force, and Senegalese Air Force.

Main Variants:

• ATR 42-200: This was the original ATR 42 prototype, with only a few built for testing purposes and powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 engines rated at 1,800 shp (1,300 kW).

• ATR 42-300: This was the standard production version of the ATR 42, manufactured until 1996 and powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 engines rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW).

• ATR 42-320: An improved version of the -300, the -320 was powered by more powerful PW121 engines (2100 shp), designed for better performance in hot and high conditions.

• ATR 42-500: This was a further upgraded version with improvements such as new engines, new propellers, a redesigned cabin, and increased weight, with the first delivery occurring in October 1995.

• ATR 42-600: Launched in October 2007, this series featured improved PW127M engines, a new glass cockpit, and various other enhancements to increase efficiency and lower operating costs.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Myanmar	6
	Colombia	1
	Nigeria	1

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

Colombia • France • Italy • Myanmar • Nigeria

Photo of ATR-42