Following a run of three challenging years, France-based ATR, the maker of the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft, has suggested that it is set for growth in 2023. Global airlines received 25 new and 11 used aircraft from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo in Italy, in 2022. With 1,200 flying aircraft and a robust 160 aircraft backlog, the worldwide in-service fleet is "now close to pre-COVID numbers," according to ATR. Also, 150 new routes were established with ATR-built aircraft thanks to the introduction of the ATR 42-600S (Short Take-Off and Landing) turboprop by the company.
In June 2022, ATR successfully conducted a flying test with an ATR72-600 that was fuelled by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel in collaboration with Sweden's Braathens Regional Airlines and the Finnish oil business Neste (SAF).
The CEO of ATR, Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, stated, "The goal for 2023 is to preserve our position as the leading regional aircraft manufacturer, by targeting at least 40 deliveries, with the intention to ramp up production to 80 aircraft in the future years." With their "unbeatable economics, cutting-edge technologies, and unmatched environmental performance," the two aircraft made by the Franco-Italian company, in Laude's words, enable airlines to "run their routes profitably, despite inflation and energy instability."
The OEM emphasized its ambitions to take advantage of the chances presented by the significant demand for turboprop replacements over the following 20 years, projecting demand for 1,500 turboprops over that time. The company will be able to "enter into untapped markets like the United States, to grow its footprint on the freighter market, and to explore new prospects, such as corporate, governmental, and humanitarian operations" as a result of this. Data from ch-aviation.com shows that, excluding aircraft in storage or for maintenance, there are now 932 ATR 42/72s in use by 171 airlines worldwide.