ATR 72 | |
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General information | |
Type | Turboprop regional airliner |
National origin | France/Italy |
Manufacturer | ATR |
Status | In production, In service |
Primary users | Wings Air |
Number built | 1,233<[citation needed] |
History | |
Manufactured | 1988–present |
Introduction date | 27 October 1989 (Finnair) |
First flight | 27 October 1988 |
Developed from | ATR 42 |
Developed into | ATR 52 (not built) |
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR. The number "72" in its name is derived from the aircraft's typical standard seating capacity of 72 passengers. The ATR 72 has also been used as a corporate transport, cargo aircraft, and maritime patrol aircraft.
To date, all of the ATR series have been completed at the company's final assembly line in Toulouse, France; ATR benefits from sharing resources and technology with Airbus SE, which has continued to hold a 50% interest in the company. Successive models of the ATR 72 have been developed. Typical updates have included new avionics, such as a glass cockpit, and the adoption of newer engine versions to deliver enhanced performance, such as increased efficiency and reliability and reductions in operating costs. The aircraft shares a high degree of commonality with the smaller ATR 42, which remains in production as of 2024.