The ATR 72-600 tours West Africa

Toulouse, December 11, 2017– From December 11 to 14, an ATR 72-600 in the colours of Air Sénégal will embark on a demonstration tour in three West African countries. The best-selling regional aircraft in the below-90-seats category will touch down in Bamako (Mali), Accra (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) to complete the first flight demonstration of an ATR -600 series aircraft in West Africa.
 
This promotional campaign will allow the manufacturer to highlight the many advantages of the ATR 72?600, which make it the most suitable tool for developing regional connectivity in Africa, especially between capitals and mid-sized cities. The ATR -600 series stands out for its economic performance, with much lower operating costs than its main competitor, translating into savings of around $1 million per aircraft, per year. The ATR 72-600 also offers the lowest fuel consumption in its category, a difference of 40% compared to its principal competitor. The ATR 72-600 is also known for its modern and comfortable cabin interior, as well as for its operational flexibility, which allows it to operate on unpaved runways and in airports with limited infrastructure.
 
Christian Scherer, ATR's Chief Executive Officer, commented on this demo tour: “With its energy efficiency and its low maintenance and operating costs, the ATR 72-600 perfectly aligns with the needs of airlines operating short-haul flights in Africa. It is a reliable, comfortable aircraft, with cutting-edge navigation technologies, recognised as the most suitable tool to open up new markets. The proof is that ATRs create about a hundred new routes every year around the world. ”
 
Over the next 20 years, 400 new air routes are expected to be opened in Africa and the Middle East and 300 turboprops should be needed to cover fleet growth, the creation of new routes and the replacement of existing fleets. Moreover, ATR is the only manufacturer to offer an aircraft capable of covering both the 50- and 70-seat segments, therefore making it possible to adapt the aircraft’s capacity to market demand.
 
Today, about 100 ATRs are operated by 30 airlines in 18 African countries.
 
You can follow the West Africa Tour on Twitter with the hashtag #ATRLeads.
 

About the ATR 72-600:
Passenger capacity: 68 to 78 seats
Engines: Pratt & Whitney 127M
Maximum take-off power: 2,750 horsepower per engine
Maximum take-off weight: 23,000 kg
Maximum load: 7,500 kg
Maximum flight range at maximum load: 900 nautical miles (1,665 km)
 
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About ATR

ATR is the world number one regional aircraft manufacturer with its ATR 42 and 72, the best-selling aircraft in the below 90-seat market segment. The unifying vision of the company is to accelerate sustainable connections for people, communities and businesses, no matter how remote. Flown by some 200 airlines in over 100 countries, ATR aircraft opened 160 new routes in 2023, facilitating the development of territories and enabling access to crucial services like healthcare and education. Thanks to ATR’s focus on continuous innovation and the intrinsic efficiency of the turboprop technology, ATR aircraft are the most advanced, versatile, cost-effective and lowest-emission regional aircraft on the market, emitting 45% less CO2 than similar-size regional jets. In January 2022, we flew the first ever commercial aircraft using 100% SAF in both engines. ATR is a joint-venture between Airbus and Leonardo.