IATA AT7ICAO AT72

Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 72

Aerospatiale

TravelerPulse profile

Franco-Italian twin-turboprop workhorse of regional aviation.

First flight

1988

Category

Regional turboprop

Seating

70–78 passengers

Range

~1,528 km

Engines

Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 turboprops

Status

In production

The ATR 72 is a regional turboprop airliner developed jointly by Aérospatiale of France and Alenia of Italy, first flying in 1988. It is a stretched derivative of the ATR 42, offering increased passenger capacity and improved economics for short-haul regional routes. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 turboprop engines driving six-bladed propellers, the ATR 72 is optimized for routes up to approximately 1,500 km. Its high-wing configuration and robust undercarriage make it suitable for operations at smaller regional airports with less-developed infrastructure. The aircraft has gone through several variants, including the ATR 72-500 and the current ATR 72-600, the latter featuring a modernized glass cockpit and improved fuel efficiency. It remains in production and is one of the best-selling regional turboprops in aviation history.

Notable operators

Major operators include IndiGo, Air France (through regional partners), FinnAir, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and Air New Zealand.

Notable facts

›The ATR 72 is a stretched version of the ATR 42, with the fuselage extended by about 4.5 metres.
›Over 1,000 ATR 72 aircraft have been ordered since the type's introduction.
›The ATR 72-600 variant features a Thales avionics suite with full glass cockpit.
›ATR is jointly owned by Airbus and Leonardo (formerly Alenia Aermacchi).
›The type has been involved in several high-profile accidents in icing conditions, prompting regulatory reviews of de-icing procedures.