IATA ATRICAO AT46

Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 42-600

Aerospatiale

TravelerPulse profile

Modern turboprop workhorse serving short regional routes.

First flight

2009

Category

Regional turboprop

Seating

48 passengers (typical)

Range

1,326 km

Engines

Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M turboprops

Status

In production

The ATR 42-600 is the latest and most advanced variant of the ATR 42 family, jointly developed by Airbus (formerly Aérospatiale) and Leonardo (formerly Alenia Aeronautica) through their ATR joint venture. Introduced to address the needs of regional airlines, it features upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M engines, a modernised glass cockpit, and improved avionics that enhance operational reliability and fuel efficiency. The -600 series brought significant upgrades over earlier variants, including an advanced cockpit (ARMONIA) with large LCD displays, improved passenger comfort with a revised cabin interior, and enhanced short-field performance. These improvements made it particularly well-suited for operations at small regional airports with limited infrastructure. The ATR 42-600 remains one of the most popular regional turboprop aircraft in the world, competing closely with the Bombardier Q Series. Its economic operating costs and versatility have made it a preferred choice for short-haul regional carriers across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Notable operators

Major operators include Air France (via HOP!), Azul Brazilian Airlines, IndiGo (via InterGlobe), Solaseed Air, and Malindo Air, among many regional carriers worldwide.

Notable facts

›The ATR 42-600 is produced by ATR, a joint venture between Airbus (50%) and Leonardo (50%).
›It features the ARMONIA cockpit with full glass LCD displays, replacing older analogue instruments.
›The -600 variant achieved approximately 20% better fuel efficiency compared to earlier ATR 42 variants.
›A floatplane variant, the ATR 42-600S (STOL), has been developed for very short runway operations.
›ATR aircraft collectively hold over 25% share of the regional turboprop market worldwide.