BAE Systems

30 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017

ATPF Freighter project. This offered

both bulk ‘E’ class and Large Freight

Door versions (LFD). The ATPF is a true

8-tonne plus freighter, capable of

carrying eight LD3 containers or six LD4s

when fitted with the Large Freight Door,

or bulk loading of up to eight tonnes

when configured with an E-Class

compartment.

The first ATPF fitted with the LFD,

SE-LGZ flew from West Atlantic Airlines’

base at Linkoping in Sweden on 10 July

2002. In total 23 ATPs were fitted with
      LFDs while 20 ATPs were converted to
      the bulk role with E-Class interiors. Eleven
      ATPFs are still operated throughout
      Europe and to North Africa by West
      Atlantic Airlines, and two more are
      operating in Indonesia with Deraya Air
      Services. Only five pure passenger

versions remain in operation with NextJet

of Sweden.

Conclusion

The steady development and

refinement of the 748, maintained

demand for the aircraft and amply

repaid Hawker Siddeley for risking its

capital. If BAe had launched a 748

upgrade with the same seating capacity

earlier, it could have done as well as the

Fokker 50, especially if it had come to

market ahead of the ATR. But by the

time that the ATP finally arrived in 1988,

the ATR42 had gathered many orders,

with the Fokker 50 coming a creditable

second. Ironically the ATP then found

itself head-to-head with the larger

ATR72, the latter now based on the

proven and highly successful ATR42 and

with a growing customer base

compared to the rapidly declining 748

community, many of whom of course

had already switched to the smaller ATR.

The ATP failed to match the

performance and economics of the ATR.

The ATP cruised slower than the ATR

owing to using the 748 wing, by then

approximately thirty years old. The ATP

could only compete by adding more

power, which was offered but came at a

cost of increased fuel burn and engine

maintenance costs. However the ATP

has performed well as a freighter and

accessed a market that at the time the

ATR72 could not match, given its much

higher cost. The structure of the ATP is

very robust and the door design very

simple compared to the more complex

powered door of the ATR freighter. ■