designed to ensure greater knee clearance;
new side panels; and wider overhead bins
with sliding doors. Although created for the
-600, the revised cabin also appeared in
some late production -500s.
Maximum take-off weight and maximum
zero fuel weight for the ATR 72-600 has
been raised by 661lb (300kg) compared
with the ATR 72-500 – with the option of
another 441lb (200kg).
Having served as the -500 testbed, the
original ATR 72 prototype, F-WWEY, was
further modi ed as the rst -600 – tted with
the new avionics; and PW127M turboprops
rated at 2,051kW, but limited to 1,846 kW
for take-off.
Ground tests began on December 18,
2008 and the modi ed aircraft rst ew on
July 24 the following year – later to be joined
in the ight test programme by an ATR 42-
600 prototype (F-WWLY) on March 4, 2010.
The European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) granted approval of the ATR 72-600
on August 10, 2011, facilitating deliveries
to Royal Air Maroc Express six days later.
The ATR 42-600 meanwhile gained EASA
certi cation in June the following year, with
Precision Air Services of Tanzania becoming
the rst airline to take delivery on November 9.
From 2014, customers could opt for
PW127N engines, rated at 2,144 kW; and
the Meggitt propeller vibration monitoring
system became standard from March 2018.FREIGHTER PROGRAMME
ATR partnered with Italy’s Aeronavali in
2002 in the Alenia Aeronavali joint ventureto launch a large cargo door freighter
conversion of the ATR 72, which involved
installing a 9ft 8in wide x 5ft 11in high (2.94m
x 1.80m) hydraulically actuated door on the
port forward fuselage plus a 9g net barrier
and other safety systems inside.
Regional airline group Farnair became
the launch customer after placing an order
for two aircraft – F-WQNA making its public
debut at Farnborough International Airshow
in July 2002 before being handed over toFarnair Switzerland as HB-AFG for use on
FedEx’s European services.
Other customers included Northern Air
Cargo of Alaska and West Air Sweden, but in
2015 Leonardo transferred the supplementary
type certi cates (STCs) relevant to the
passenger-to-freighter programme to IPR
Conversions of Switzerland: Summit Airreceived the rst (ATR 72-200 C-FEUR)
completed by the programme’s new owner on
December 8, 2015.
Modi cations are undertaken at ASI-
Maintenance at Toulouse, although Contact
Air in Germany and Empire Aerospace in
USA are also approved centres.
IPR Conversions offers the multi-role
aircraft for a variety of uses, con gured
to carry ve 88in x 108in (2.23m x 274m)
containers or pallets; for airdrop or para
jumping of up to 30 troops; medical
evacuation with two emergency unit or six
stretchers; or seating for 30 to 38 troops
or passengers.
When Leonardo began work on a
dedicated freighter variant of the ATR 72-
600, it turned to IPR Conversions to make
use of the large cargo door and structural
tube solutions already developed. FedEx
Express became the launch customer when
it signed for 30 ATR 72-600Fs, plus 20
options, in November 2017, with the rst due
to be delivered in 2020.
While the original equipment manufacturer
offered a large cargo door, US-based M7
Aerospace developed a passenger-to-
freighter conversion by removing all the
cabin xtures and installing a cargo interior,
strengthening the oor structure, modifying
existing doors to facilitate loading and
reinforcing the surrounding assembly to
prevent damage.
The modi cation work at San Antonio,
Texas, and Spring eld, Missouri, also added
an internal conveyor system, along with
tie-down rings and provision for cargo nets,32 Aviation News incorporating Jets August 2018The sleek lines of ATR 42-320
LN-FAP, operated by Coast Air on
approach to Copenhagen, Denmark,
on August 6, 2008. AirTeamImages.
com/Danish Aviation Photo“The aircraft was
aimed at regional or
commuter airlines,
and those working
as ‘feeder’ carriers,
ferrying passengers
to the hubs for
onward connections”
Total Linhas Aéreas ATR 42-500 PR-TTH
taxiing at Eduardo Gomes International
Airport in Northern Brazil. AT R30-34_atrDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 32 03/07/2018 15:07