ATR 72 Twin Turboprop Passenger Aircraft, Europe

The ATR 72 is one of a family of twin turboprop passenger and freighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Avions de Transport Regional (ATR). ATR, with headquarters in Toulouse, is a joint venture company between EADS and Finmeccanica / Alenia Aeronautica.

The family consists of the ATR 42 and ATR 72, of which the ATR 42-500 and ATR 72-500 are the models currently in production.

The 500 series new-generation aircraft is equipped with new engines, new propellers, improved hot and high performance, increased weight capacity and an improved passenger cabin. The ATR 72-500 was first certificated in July 1997.

509 ATR 72 aircraft have been ordered and 350 delivered. ATR aircraft are in service with 126 operators in 74 countries. Recent orders include: TRIP Linhas Aereas (seven) in January 2007, Swiftair (three) in April 2007, Total (ten), Malaysia Airlines (20) in June 2007, Batavia (ten) in August 2007, Vietnam Airlines (five), Berjaya Air (four) and Malaysia Airlines (20) in December 2007.

In October 2007, ATR launched the new 600 series of ATR 72 and ATR 42 aircraft. The new aircraft will be equipped with a Thales Avionics glass cockpit, new PW 127M engine and Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting in the cabin. The new series is scheduled for first deliveries in 2010.

The ATR 72-500 is certified to operate on unpaved runways through installation of a kit to ensure landing gear and lower fuselage protection. Special cold weather procedures allow operation down to -54°C.

The aircraft is certified for low external noise performance according to FAR Part 36 and CH.3 ICAO Annex 16, ensuring compliance well within the current and CH.4 noise regulations.

Alenia Aeronautica has developed a military variant, the ATR 72 ASW, which integrates the mission system from the ATR 42 Maritime Patrol aircraft with additional Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) systems. In August 2005, the Turkish Navy placed an order for ten ATR-72 ASW aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled for 2009-12.

TURBOPROP PASSENGER AIRCRAFT DESIGN

The aircraft is a high wing monoplane with a semi-monocoque fail-safe fuselage built of light alloy.

Composite materials make up 19% of the total weight of the structure. The composite materials include carbon monolithic structure, Carbon / Nomex sandwich and Kevlar / Nomex sandwich, which are used for the main structure including the horizontal tailplane and rudder and the outer wing box section, and for the secondary structures, including the aileron, flaps and the engine cowling.

Alenia Aeronautica manufactures the fuselage and tail units and is responsible for the installation of landing gear. The wings are manufactured and tested at EADS Sogerma in Bordeaux. ATR in Toulouse is responsible for final assembly and delivery to customers.

ATR 72 FLIGHT DECK

Standard navigation systems satisfy the latest rules and safety requirements, including CAT I AFCS. The ATR aircraft are certified for CAT II ILS operations with an 80ft decision height available as option.

The ATR Navigation System is based on the Honeywell Trimble HT1000 Global Navigation Satellite Sensor (GNSS). The HT1000 GNSS system is coupled with the auto-pilot, the Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS) and with VHF omnidirectional radio ranging steering guidance with Distance Measuring Equipment data (VOR/DME). The navigation system is capable of performing all functions associated with 'great circle' navigation, and permits 'direct to' navigation, flight plan navigation and navigation to the nearest airport.

The aircraft is equipped with a Rockwell Collins TTR 921 radar for ACAS II. A Honeywell Primus 660 colour weather radar displays in four colours on the Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI). Weather radar can also be used in MAP mode to display ground obstacles. The Honeywell MARK VIII enhanced ground proximity warning system (E-GPWS) integrates a terrain awareness alerting and display and a terrain floor clearance on the Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS).

In October 2007, Thales Avionics was selected to provide the digital avionics suite for ATR 72-600 and ATR 42-600 aircraft. The suite includes five LCD displays, new flight management system, new communications, new navigation systems with Global Navigation Satellite System / Wide-Area Augmentation System (GNSS / WAAS) and new automatic pilot for CAT III approaches.

ATR 72 CABIN

The ATR 72-500 can carry up to 74 passengers in a four abreast, centre-aisle configuration. The standard configuration includes two cargo compartments. The front 5.8m³ cargo compartment is between the flight deck and passenger cabin and the 4.8m³ rear compartment is to the rear of the passenger cabin. The maximum payload is 7,450kg.

QUICK-CHANGE KIT

ATR has developed a Quick-Change Kit to provide quick change capability for both passenger and container transport operation and separately the ATR Cargo Conversion in order to convert the aircraft to a freighter.

The Quick-Change Kit provides the capability to reconfigure the cabin in 45 minutes to carry ATR-specific containers using the standard front cargo door. The kit allows the ATR 72 aircraft to be operated as a passenger plane during the day and as a cargo plane during the night. Each optimised container has a 2.8m³ volume and can carry freight up to a total weight of 500kg. ATR 72 can carry up to 13 ATR containers.

ATR 72 CARGO CONVERSION KIT

Alenia is responsible for the design of the Cargo Conversion Kit which converts the aircraft to a freighter. Aeronavali, a subsidiary of Alenia, is the selected outfitter for the aircraft. All ATR aircraft, ATR 200/300/400/500, can be outfitted with the cargo conversion.

The front standard cargo door measuring 1.52m x 1.27m can be optionally replaced by a large cargo door measuring 2.95m x 1.8m, enabling the aircraft to carry standard unit load device (ULD) containers such as LD3 and 88in x 108in containers.

ATR 72 can carry seven LD3 containers plus 11.7m³ of bulk freight. An alternative load arrangement comprises five 88in x 108in containers and an additional 13.3m³ of bulk freight. Currently there are 30 ATR cargo aircraft in-service with 12 operators, and an additional 27 ATR 42 aircraft are under conversion for FedEx. Only two of these aircraft have been equipped with the large cargo door: one ATR 72 operated by Farnair and one ATR 42 flown by Northern Air Cargo Alaska.

TURBOPROP PASSENGER AIRCRAFT ENGINES

The ATR aircraft are powered by two PWC 100 Series engine. The ATR 72-500 is powered by two PWC 127F. The maximum continuous thermodynamic power is 2,509kW (3,365shp) and the mechanical power is 2,050kW (2,750shp) for each engine, available up to 45°C.

The 568F six-bladed Hamilton Standard propellers are fitted with propeller electronic control. The blades are all composite counterweighted, the pinner is aluminium, and the engine cowlings are of carbon / Nomex sandwich or Kevlar / Nomex sandwich construction. The engine intakes are in Kevlar / Nomex sandwich reinforced with stiffening carbon plies.

The two integral fuel tanks have 5,700l fuel capacity.

The engine air intakes, wing leading edge and horizontal tailplane leading edge are fitted with a pneumatic de-icing system The propeller blades, windshields and horns are equipped with an electrical anti-icing system.

ATR 72 LANDING GEAR

The aircraft is fitted with hydraulically retractable tricycle-type landing gear, with Messier landing gear legs, Dunlop wheels and brakes, Crane Hydro-Aire antiskid control and Michelin tyres. Goodyear tyres are optionally fitted for operations on unpaved runways. A Magnaghi hydraulic system powers the landing gear retraction and also serves other systems in the aircraft.