ATR 42
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| ATR 42 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| ATR 42 of the Welsh airline Air Wales | |
| Type | Regional Airliner |
| Manufacturer | ATR |
| Maiden flight | 16 August 1984 |
| Status | In revenue service |
| Variants | ATR 72 |
The ATR 42 is a twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner built in France by ATR. The name "42" comes from the aircraft's seating, which varies from 40 to 50. The aircraft was the basis for the ATR 72.
Contents |
[edit] History
The ATR 42 was announced in 1981, making its maiden flight on 16 August 1984; French and Italian certification followed in September 1985 and its first revenue flight was in December of the same year with Air Littoral of France.[1]
As of January 2007, 390 ATR 42s had been delivered worldwide, with another 11 aircraft on order.[2]
[edit] Variants
There are three major variants of the ATR 42.
[edit] ATR 42-300
The -300 was the original ATR 42 aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 engines rated at 2000 shp.[3]
[edit] ATR 42-320
The -320 was an improved version of the -300 powered by PW121 engines (2100 shp).[4]
[edit] ATR 42-500
The -500 is the current production version. It is identical in appearance to earlier 42s with the exception of its six-bladed propellers turned by PW127E engines rated at 2400 shp for improved hot and high performance and greatly increased cruise speed. It also has an increased maximum takeoff weight, allowing for more cargo and greater range (up to 1,500 nm).[5]
[edit] Other
An STC exists to convert all ATR 42 variants to cargo-only transport aircraft.[6] FedEx, UPS, and DHL are major operators of the type.
The ATR 42 "Surveyor" is a maritime patrol version of the -500[7], and VIP transport and in-flight inspection versions of the -500 also exist.[8][9]
[edit] Major operators
- Airlinair (18)
- Empire Airlines (11)
- Linhas Aereas (10)
- Mountain Air Cargo (10)
- Total Linhas Aereas (9)
- TAROM (7)
- Pantanal Linhas Aereas (6)
- Pakistan International Airlines (6)
- DAE (4)
Some 71 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.[10]
First Air operates 8 ATR 42-300 and is the first in the world to land an ATR on an ice runway.[citation needed]
[edit] Accidents and incidents
- On October 15, 1987 an Aero Transporti Italiani (ATI) ATR 42-300 crashed on Mt. Crezzo, Italy during flight from Milan-Linate to Köln, Germany. All 37 on board died. Icing conditions existed.[citation needed]
- On 11 October 1999, an Air Botswana captain boarded an ATR 42 aircraft and took off. Once in the air, he asked by radio to speak to President Festus Mogae (who was traveling abroad at the time), Air Botswana's general manager and others. In spite of all attempts to persuade him to land and discuss his grievances, he stated he was going to crash into some planes on the apron. After a flying time of about 2 hours, he did two loops and then crashed at 200 knots (230 mph) into Air Botswana's two other ATR 42s parked on the apron. The captain was killed but there were no other casualties. He had been grounded on medical reasons, refused reinstatement, and regrounded until February 2000.[1]
[edit] Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.[edit] General characteristics (ATR 42-500)
- Wingspan: 24.57 m
- Length: 22.67 m
- Height: 7.59 m
- Wing area: 54.5 m²
- Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127E (1,790kW) × 2
- Passengers: 44-50
[edit] Performance
- Maximum Take-Off Weight: 18,600 kg
- Cruising speed: 556 km/h
- Range: 2,965 km
| Measurement | ATR 42 |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | 44-50 |
| Range at max pax load | 640 nm (ATR 42-300) 870 nm (ATR 42-500) |
| Wingspan | 24.57 m |
| Length | 22.67 m |
| Height | 7.59 m |
| Maximum Take-Off Weight | 16,700 kg (ATR 42-300/320) 18,600 kg (ATR 42-500) |
| Powerplant | Pratt & Whitney Canada 2 × PW120 @ 1800 SHP (ATR 42-300) 2 × PW121 @ 1900 SHP (ATR 42-320) 2 x PW127E @ 2160 SHP (ATR 42-500) |
[edit] Facts and trivia
- Passengers are boarded using the rear door, rare for a passenger plane, to avoid possible injuries from the blades of spinning rotors.
- The ATR aircraft do not have an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), but have a propeller brake (referred to as "Hotel Mode") that stops the propeller on the #2 (right) engine, allowing the turbine to run and provide air and power to the aircraft without the propeller spinning. This eliminates the need for the added weight and expense of an APU.[11] Engines are periodically switched during maintenance to ensure equal wear.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- Antonov An-140
- de Havilland Canada Dash 8
- Dornier 328
- Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
- Fokker F27 and F50
- Ilyushin Il-114
- Saab 2000 and 340
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