Atr 72-600/212a

Twin Turboprop· 17 globally registered

The ATR 72 is the world's best-selling regional turboprop, a stretched derivative of the ATR 42 built by the French-Italian consortium Avions de Transport Régional since 1988. Designed for short-haul routes of 300 to 900 nautical miles, it dominates island-hopping networks, thin domestic markets, and mountainous terrain where jet economics don't pencil out. The current -600 series, introduced in 2011, carries 68 to 78 passengers behind a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW127M engines driving six-blade composite propellers, cruising at 276 knots while burning roughly half the fuel of a comparable regional jet. Its high-wing configuration and rugged landing gear make it a favorite for unpaved or short strips across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean, where operators prize its ability to turn a profit on routes with fewer than fifty daily passengers. The type's slow approach speed and steep descent capability allow access to challenging airports like Lukla in Nepal and Tenzing-Hillary in Bhutan, though icing limitations and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet keep it below the weather that jets routinely top. More than 1,000 ATR 72s have been delivered, with production continuing in Toulouse as Airbus and Leonardo (formerly Alenia) each hold a 50-percent stake in the program. SkyMeter has tracked 9,196 flights across 393 airframes and 6 operators, with FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP the largest observed operator.