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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

History

Variants

ATR 42-300

ATR 42-320

ATR 42-500

Other

Major operators

Accidents and incidents

Specifications

General characteristics (ATR 42-500)

Performance

Facts and trivia

References

External links

Related content

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]

Variants

There are three major variants of the ATR 42.

ATR 42-300

The -300 was the original ATR 42 aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW120 engines rated at 2000 shp.^[3]

ATR 42-320

The -320 was an improved version of the -300 powered by PW121 engines (2100 shp).^[3]

ATR 42-500

The ATR-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]

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]

Major operators

★ Airlinair (18)

★ Aeromar (16)

★ Aer Arann (15)

★ Air Deccan (14)

★ Alliance Air (4)

★ Calm Air International Ltd (2)

★ Croatia Airlines (3)

★ Czech Airlines (8)

★ Dutch Antilles Express (3)

★ Empire Airlines (11)

★ EuroLOT (6)

★ FedEx Express (29)

★ Finncomm Airlines (4)

★ Hemus Air (2)

★ Linhas Aereas (10)

★ Mountain Air Cargo (10)

★ Olympic Airlines (6)

★ Pantanal Linhas Aereas (6)

★ Precision Air, Tanzania (4)

★ Pakistan International Airlines (6)

★ Regional Air Lines (4)

★ TAROM (7)

★ Total Linhas Aéreas (9)

★ TRIP Linhas Aéreas (6)
Some 70 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.

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.[1]

★ 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.[2]

Specifications

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

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)

Facts and trivia

★ Passengers are boarded using the rear door to avoid possible injuries from the blades of spinning propellers. The vast majority of commercial aircraft are boarded from the front.

★ 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.

References

1. Detailed Milestones
2. Worldwide presence
3. ATR 42-300/320
4. ATR 42-300/320
5. ATR 42-500
6. ATR cargo solutions
7. ATR 42 Surveyor
8. ATR VIP
9. ATR In-flight
10. Flight International, 3-9 October 2006
11. http://www.atraircraft.com/downl/ATR%2042-72%20The%20Regional%20Way%202005.pdf

External links

★ Official site

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