|
The ATRS Part 1 Sept. 2019
They're not very pretty. They sort of remind one of an updated Handley Page Herald. The announcement of the new European built commuter aircraft in 1981 barely evoked a yawn. The combination of Aerospatiale and Aeritalia had never built nor marketed an airliner.
By the time of the announcement, 713 F-27s had been built, and the updated F-50 model was forthcoming. DeHavilland of Canada had announced the DHC-8, a versatile derivative of the DHC-7 that would be available in a number of sizes. It wouldn't appear to be the best market opportunity for a fledgling company.
But, by August of 1984 the first ATR-42 took to the air. Aircraft #5 entered service with Cimber Air in December 1985. Other European regionals also gave it a shot, and to the surprise of many, The ATR-42 delivered. So much so that 1545 of the unassuming turboprops and the derivative 72 models were delivered to operators, both large and small. Most are still in service today.
Following are postcard images of some of the many ATR-42s |
Album by John Schmidt. 1 - 121 of 121 Total. 0 Visits. |
|
