Aircraft / ATR 42
JStream Original Aircraft Template
The ATR 42 is a four-abreast, short range, high-wing, twin engine turboprop regional airliner produced by ATR, a French-Italian aircraft manufacturer based in Toulouse, France. ATR is a joint venture between Aérospatiale of France (now part of Airbus) and Aeritalia (now Leonardo SpA) of Italy.
Introduced in 1985, the ATR 42 the result of a formal co-operation agreement signed in 1981 between Aeritalia and Aérospatiale to merge the two companies’ respective concept designs for a twin engine turboprop airliner into a single complete aircraft. The resulting aircraft was named the ATR 42, with the initials referring to their conglomerate ATR (French: Avions de Transport Régional; Italian: Aerei da Trasporto Regionale) and the number 42 referring to the aircraft’s original seating capacity of 42 passengers.
The ATR 42 has since spawned several variants of the intervening years, with several improvements being incorporated into the type over time, such as newer avionics, a glass cockpit, newer and more efficient engines, and assorted cabin upgrades. The latest two major variants of the ATR 42 series are 1) the standard model ATR 42-600, and 2) the ATR 42-600S STOL (short takeoff and landing) version.
The ATR 42 went on to serve as the basis for a stretched version of the same airframe, the ATR 72, which was introduced in 1989. The ATR 42 remains in production as of early 2025 by default as a passenger aircraft. It can be converted to a combi or cargo (ATR 42F) version on request.
Reference: Wikipedia.
Stats
Stats displayed are for the current production model, the ATR 42-600.
Name: ATR 42
Current Production Model: ATR 42-600/-600S
Final Assembly Line: Toulouse, France
Role: Turboprop Regional Airliner
First Introduction: 3 December 1985
Status: In Production; In Service
Cockpit Crew: Two
Seating: 30 to 48; 42 Standard
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127
Cruise Speed: 289 knots (535 km/h; 333 mph)
Range:
ATR 42-600: 726 nmi (1345 km, 835 mi)
ATR 42-600S: 680 nmi (1260 km; 780 mi)