Editing ATR 72 (section)

== Development ==
=== Origins ===
[[File:Finnair ATR-72 OH-KRL at EFHK 20030803.jpg|thumb|An ATR 72 of [[Finnair]], its launch operator]]
During the mid-1980s, [[ATR (aircraft manufacturer)|ATR]] sought to introduce a larger airliner with increased capacity over its earlier products.<ref name="milestones 2017" /> This new regional airliner, designated as the ATR 72, was directly developed from the earlier ATR 42 and had much in common with it; the principal difference between the two airliners was an increase in the maximum [[seating capacity]] from 48 to 78 passengers. This was principally achieved by stretching the fuselage by {{Convert|4.5|m|abbr=on}}, along with an increase of the [[wingspan]], the use of more powerful engines, and increased fuel capacity by about 10%.

On 15 January 1986, the launch of the stretched ATR 72 programme was announced.<ref name="milestones 2017" /> On 27 October 1988, the prototype performed its maiden flight. One year later, on 25 September 1989, the ATR 72 received [[airworthiness certificate|airworthiness certification]] from the French [[Directorate General for Civil Aviation (France)|Directorate General for Civil Aviation]]. The following month, on 27 October 1989, Finnish airline [[Finnair]] became the first to introduce the aircraft into service.<ref name="milestones 2017">{{cite web |url=http://www.atraircraft.com/about-atr/corporate-overview/milestones.html |title=Milestones |publisher=[[ATR (aircraft manufacturer)|ATR]] |access-date=9 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209032240/http://www.atraircraft.com/about-atr/corporate-overview/milestones.html |archive-date=9 December 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Since the ATR 72 is assembled on the same production line as the smaller ATR 42, along with sharing the majority of subsystems, components, and manufacturing techniques, the two types support each other to remain in production. This factor may have been crucial as, by 2015, the ATR 42 was the only 50-seat regional aircraft still being manufactured.<ref name="ain nov 2015">Sheppard, Ian. [https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-11-08/atr-continues-drive-turboprop-revolution "ATR Continues To Drive Turboprop Revolution."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730151858/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-11-08/atr-continues-drive-turboprop-revolution |date=30 July 2017}} ''AIN Online'', 8 November 2015.</ref><ref name="lease freight ain">Sheppard, Ian. [http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2017-06-07/atr-creates-leasing-asset-management-freighter-unit "ATR Creates Leasing, Asset Management & Freighter Unit."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730203144/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2017-06-07/atr-creates-leasing-asset-management-freighter-unit |date=30 July 2017}} ''AIN Online'', 7 June 2017.</ref>

In 2000, the combined global ATR fleet reached its 10,000,000th flight, during which a distance of around 4 billion km (2.5 billion statute miles) and around 450 million passengers had flown on board ATR-built aircraft.<ref name="milestones arch">{{Cite web |url=http://www.atraircraft.com/milestone2.htm |title=Milestones |publisher = [[ATR (aircraft manufacturer)|ATR]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017034141/http://www.atraircraft.com/milestone2.htm |date=2006 |archive-date=17 October 2006}}</ref> The 2007 production set a new record for the programme's sales; a total of 113 new ATR aircraft had been ordered during a single year.<ref name="milestones 2017" /> By the end of 2014, ATR had received 1,000 orders for the type and delivered 754, leaving a backlog of 246 aircraft.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.atraircraft.com/newsroom/atr-record-year-in-terms-of-sales-deliveries-turnover-and-backlog-1309-en.html |title=ATR: record year in terms of sales, deliveries, turnover, and backlog |date=21 January 2015 |publisher=[[ATR (aircraft manufacturer)|ATR]] |access-date= 9 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030028/http://www.atraircraft.com/newsroom/atr-record-year-in-terms-of-sales-deliveries-turnover-and-backlog-1309-en.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=September 2016}}

Various organisational changes were implemented within the ATR company. On 10 July 1998, ATR launched its new Asset Management Department.<ref name="milestones arch" /> In June 2001, [[EADS]] and [[Alenia Aeronautica]], ATR's parent companies, decided to reinforce their partnership, regrouping all industrial activities related to regional airliners into the ATR consortium.<ref name="milestones 2017" /> On 3 October 2003, ATR became one of the first aircraft manufacturers to be certified under [[ISO 9000#2000 version|ISO 9001-2000]] and [[AS9100|EN/AS/JISQ 9100]], the worldwide quality standard for the aeronautics industry. During July 2004, ATR and Brazilian aircraft manufacturer [[Embraer]] announced a co-operation agreement on the AEROChain Portal to deliver improved customer service.<ref name="milestones 2017" /> During April 2009, ATR announced the launch of its 'Door-2-Door' service as a new option in its comprehensive customer services range.<ref name="milestones 2017" />
In 2017, the 72-600 unit cost was US${{#expr:1300/50}} million.<ref name=FG170509>{{cite news |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/indigo-tentatively-signs-for-50-atrs-437012/ |title= IndiGo tentatively signs for 50 ATRs |date= 9 May 2017 |author= David Kaminski-Morrow |work= Flight Global |access-date= 9 May 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170730224552/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/indigo-tentatively-signs-for-50-atrs-437012/ |archive-date= 30 July 2017 |url-status= live }}</ref>

=== Further development ===

[[File:ATR 72-600 - 50505204912.jpg|thumb|The ATR 72-600 was launched on 2 October 2007.]]

As of October 2007, the current production version is the ''ATR 72-600'' series. On 2 October 2007, ATR CEO Stéphane Mayer announced the launch of the -600 series aircraft; the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 featured various improvements to increase efficiency, dispatch reliability, lower fuel burn, and operating costs. While broadly similar to the earlier -500 model, differences include adopting improved PW127M engines, a new [[glass cockpit]], and various other minor improvements.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-All-the-Worlds-Aircraft/ATR-42-International.html |title=Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's&nbsp;— IHS | access-date=26 December 2014}}</ref>

Since 2008, ATR has been a participant in the European [[Clean Sky]] Joint Technology Initiative. On 8 July 2015, an ATR 72-600 'green' technology demonstrator performed its first flight; the demonstrator was used for testing new [[composite material|composite]] materials for [[Thermal insulation|insulation]], [[air conditioning]] systems, electrical distribution systems, and energy dispersal modifications to evaluate their effect on the aircraft's overall efficiency as a contribution to the Clean Sky initiative.<ref>Polek, Gregory. [http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-07-08/atrs-green-demonstrator-takes-flight "ATR's "Green" Demonstrator Takes Flight."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926202456/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-07-08/atrs-green-demonstrator-takes-flight |date=26 September 2015 }} ''AIN Online'', 8 July 2015.</ref> ATR's senior vice-president for engineering Alessandro Amendola indicated that the elimination of all uses of [[bleed air]] was a key aim in the designing of an all-electric architecture as well as improving engine efficiency; the minimising of peak electrical loads was also a stated priority. During March 2016, a second round of flight trials dedicated the testing of all-electric systems architecture using the demonstrator was completed; analysis is set to continue.<ref>Dubois, Thierry. [http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2016-03-22/atr-studies-all-electric-architecture-turboprops "ATR Studies All-Electric Architecture for Turboprops."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730225257/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2016-03-22/atr-studies-all-electric-architecture-turboprops |date=30 July 2017 }} ''AIN Online'', 22 March 2016.</ref>

As a consequence of strong demand for the -600 series, ATR decided to invest in the establishment of a second, more modern final assembly line and acquisition of more hangar space at its Toulouse site, along with a new large completion and delivery area; overall, the manufacturing operation expanded to four times the footprint that it had in 2005.<ref name="ain nov 2015" /> Speaking in October 2015, ATR CEO Patrick de Castelbajac stated that the firm was set to produce in excess of 90 aircraft that year, and that the new manufacturing facilities could support a production rate of up to 120 per year. At the time, the company had a backlog of orders for 300 aircraft, sufficient for three years of production.<ref name="ain nov 2015" /> During 2017, a new in-house financing and leasing division was established by ATR in order to offer customers a greater degree of support and expand the company's range of services.<ref name="lease freight ain" />

In December 2015, the EASA approved a new high-density seating layout, raising the maximum capacity from 74 to 78 seats.<ref name="ainonline.com">Polek, Gregory. [https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-12-08/atr-72-600-wins-easa-nod-high-density-cabin "ATe 72-600 Wins EASA Nod for High-density Cabin."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222113716/https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-12-08/atr-72-600-wins-easa-nod-high-density-cabin |date=22 December 2015 }} ''AIN Online'', 8 December 2015.</ref> During the 2021 Dubai Airshow in mid-November 2021, ATR debuted the new ATR 72-600 powered by new PW127XT powerplants with 20% lower maintenance cost and 3% lower fuel consumption than the predecessor PW127M powerplant.<ref name="Buyck">{{Cite web|last=Buyck|first=Cathy|title=ATR Upgrades Turboprops with New Pratt & Whitney Engine|url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-11-15/atr-upgrades-turboprops-new-pratt-whitney-engine|access-date=2022-01-06|website=Aviation International News|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:AZU AT72 F-WWEL!1195 3nov14 LFBO-1.jpg|thumb|left|An ATR prior to painting at Toulouse]]

Considerable emphasis has been placed upon the continuous development of ATR's aircraft models.<ref name="lease freight ain" /> Speaking at the [[Farnborough Airshow]] in July 2016, the CEO of ATR Patrick de Castelbajac stated that the company was currently examining the possibility of replacing the current [[Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127]] engine with either a new offer from P&WC, or a [[General Electric GE38|GE38]] derivative from [[GE Aviation]].<ref name="reengine 2016" /> Although expressing satisfaction with the PW127 engine and its supplier, Castelbajac noted the design's age and the need to remain competitive with the latest [[regional jet]]s. To be a worthwhile exercise, any re-engine exercise would require a 15 per cent improvement in fuel-burn and 20-25 per cent reduction of direct maintenance costs. Additionally, Castelbajac sees the potential re-engine as a "bridge" to the eventual development of a larger 100-seat aircraft.<ref name="reengine 2016">{{cite web |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-re-engining-atr-could-be-bridge-to-100-427326/ |title= Re-engining ATR could be bridge to 100-seater – CEO |work= Flight global |date= 12 July 2016 |access-date= 12 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160713163514/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-re-engining-atr-could-be-bridge-to-100-427326/ |archive-date= 13 July 2016 |url-status= live }}</ref>
[[File:AirSerbia ATR 72-600 fleet.jpg|thumb|AirSerbia ATR 72-600 fleet]]
During the mid-2010s, reports emerged that the development of a further stretched 90-seat ATR model was under consideration as well; allegedly, shareholder Airbus was relatively unenthusiastic on proceeding with such a development, while Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier favoured a focus on resolving manufacturing issues.<ref name="ain nov 2015" /><ref name="chin ain 2014" /> However, in January 2018, ATR's parent company Leonardo announced that the 100-seat program has been formally brought to a close.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atr-parent-leonardo-rules-out-100-seat-turboprop-445340/|title=ATR parent Leonardo rules out 100-seat turboprop|date=2018-01-30|work=Flightglobal.com|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143600/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atr-parent-leonardo-rules-out-100-seat-turboprop-445340/|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>