Editing ATR 72 (section)

=== 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>