ATR, the world’s leading turboprop manufacturer, is pleased to announce that the ATR 72-500 aircraft has just received its certification from Transport Canada, the Canadian airworthiness authority. This will enable Canadian airlines to operate ATR 72-500s either in passenger or cargo configuration.
“Obtaining this certification will allow us to expand the operational scope of our family of aircraft”, stated Alessandro Amendola, Senior Vice President Engineering at ATR. “Once again, ATRs have proven that they are the perfect match for challenging markets, such as Canada, where their ability to fly in extreme cold, icy weather conditions, take off and land on unpaved and short runways, and their unrivalled performance are invaluable.”
ATR is strongly committed to addressing the various needs of all of its operators worldwide. As of today, about 40 ATR aircraft are operated in Canada, providing passenger and freighter services to remote and isolated communities. The ATR 72-500 will bring further opportunities for passengers as well as cargo air services.
The Canadian operator First Air has already been operating the 50-seater version of the same series – the ATR 42-500 – for the past years, in the North of Canada.