ATR, the world leader in regional aircraft manufacturing, delivered 31 aircraft and received 35 orders in 2021.
ATR achieved a fair number of milestones last year:
• The delivery of 31 new aircraft on 5 continents and 10 second-hand aircraft
• The signing of 35 orders, including Letters of Intent
• The introduction of the new Pratt & Whitney 127XT engine, which reduces fuel consumption by 3%, guarantees maintenance cost savings of 20% compared to current engines and which will become the standard on the ATR 72 and 42
• The announcement of Air Corsica as a launch customer of the new PW127XT
• Delivery of the 1.600th aircraft and the signature of the 1.800th order
• The launch of the industrialization phase of the "short take-off and landing" version
• The signing of a Letter of Intent with Braathens Regional Airlines and Neste to accelerate the certification process of the ATR aircraft with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the sustainable aviation fuel
• The opening of the fully digitalized and connected Customer Experience Studio, the first in the regional aerospace sector
Stefano Bortoli, CEO of ATR, speaking from the new Customer Experience Studio for the annual press conference, said: “We have seen a clear growth trend in 2021, with very positive signs of a slow but sure recovery in the market. This is not only due to improving market conditions, but also to our response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. We have remained true to our values, continuing to invest in our product, offering concrete and real solutions to our clients so that they can operate the aircraft through the most sustainable business model Our team has made a great leap towards aviation sustainable regional by offering an improved engine and charting a path to flying with 100% sustainable aviation fuels. All of this contributes to making air services more accessible and cheaper. This is the spirit of ATR, our values: we never stop working towards our goal of connecting people in a sustainable way in all regions of the world ”.
The ATR top also expressed optimism about the company's medium and long-term prospects. The freight transport market is growing strongly and ATR's forecast is that of a demand for about 460 cargo aircraft over the next 20 years for the category up to 9 tons. Another potential market share is the conversion of passenger-to-cargo aircraft: most of the 10 second-hand aircraft delivered by ATR in 2021 have been converted for freight operations.
We also anticipate further opportunities in the replacement market - with a potential of 1.200 turboprop aircraft in the 30 to 70 seat categories - and the further connection of growing markets such as Japan, South Asia and Africa, which regional and cross-border connections must increase.
ATR is also confident that the development we have seen over the past two years in the boom in e-commerce and the decentralization of economic activities could represent a great growth opportunity for the regional aviation sector.
These opportunities go hand in hand with further decreasing aviation's environmental footprint. ATR will introduce the new and more efficient PW127XT engine to market in 2022. The Toulouse-based manufacturer will carry out a flight test in the spring with Braathens Regional Airlines and Neste, with the aim of completing the certification of its aircraft with 100% of SAF by 2025.
Fabrice Vautier, SVP Commercial, then added: “Our primary mission is to provide essential regional connectivity. 40% of our operators mainly provide essential services and 60% serve point-to-point We expect these percentages to grow in 2022. Covid has accelerated some trends such as e-commerce and the shift to work from home. This leads to increased demand for travel from smaller airports and creates new opportunities for regional carriers. ATR plays an important role in this game, offering sustainability, comfort, reliability and unbeatable cost. The combination of all these parameters is a unique opportunity for us ”.
