FARNBOROUGH—In an effort to overcome different approaches of the company’s shareholders, ATR CEO Patrick de Castelbajac is proposing a sequence of initiatives that includes re-engining the ATR 72, and could ultimately result in a new 100-seater.
“Leonardo [formerly Finmeccanica] wants a 100-seater, and Airbus is favoring a stretched ATR with a new engine,” de Castelbajac said at the air show here. “I am trying to get the two [parent companies] to converge.”
One way to reconcile differing views and address market needs is to do both. “We could re-engine the current platform to bridge some years, and then launch a 100-seater,” de Castelbajac said. “A two-step approach could make sense.”
ATR has entered discussions about providing a new engine for a larger version of the ATR with both Pratt & Whitney Canada and General Electric. De Castelbajac said the current PW127M engine is still “doing a good job, but it is old.” ATR hopes a new powerplant could deliver at least a 15% improvement in fuel burn, and a 25% reduction in maintenance costs. The fuel-burn improvement could even be higher with some aerodynamic changes the company is considering.
“GE is quite eager to get into the regional market,” de Castelbajac said. Providing a new engine to ATR could be its opportunity to address the segment. “We have two valid proposals on the table,” de Castelbajac said, without disclosing further details.
Discussions about the new 100-seater are “still not very advanced” because of the ongoing lack of clarity about ATR’s future shareholder structure. The company is jointly owned by Leonardo and Airbus Group. De Castelbajac does not expect any “significant change in the shareholder structure” over the next few months, but is unsure when a decision could be made. Leonardo has made clear that it would take full control of the joint venture, but Airbus Group has not agreed to sell its half.
One of the motivations not to sell could be using the ATR as a platform for hybrid technology later, de Castelbajac said. But there are no discussions about the applications at this stage, he said.
He conceded the start into the year has been “very slow”. He stressed the “volatility of fuel was bad for us,” as was the strong dollar. A key order for 20 aircraft from Iran Air has not yet been finalized because the relevant licenses are still missing. De Castelbajac hopes ATR can achieve a book-to-bill ratio of one this year.
The manufacturer plans to deliver around 90 aircraft this year. It has a backlog of around three years of production, and de Castelbajac “would like to keep that.”
Aviation Week Network
CEO of ATR proposes ATR-72-NEO
