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On the Record
Filippo Bagnato, CEO, ATR
A year ago ATR CEO Filippo Bagnato predicted that high oil prices would inject a new lease of life into turboprop airliners and in particular the 50 to 70 seat aircraft from ATR. Since then he has won orders for more than 50 aircraft, including orders for 20 to be announced here at the Paris Air Show. That compares with a nail-bitingly low total of just 10 in 2003, almost too few to sustain the aircraft manufacturer.
“Being lucky is not enough,” he told Show News. Constant hard work, campaigns to stay in potential customers’ line of sight, and a price advantage over competitor Bombardier have combined with an oil-driven market recovery to rescue ATR from the depths of “a terrible” 2002-2003.
“Oil prices will remain high for a long time yet,” ATR CEO Filippo Bagnato told Show News. “And in that environment the 70-seat turboprop is 15% to 20% more efficient than a regional jet on routes up to 350 nmi.” That can mean savings of $20 to $30 per seat on every flight at current oil prices.
This advantage over the jet on short routes is the message that ATR is hammering home in a new advertising campaign that trumpets “Fuelly profitable, fully responsible for the environment.”
The ATR sips less fuel per passenger than a Citroen auto, is Stage 4 noise compliant, and meets or beats the emission requirements of all countries that signed the Kyoto Treaty. — John Morris |
“At the end of last year my backlog was barely 10 aircraft. We will finish this year with a backlog of more than 70,” said a delighted Bagnato. ATR has stated it needs to sell 18 new aircraft per year to break even on the production line.
Recent victories include an order for 30 new ATR72-500s and six used aircraft by the India-based low-cost carrier Air Deccan (the first will be handed over here at the show on Wednesday) and selection by the Turkish Navy of 10 ATR72 ASWs for maritime patrol. That order is expected to become firm in the very near future, Bagnato said.
The market for used aircraft has also become quite dynamic, he said, with ATR selling and delivering 25 so far this year.
Bagnato believes the market will demand about 60 new aircraft per year over the next decade, of which ATR expects to win at least half.
Since the start of the program ATR has sold 719 new aircraft (381 ATR-42s and 338 ATR 72s) to 115 airlines. By the end of 2003 it had delivered 678 (379 ATR 42s and 299 ATR 72s). — John Morris
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