ATR sees market for STOL version in South Pacific

Air Tahiti says the short takeoff and landing (STOL) version of the ATR 42-600 will allow it to introduce turboprop service to more islands, and ATR predicts other airlines in the Pacific region will also find the aircraft attractive.

Air Tahiti is one of the first customers for the STOL version of the ATR 42, which is known as the -600S. It announced a deal for two aircraft at the Paris Air Show on June 19. ATR has three customers for the variant—Air Tahiti, Dublin-based turboprop lessor Elix Aviation Capital and one undisclosed customer.

While ATR has frozen the design of the -600S and announced the first customers, it has not officially launched the program. This is expected to occur later this year, ATR airline marketing manager Mavis Toh said. Entry into service is scheduled for 2022, she said during the Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA) conference in Christchurch on June 24.

There is likely to be more demand in the South Pacific for the STOL aircraft, Toh said. ATR estimates there are 130 airports in this region—including Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific island nations—that have runway lengths between 750m and 1,000m, which are considered STOL runways. Of these airports, only 13 currently have turboprop service. This presents opportunities for the -600S, Toh said.

Air Tahiti operates 10 ATRs, including two of the 42-600 version. The two STOL aircraft on order will replace the pair of older ATR 42s, Air Tahiti general manager Manate Vivish told ATW.

The new -600S aircraft will be used on routes to remote islands that have runways too short for other ATR operations, Vivish said. The carrier currently operates two smaller DHC6-300 Twin Otters to these airports, and these aircraft will also be phased out when the -600S aircraft arrive.

Vivish agrees with ATR that more Pacific Island carriers will be interested in the STOL version. There are “a lot of constraints” at many of the region’s airports, and STOL aircraft allow them to be served without requiring governments to spend money to extend runways.  

The airline only flies turboprop operations, with fellow local-based carrier Air Tahiti Nui flying longer-haul international routes. Air Tahiti has to contend with a widely spread inter-island domestic network, which is as large as Europe. The carrier serves 46 domestic airports.

Air Tahiti is believed to operate the world’s longest scheduled ATR passenger flight at nearly 4 hrs., to the Gambier Islands. It also has the distinction of operating world’s shortest scheduled ATR service, with an interisland flight of less than 10 min. between Papeete and Moorea.

Although Tahiti is a major tourist market, overseas visitors only comprise 35% of the airline’s passengers, Vivish said. The vast majority is local traffic, as air routes are the only way to travel between many of Tahiti’s islands.

Source: Atwonline.com

Powered by NewsAPI.org

Keywords:

STOL • Oceania • Air Tahiti • STOL • STOL • ATR 42 • Turboprop • Airline • Aircraft • Air Tahiti • First class (aviation) • STOL • ATR 42 • Aircraft • Paris Air Show • Air Tahiti • Dublin • Turboprop • Lease • Aviation • ATR 72 • ATR 72 • Marketing management • Service (economics) • South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand • Christchurch International Airport • Oceania • STOL • ATR 72 • Australia • New Zealand • Oceania • Island country • Runway • STOL • Airport • Turboprop • Air Tahiti • STOL • ATR (aircraft manufacturer) • Air Tahiti • Access 31 • Aircraft • Runway • ATR 72 • Airline • De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter • De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter • Airport • Aircraft • Aircraft • ATR 72 • Airline • STOL • LOT Polish Airlines • Airport • STOL • Airline • Turboprop • Airline • Air Tahiti Nui • Europe • Airline • Domestic airport • Air Tahiti • ATR 72 • Airline • Gambier Islands • ATR 72 • Papeete • Mo'orea • Tahiti • Tourism • Airline • Tahiti •