Page 27 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE ATR

ATR has also been hard at work
delivering new variants of its aircraft;
having already delivered the first high
density ATR 72-600 with 78 seats, to launch
customer CEBU Pacific. Certified just
over a year ago in August 2015, the HD 78
seat configuration was developed by the
company to meet requests especially from
ATR’s Asian customers. The high-density
seating configuration option makes use
of the existing airframe and is achieved
by optimising the pitch and adjusting the
forward cargo compartment. The changes
have led to increase in the aircraft maximum
seat capacity from 74 to 78, further
enhancing an operator’s revenue potential.
The option will also be available as a retrofit
and ATR expects that the HD variant will aBoVe: ATR CEO ATR CEO Patrick de
be very popular in the Asian market. Other Training & MRO Castelbajac during the inauguration of
new developments that have recently been July saw the launch of ATR’s ‘Mobile the new and state-of-the-art maintenance
facility at Toulouse-Francazal airport. ATR
certified by ATR are: ‘Smart Galley’ an easy Classroom’, a new travelling Training Center will shift prototype testing of new aircraft
galley configuration change available as system, that aims to make a mark in a training to this facility
a retrofit solution which was certified in market that is now extremely competitive.
June 2016 and the ‘Cargo Flex’ cabin which ATR’s Mobile Classroom allows the oPPosite PaGe: ATR has ensured that
continuous developments to the ATR
provides greater storage capacity (almost company’s airline customers, the cost and regional transport family have led to a
20 m3 instead of 10), while retaining comfort time-benefit of training on their premises. strong order book for the turbo-prop
levels for passengers (up to 44 seats) and “Customers have always wanted to be able aircraft. There is increasing competition
was certified in October 2015. The first Cargo to train people on their own premises,” says on the horizon however, with new-
generation regional transport aircraft
Flex ATRs are already in service with PNG Luigi Baldini, Head of Maintenance Training. (albeit jet powered) preparing for entry
Airlines in Papua New Guinea. “But until now, that was only possible for a into service

ATR MRO Activity in the Region
From an interview with Tom Anderson ATR Senior Vice President Commercial & Customer Support
MRO activities are quickly developing Network. In parallel, the components MRO
in the region reflecting the rapid growth activity is also very dynamic, as the vast
of ATR fleets. As for the airframe majority of the OEM’s have dedicated shops
maintenance, both operators and and many independent MRO shops are
independent MRO shops are developing based in the region.
and certifying specific capabilities on With regards to Big Data, data
the ATR products, in order to support proceeding from heavy maintenance
the increasing volumes of heavy checks activities and from components reliability
expected in the coming years. The are considered by ATR. A two-folded
operators which have now certified action plan is here being deployed. Firstly,
capabilities in the region through their we use the technical analysis of data in
maintenance branches are: Air New Zealand, order to determine corrective actions to
Bangkok Airways, Malaysia Airlines and maintenance procedures and practices and,
Garuda among many others. Independent the need be, product improvement and
MROs approved by EASA, such as Fokker corrective actions. Secondly, data are used
Services Asia in Singapore and Sepang to improve our forecast and provisioning
Aerospace in Kuala Lumpur among others, system in order to better assess the future
are well established in the region as well. requirements and ensure an even more
Fokker Services Asia in particular is directly effective and timely availability of parts
part of the recommended ATR MRO and technical support.

WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE 27