Saab 340A Freighter conv.
Manufacturers of turboprop aircraft are buoyed by the sales and placement of new and used airplanes here this week, which they point to as proof positive that previous predictions of the demise of the turboprop were dead wrong.
ATR announced some 20 new orders this week alone, a figure that exceeds the total number of aircraft produced in 2004. This year "confirms the recovery of the turboprop market in the world," said Head of Communications Frederic Lahache.
Bombardier Aircraft, which has seen in a surge in Q400 orders in 2005, echoed the sentiments. VP-Marketing Barry MacKinnon said that in 2002, there was "a grand total of 26 turboprop sales," a far cry from the roughly 85 orders placed with his company and ATR so far this year.
MacKinnon said that in some cases, airlines have purchased Q400s to replace older jets. Bombardier reports it has 782 orders for the Q series, which ranges in size from 37 to 86 seats, from more than 90 customers. "RJs don't seem work well in some markets," MacKinnon said. On Tuesday, the company announced that FlyBE firmed options for an additional four Q400s and will become the largest Q400 operator in the world with a fleet of 45. MacKinnon said the UK carrier has agreed to promote the 70-seater in the UK and Europe.
Saab Aircraft Leasing VP-Sales Dag Waldenstrom said the company placed some 16 aircraft in the first quarter. "It is difficult to disregard the economics of turboprop aircraft when you are paying $1.50 a gallon," he commented. In the past three months Saab sold four of its 340A cargo conversions, he said; "This aircraft is now starting to be of interest to operators of some Russian-made aircraft that may have trouble obtaining European certification."