Regardless of what kind of turboprop they go for,I can't see them being up and running before the end of the year anyway,unless they of course go for second hand machines as both ATR and Bombardier can't produce aircraft within six months that haven't been ordered yet. Having said that,what's to say that the machines haven't been ordered through another source.
From the very little information that I know,ATR have really been pushing their products in our region,offering some airlines some pritty good deals to purchase their machines,especially the ATR 42-500. I think most operators are hanging out for the -600 models as they are the machines for hot and high places.
Their was also a rumour going around that someone was considering putting an ATR sim in Australia somewhere,possibly in Cairns or Brisbane.
Now that Bombardier have stopped producing the 37 and 50 seater
Dash 8s,ATR 42s may become a more common sight around our skies in the future.