ATR · Turboprop · In Production
ATR 72-600
Photographer: Mosbatho — CC BY 4.0
The ATR 72-600 is a twin-turboprop short-haul regional airliner developed and manufactured by Avions de Transport Régional (ATR), a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo. Designed as a stretched iteration of the smaller ATR 42, the aircraft has established itself as a cornerstone of short-haul domestic and regional networks globally, prized for its exceptional fuel efficiency and adaptability to demanding airfield environments.
Marking a substantial technological evolution from earlier -500 series variants, the -600 version introduced a full-glass Thales digital cockpit, upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127-series engines, and a modernized cabin architecture. A defining operational feature of the type is its standard propeller brake system—frequently referred to as "Hotel Mode"—which allows the right-hand engine to run with its propeller locked stationary, providing ground electrical power and cabin conditioning without needing a separate auxiliary power unit.
By The Numbers
The ATR 72-600 remains the cornerstone of the modern regional turboprop market, though persistent supply-chain headwinds have shaped its recent output. Manufacturer ATR reported 32 total aircraft deliveries across its program in 2025—reflecting a challenging industrial environment that lagged initial targets—while securing 60 gross orders (50 net) to push its active order book backlog to over 160 units. Across the broader family lineage, total historical program production for the ATR 72 series has exceeded 1,200 airframes.
Today, the aircraft is heavily concentrated across high-frequency domestic and island-hopping networks globally. Major heavy operators include regional giants and low-cost carriers such as Indonesia's Wings Air, Brazil's Azul Linhas Aereas, India's IndiGo, and Air New Zealand, alongside widespread deployment throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, and a growing footprint in North America.
Manufacturing
Where It's Built
Final assembly of the ATR 72-600 takes place at the manufacturer's dedicated facility located at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France, drawing on the shared industrial resources of its parent companies, Airbus and Leonardo. Major structural components and sub-assemblies are outsourced to specialized aerospace partners across Europe; notably, Leonardo manufactures major fuselage sections and structural panels in Italy, while wings and specific aerodynamic structures are produced by cooperating tier-one suppliers. Avionics systems—centered around the standardized glass cockpit suite equipped with multi-function liquid crystal displays—are primarily supplied by Thales. Specific overall program development costs for the initial baseline design are not precisely or formally documented as public figures due to the evolutionary, incremental nature of the program deriving from earlier ATR variants.
Notable Operators
Watch
ATR 72-600 In Action
Scandinavian Airlines ATR 72-600 Rainy Takeoff from Copenhagen Kastrup | CPH-GOT
ATR 72-600 flight display | #FIA2024
Safety Record
Notable Safety History
Official investigations into regional turboprop operations, including early generation ATR series aircraft, historically highlighted critical safety vulnerabilities involving severe airframe icing encounters that prompted sweeping regulatory mandates, such as extensive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Airworthiness Directives altering operational procedures, de-icing boot coverage, and flight crew training protocols. For the specific ATR 72-600 variant, accident histories compiled through national civil aviation safety boards (such as Tanzania's Accident Investigation Branch concerning the 2022 Precision Air accident in Lake Victoria) have focused on operational, environmental, and procedural factors during approach phases rather than systemic mechanical or design-driven engineering failures.
Covers officially investigated accidents only, per aviation safety authorities (NTSB, FAA, EASA, AAIB or equivalent).
Sources & Further Reading