More than once, the demise of turboprops has been predicted by certain airline observers, but sales in recent years tell the opposite story – that they are truly appreciated, with a firm future ahead, as Bernie Baldwin discovers.
The ATR family of turboprops continues to perform strongly, attracting firm orders for 113 aircraft, along with a further 40 options last year alone.
TOSHIHIKO TAKAMIZAWA/AVSTOCK
“We all know there will always be a demand for turboprops, because they simply have better economics in very short and low-density routes and [can operate from] challenging runways.” So says Rodrigo Silva e Souza, vicepresident of marketing for Embraer Commercial Aviation. His comment raises the question: if there will always be a demand, why are you discussing a resurgence?
