DHL Aviation has become the launch customer for the ATR consortium's cargo conversion of the twin turboprop. The freight company's African operation has purchased two freighter-converted ATR 42-300s.
The aircraft are set to be delivered in September and December, but will be retrofitted with a new ATR fuselage conversion in the second quarter of next year and a large cargo door "before the end of 2001", says Antoine Bouissou, ATR vice-president for sales.
The aircraft will be operated by its South African partner airline Rossair on the West African network (Nigeria).
ATR has not chosen an outfitter to perform the two-programme conversions: a new, larger cargo door and modifying the current passenger cabin into an E-class cargo compartment.
Maximum payload for the ATR cargo version will reach 5.8t for the ATR 42 and 8.25t for the ATR 72.
ATR is optimistic about the potential cargo market for its converted freighters. "We feel there's going to be a market for 200 ATRs all over the world," Boissou says.
ATRs are already used for cargo transport by operators such as the UK's Gill Airways, but the new conversions represent what Boissou calls "the optimisation" of the turboprops for freighter work.
Boissou says the DHL sale marks a major breakthrough for ATR's cargo market.
Source: Flight International
