FlightGlobal
• Dominic Perry
ATR is targeting the end of the year to establish a baseline design for a hybrid-electric demonstrator, with a new propulsion architecture among several concepts under investigation for a future Evo variant of its twin-turboprop aircraft.
ATR
Latest source-backed stories
Russia’s United Engine has completed design documentation for a prototype VK-1600S turboprop and is preparing a demonstrator. Derived from the Klimov VK-1600S helicopter engine, the powerplant is intended for smaller aircraft, including a modernized Antonov An-2.
ATR says its analysis has identified 209 new domestic air routes across Indonesia that could be viable, representing an untapped market of 16 million passengers. The findings point to substantial potential for regional connectivity and turboprop operators in one of Asia-Pacific’s fragmented aviation markets.
ATR is targeting the end of the year to establish a baseline design for a hybrid-electric demonstrator, with a new propulsion architecture among several concepts under investigation for a future Evo variant of its twin-turboprop aircraft.
Kenyan carrier Jambojet has secured Ghanaian airline PassionAir as its first external maintenance customer, bringing Q400 9G-BPD to Nairobi for a C-check heavy maintenance visit. The contract follows Jambojet’s expansion of its aircraft maintenance capabilities into a new revenue stream.
Saltchuk Aviation-owned Ryan Air has received its first Saab 340B(F) freighter from Jetstream Aviation Capital. The aircraft will support scheduled and charter cargo services linking more than 80 communities across western Alaska, expanding the operator’s dedicated freight capacity in a geographically dispersed market.
High activity
United Aircraft Corp. has flown the first production-standard MC-21-310 built on the serial assembly line in Irkutsk, advancing Russia’s import-substitution narrowbody program. The aircraft is part of an initial batch of 18, but the type still requires certification before deliveries—planned for Aeroflot from 2027—can begin.
Leonardo’s aerostructures business reduced its losses in the first half of 2026 as manufacturing rates increased on the ATR and Boeing 787 programs. Ongoing restructuring also supported the improvement, bringing the unit closer to break-even while highlighting the importance of sustained production growth to its recovery.
ATR is examining modifications to the ATR 72-600, including a first-class configuration and a front boarding door, as it seeks to renew U.S. regional airline interest. The effort is positioned as an uplift to passenger appeal and boarding flow while keeping the aircraft in the ATR 72 family.
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