By Tim Hepher
By Tim Hepher
PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) – Deliveries of turboprop plane constructed by Franco-Italian producer ATR AIR.PA, LDOF.MI plunged to an 18-year low final yr as regional airways bear the brunt of the coronavirus disaster, firm figures confirmed on Wednesday.
Chief Govt Stefano Bortoli stated deliveries fell to 10 plane in 2020, in contrast with 68 reported for 2019, whereas new orders shrank to six from 52 printed a yr earlier.
ATR goals to double deliveries in 2021.
“It’ll take just a few years to get again to 2019 ranges,” Bortoli advised a information convention.
After cancellations, ATR posted three web orders in 2020, down from 48 in 2019.
ATR swung to a 138-million-euro loss in 2020 from a revenue of 106 million euros a yr earlier, in response to Airbus knowledge.
Home routes, the place turboprops are extra environment friendly than jets on quick hops, are broadly anticipated to steer the restoration from the business’s worst meltdown, ATR stated.
For now, a glut of second-hand plane and the weak steadiness sheets of regional consumers are weighing on demand for turboprops.
Bortoli stated this surplus would “take some time” to clear, whereas noting 15 used plane had been bought in latest months.
Turning to future demand, ATR distanced itself from a public pledge by Airbus to create a hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft by 2035, with designs specializing in a brand new zero-emission turboprop.
As an alternative Bortoli laid out a technique of constructing incremental modifications to ATR’s personal present 48-78 seat vary of turboprops.
“Our roadmap is about present members of the family … and enhancing these plane,” the previous Leonardo government stated, referring questions on the futuristic proposals to Airbus.
Business sources say such a venture would lie outdoors the scope of labor agreed between Airbus and Leonardo.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Enhancing by Edmund Blair and Elaine Hardcastle)
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