GE Capital Aviation Services signs order for 15 ATR 72-600, plus 15 options
GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric [NYSE: GE] and European turboprop manufacturer ATR, today announced a new order for 15 ATR 72-600s, plus 15 options. The deal is valued at approximately US$680 million at list prices, including options. This is a first-time ATR order for GECAS.
“The ATR 72s have a wide operating base and fills out our fleet offering at GECAS” Norman Liu, President and Chief Executive Officer of GECAS, said. There is good demand in the emerging markets and a strong replacement need as well.”
Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: “We are proud to associate such a prestigious brand as GECAS to the ATR family. This deal underlines the increasing interest of leasing companies for ATR aircraft, as they eye the success of our aircraft and, particularly, the increasing business opportunities they provide. ATRs feature low operating cost profile and high level of reliability and value retention. In the last three years, the number of ATRs in operation that belongs to leasing companies has doubled”.
The ATR 72-600 will join GECAS’ current portfolio, which includes narrow body, wide body and regional aircraft. ATR’s new ‘600-series’ will offer airline operators improvements in performance and passenger comfort, including the new Armonia cabin developed by Italian designer Giugiaro. They also feature technology enhancements such as a new avionics suite, while offering a very high standard of commonality with ATR’s current products.
About the ATR 72-600:
Passenger capacity: 68-74 seats
Engines: Pratt & Whitney 127M
Maximum power at take-off: 2,750 horse power per engine
Maximum weight at take-off: 23,000 Kg
Maximum load: 7,500 Kg
Maximum range with full passenger load: 899 nautical miles (1,665 Km)
About GECAS:
GECAS, the U.S. and Irish commercial aircraft financing and leasing business of GE, has a fleet of over 1,800 owned and managed aircraft with approximately 246 airlines in over 75 countries. GECAS offers a wide range of aircraft types and financing options, including operating leases and secured debt financing, and alsoprovides productivity solutions including spare engine leasing, spare parts financing and management. GECAS, a unit of GE Capital, has offices in 25 cities around the world.
GE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com
About ATR:
Founded in 1981, ATR has become the leading manufacturer worldwide on the 50- to-74-seat regional turboprop aircraft market. Since the start of the program, ATR has sold more than 1,100 aircraft, operated by 175 airlines in 94 countries. ATR aircraft have accumulated more than 21 million flight hours. ATR, which has its headquarters in Toulouse, is an equal-share joint venture between two major players in the European aviation market, Alenia Aeronautica (a Finmeccanica company) and EADS. ATR holds ISO 14001 certification, the global benchmark for environmental management and sustainable development.
For more information, visit www.atraircraft.com
