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Farnborough: Turboprops, propeller-driven planes shunned for being slow and noisy, are enjoying a renaissance as airlines seek more efficient short-haul aircraft to counter soaring fuel prices.
Generally used on flights lasting up to four hours and carrying an average of 70 passengers, turboprops were consigned to history by most airlines years ago.
However, as operators struggle to maintain profitability, the propeller-driven planes, which typically burn around 25 per cent less fuel than similar-sized jets, have seen a resurgence in demand.
"With a slowing economy, high pressure on airlines' costs and rocketing fuel prices, there is strong growth potential in the regional market," said Stephane Mayer, chief executive of French-Italian regional turboprop manufacturer Avions de Transport Regional (ATR), at a briefing.
Toulouse-based ATR, the world leader in the 74-seat prop market, shrugged off the current tough economic climate to estimate regional airline passenger traffic will grow an average eight per cent annually for the next 20 years.
ATR, a joint venture between Italy's Finmeccanica and EADS, has seen a 63 per cent increase in demand over the past year and has a record order backlog of $1.3 billion.
ATR, which sees its 2008 turnover topping $1.3 billion, up from $1.1 billion in 2007, expects to deliver over 60 turboprop aircraft this year and 80 by 2010. It delivered 44 last year.
However, the Franco-Italian outfit is unlikely to have things all its own way with Bombardier, the only other remaining manufacturer of turboprops for commuter airlines, currently studying a stretched version of its Q400 model.
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