FedEx Express announced 15 December the delivery of the first ATR 72-600F aircraft registered EI-GUL msn 1653. The aircraft will be operated by ASL Airlines Ireland, a FedEx ATR operator since 2000.
The aircraft was delivered Toulouse to Shannon on 17th December for post delivery modifications. On the 3rd January the aircraft positioned Shannon to Paris CDG.
Stefano Bortoli, Chief Executive Office of ATR, said “Every manufacturer is proud when it develops and delivers a brand new aircraft, and given the uniquely challenging year the industry and the whole world has faced, handing over to FedEx Express this very first ATR 72-600F is an exciting and rewarding moment for our whole team here in ATR”.
FedEx Express made a firm purchase of 30 ATR 72-600F aircraft with options to purchase an additional 20 aicraft. The deliveries will be about six aircraft per year over a five-year period. ASL Airlines Ireland is due to take delivery of a further four aircraft.
The ATR 72-600F is the first-ever production freighter built by ATR and can carry heavier payloads than ATRs converted from passenger configuration. The aircraft has a large cargo door, allowing for carriage of bulk cargo as well as Unit Load Device (ULD) configurations. It has a bulk capacity of 2,630 cubic feet (74.5 cubic meters), and when in ULD mode it can accommodate up to seven LD3 containers or five 88” x 108” pallets.
The new integrated air management system developed and manufactured by Liebherr-Aerospace entered into service with ASL Airlines Ireland – on behalf of FedEx – on December 15th, 2020, during the first commercial flight of ATR’s 42/72 aircraft family. The newly enhanced system improves on-board comfort for passengers and crew while at the same time substantially reducing operational costs.
See video FedEx Express ATR 72-600F (FREIGHTER) Assembly
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 9 January 2021 All Rights Reserved
