FARNBOROUGH, England — 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 Farnborough Airshow 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 8 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.
With demand clearly growing, ATR, which makes the 46-50 passenger ATR 42 and 68-74 seat ATR 72 regional turboprop aircraft, is now considering producing a new 90-100 seat plane, having ruled out stretching the ATR 72.
Without offering a timeframe for production or going into specifics, Mayer said the larger capacity ATR would be similar to the new ATR 72-600 due to enter service in 2010, but with a lighter airframe, lower emissions and greater comfort compared to similar turboprops and jets.
“Market trends are moving towards larger capacity aircraft, which ATR intends to address. No final decision has been taken, but we are evaluating our future product strategy,” Mayer said.
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 Canadian planemaker Bombardier, the only other remaining manufacturer of turboprops for commuter airlines, currently studying a stretched version of its Q400 model.
Bombardier has yet to give its next generation version of the Q400 the official go-ahead but Chief Executive Pierre Beaudoin recently said there was “great potential for it in the long term.”
Brazilian plane maker Embraer is also mulling a new turboprop, while China's Xian is hoping to gain clearance for its 50-60 seat MA600. Also, India's National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), is in talks with Pratt and Whitney to co-develop an engine for a 90-seat plane.
“Turboprops fly slower and make a lot of noise and that's why the industry went away from them 30 years ago. But I think the turboprops, specifically in the smaller, regional airplanes, are making a big resurgence. We have seen a big increase in sales in the turboprop market in the regionals,” said Paul R Adams, senior vice president of engineering at Pratt & Whitney.
With record operating expenses hitting airlines large and small, turboprops could once again become the plane of choice for smaller commuter carriers who no longer believe regional jets offer value for money on shorter routes.
But all is not lost for the regional jet, with Bombardier this week announcing the launch of its all-new C Series due in 2013 and Russia's Sukhoi booking deals at the Farnborough Airshow to take its order book for the new SuperJet 100 to more than 100 planes.
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