Turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR has celebrated today in Toulouse the delivery of the first two ATR 72-600s in the presence of a Royal Air Maroc delegation. Royal Air Maroc will be the first operator of the new ATR "-600" series.

The 70-seater aircraft will allow the Moroccan national airline to reinforce its domestic and its nearest international network. In 2009 the airline ordered four ATR 72-600s and two ATR 42-600s, for a total of over US$125 million.

These ATR 72-600s of which the first aircraft was on exhibit at the 2011 Paris Air Show, are the first ones to be equipped with the new "Armonia" cabin, specially designed for ATR by the Italian company Giugiaro Design. It includes new seats that are both lighter and more comfortable, providing passengers with more room, as well as more spacious overhead compartments.

These are also the first ATR aircraft to be equipped with the new avionics suite developed by Thales. The avionics feature a new glass cockpit with 5 screens and new communication, navigation and monitoring systems. It is also equipped with a new flight management system (FMS), automatic pilot, alert management and a new computer including new aircraft maintenance functions, among other developments.

Mr. Driss Benhima, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Air Maroc expressed his "satisfaction at becoming the first operator of this regional aircraft that represents a new benchmark in regional aviation. The six ATR '-600s' that we are going to add to our fleet will enable us to develop new routes while offering high-quality service to our passengers."

Filippo Bagnato, CEO of ATR, emphasized that, "this step is very important for the ATR -600 program. We are going to ramp up considerably as of next year, and we are going to do so by offering airlines cutting-edge aircraft and by providing them the best economic performance on the market."

The ATR 72-600 obtained European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification in May 2011, a prerequisite for its entry into service. The ATR 42-600 will be certified by the end of the year and will enter into service in 2012. Since the launch of the ATR "-600" program in October 2007, ATR has already recorded orders for some 180 "-600" series aircraft.

About the ATR 72-600:

Passenger capacity: 68 to 74 seats

Engines: PW 127M

Maximum takeoff power: 2,750 horsepower per engine

Maximum takeoff weight: 23,000 kg

Maximum load: 7,500 kg

Maximum IFR range with all seats occupied: 899 nautical miles (1,665 km)

About Royal Air Maroc:

Royal Air Maroc has been transporting passengers and freight since 1957 and is constantly guided by strict requirements in terms of quality, safety and customer satisfaction. Drawing on its international presence on four continents, Royal Air Maroc is a reference partner for large operators in air transport, tourism and the aeronautical industry. Royal Air Maroc's fleet currently comprises 44 medium- and long-haul aircraft, including 34 B-737s, 1 B-747, 2 B-757s and 3 B-767s and 4 A-321s. It also includes 2 ATR 42-300s and 4 ATR 72-200s for regional network service.

About ATR:

Founded in 1981, ATR has become the world leader on the market for 50 to 74 seat turboprop aircraft. From the beginning of the program, ATR has sold over 1,100 planes, which are used by 175 operators in over 90 countries. Our planes have totaled over 21 million flight hours. ATR is a fifty-fifty partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Alenia Aeronautica (a Finmeccanica company) and EADS. ATR headquarters is located in Toulouse and ATR is ISO 14001 certified, the international reference standard in the field for environmental friendliness.

Contributed by ATR