GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric, and ATR are pleased to announce an order for two additional ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft, and two options.

This is a follow-on to GECAS' first-ever ATR order placed in June at the Paris Air Show and brings the total number of ATRs ordered by GECAS to 17 with 17 options. GECAS will begin to take delivery of the new aircraft in late 2012.

GECAS has leased three of its newly ordered ATR 72-600s to Brazilian regional carrier TRIP Linhas Aéreas and has signed with Jet Airways in India for another five units.

"About half of all commercial air routes are less than 500 nautical miles and turboprops like the ATR 72-600 perform very well on these stage lengths, especially when fuel costs are high," said Todd Freeman, senior vice president regional aircraft programs at GECAS. "This adjustment to our earlier order gives us additional product to meet the forecasted demand."

"We are pleased that GECAS places again its confidence in the ATR product for further expanding its regional aircraft offer", declared Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer of ATR. "There are some 180 ATR operators around the world, operating their aircraft in very different environments. The ATR 72-600 is optimally suited for short-haul operations, combining lowest operating costs with optimal fuel efficiency and high standards of passenger comfort".

The ATR 72-600 joins GECAS' current portfolio of over 1,750 owned and managed aircraft including narrow body, wide body and regional aircraft. ATR's new "600- series" will offer airline operators improvements in performance and passenger comfort, technology enhancements such as a new avionics suite, and very high standard of commonality with ATR's current products.

About GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS)

GECAS, the U.S. and Irish commercial aircraft financing and leasing business of GE, has a fleet of over 1,750 owned and managed aircraft with approximately 240 airlines in 75 countries. GECAS offers a wide range of aircraft types and financing options, including operating leases and secured debt financing, and also provides productivity solutions including spare engine leasing, spare parts financing and management. GECAS, a unit of GE Capital, has offices in 24 cities around the world.

Formed in 1981, ATR has grown to become the world's leading manufacturer of advanced 50 to 74 seat regional turboprop aircraft, has sold more than 1,200 aircraft and has 179 operators in 91 countries. ATR operators have cumulated more than 21 million flights. ATR is a joint venture and equal partnership between major European aerospace companies Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica company) and EADS. Its headquarters are in Toulouse, France. ATR is certified ISO 14001, the worldwide standard for environmental management and sustainability.

Contributed by ATR