On April 27, Cape Verde, Praia-based TACV (Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde) accepted delivery of its first ATR 72-500. This aircraft is the first to be delivered following the signature of a US$50 million contract for 3 ATR aircraft (1 ATR 42-500 and 2 ATR 72-500s) in October 2006.

The delivery ceremony took place in Toulouse with Joao Pereira, TACV COO and Filippo Bagnato, ATR CEO.

"The delivery of this new generation of ATR aircraft is an important step in the development of our airline on the interisland routes", Joao Pereira stated. "It will allow us to increase our fleet capacity and to propose a very high level of comfort to our passengers."

"TACV has been operating ATR aircraft since 1994", said Filippo Bagnato. "With this new generation of ATR aircraft in their fleet, the airline will enter into a new era in terms of comfort and economics."

The two other ATR aircraft will also be delivered in the course of 2007 and will be as well equipped with the new "Elegance Cabin" and with the newest technological innovations in the field of communications and navigation aid tools. These ATR aircraft will allow the airline to renew its current fleet of 3 ATR 42-300s as well as to increase passengers capacity in order to further develop the tourism in the country.

From the beginning of the year, ATR has received orders for 27 new aircraft, some of them not yet unveiled, and has delivered 9 aircraft.

Since the beginning of the programme, ATR has sold 864 aircraft (402 ATR 42s and 462 ATR 72s) and currently posts a backlog of 142 aircraft.