The most successful regional turboprop ever built. The ATR 72 connects smaller cities and islands to major hubs, operating routes that jets cannot serve economically.
✈ Scan Your Sky NowThe ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop regional aircraft built by ATR — a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo. It is the world's best-selling regional turboprop, with over 1,000 delivered to more than 200 operators worldwide. Despite its age, it remains in production and continues to win orders thanks to its unmatched economics on short thin routes.
In the UK, the ATR 72 is the backbone of regional connectivity — Loganair operates them extensively across Scotland, the Islands, and to smaller English and Welsh airports. Wideroe in Norway uses them for coastal services. In hotter and higher conditions it can operate from short, unpaved, or challenging airstrips that would be impossible for jets.
The ATR 72 is unmistakable in the air — two large propellers on high-mounted wings are the instant identifier. The fuselage sits relatively close to the ground on short landing gear, giving it a compact appearance. The T-tail (horizontal stabiliser mounted on top of the vertical tail) is distinctive.
Cruising at 25,000 feet rather than the 35,000-41,000 feet of jets, the ATR 72 is also noticeably lower overhead, making it more visible and audible than a typical airliner. The propeller noise is a distinctive low-frequency drone quite unlike jet engine sound.