Regional aviation manufacturer ATR has received an order for three ATR 42-600S aircraft from PNG Air. The deal also means that PNG Air will be a launch customer for the STOL version. The ATR 42-600S will be capable of taking-off from and landing on runways that are as short as 800 m in length, with 40 passengers on board in standard flight conditions.
Currently operating seven ATR 72-600s, the airline has captured over 40% of the domestic market share since introducing its ATR -600 fleet in 2015. These three new STOL aircraft will replace PNG Air’s current fleet of ageing STOL turboprops. With many current-generation 30-seat STOL aircraft coming to the end of their life-cycles, airlines worldwide must replace these aircraft or the communities that they serve risk losing vital connectivity.
