The chances of ATR gaining quick
approval from both its shareholders for a new large turboprop aircraft appear remote;
suggest comments made by Airbus Group Chief Strategy Officer Marwan Lahoud at
the company’s annual press conference in Toulouse.
According to Lahoud, Airbus Group is
not ready to clear the 90-seat project for now.
“We have no divergence with
Finmeccanica except for the timing,” Lahoud says. “We want to enjoy the success
[of ATR], and any new project would have an adverse effect [on profits].”
ATR has been lobbying its
shareholders, Airbus Group and Finmeccanica (each of which holds a 50% stake in
the joint venture), to support development of a new turboprop which would have
at least 90 seats and thus would be significantly larger than the ATR-72.
Finmeccanica has been supportive of
the proposal, but Airbus Group is hesitant.
For such a project, ATR would likely
not only have to rely on significant engineering know-how from its corporate
parents, but also on financial backing from them.
Given ATR’s sales success with its
current products, Lahoud argues that “it would be completely counterintuitive”
to launch a new aircraft, now that the consortium is “at last” enjoying large
sales successes. Lahoud’s comments are in line with Airbus’s position so far: a
new turboprop should not be ruled out, but it will not be launched anytime
soon.
Lahoud is more open about the
possibility of changing the corporate structure of ATR from a loose groupement
d’interet economique to a consolidated company.
He says Airbus is willing to discuss
a leaner structure for ATR.
Source: aviationweek.com
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