To normalize domestic air traffic, airlines replenish air fleets with short and medium-haul aircraft. It all depends on what budget the airline has. Of course, you can purchase and include an expensive turbojet aircraft in the fleet, or you can buy an ATR 72 aircraft, save several million funds and invest them in the development of short-range aviation.
Small. Turboprop. Passenger
Over the entire history of the development of aircraft construction, a huge number of aircraft have been designed and built. It so happened that only large long-range aircraft and military aircraft were heard. Meanwhile, in addition to long-distance flights, you need to fly on medium and even short-haul routes. ATP 72 is an excellent representative of universal short-range civil aircraft.
What are its advantages? In that it is relatively small and light. It does not have turbojet engines, but is equipped with two turboprop power units, which is much more profitable for short-range aviation. Such an aircraft does not consume much fuel and is easy to maintain. Its design itself is much simpler and more understandable than most of the more powerful aircraft.
ATP 72 is a new generation aircraft. The blades of the engines look a bit old-fashioned and this repels passengers. However, this is a common misconception. Helical thrust, although it gives lower speed, is by no means worse than turbojet thrust. Historically, military aircraft are considered the standard of reliability. Turboprop engines are successfully used on strategic bomber aircraft of the Russian Air Force and military transport aircraft of the US Air Force. Such engines are most suitable for flying over short distances.
And still he is passenger
It is surprising that many companies use the ATR 72 aircraft as a transport aircraft. In particular, American postal services. For internal mail, it is important that the packages are delivered quickly and the transport is not too expensive. It turned out that ATP 72 fits these requirements perfectly. However, his main specialization is passenger transportation. This is a full-fledged passenger plane. Its capacity is quite high for an aircraft of this class - 72 passengers, a team of stewards and a team of pilots.
If screw, then only "turbo"!
Indeed, propeller aircraft have long been a part of history. They were replaced by turboprop aircraft. There is a huge difference between these seemingly related types. Turboprop aircraft is much more powerful. The lifting force is enough to lift not only the plane, but also many passengers. At the same time, cruising speed will be as much as 510 km / h. It is very fast for regional airline aircraft. Of course, it is much slower than long-range aircraft. Given the short range, passengers will think that the plane is flying at an incredible speed.
Design features
Each aircraft has its own distinctive features. APR 72 was no exception, but rather a guideline for all nearby aviation. The design of this turboprop aircraft involved the most advanced composite materials. The caissons of the wings are completely made of carbon fiber. For APR aircraft, aviation aluminum is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Aircraft are becoming easier and faster, which offers them attractive commercial prospects.
APR 72 in Ukraine
Despite the fact that in this country the regional aviation aircraft are Tupolev Design Bureau ships, there is also an APR 72. UTair is its operator. Its flight distance is low and loses to Tupolev's planes. The maximum flight range is 1,500 km. For this reason, such an aircraft is unpopular in Russia. TU aircraft of the same class are equipped with turbojet engines and are able to overcome up to 8,000 km without refueling. ATP 72 are also found in the Russian Federation, but much less frequently. Mostly in the south of Russia.
The problem with APR 72 is association. The aircraft is completely unsuitable for flying in difficult weather conditions and in the cold season. In case of icing, the plane goes into stall and crashes. This has already happened several times. This problem is a design flaw of the aircraft; it is problematic to solve it by modernization.
Where is the best place to sit?
Where are the best places in APR 72? Of course at the window. This is not to say where the good places are and where the bad ones are. All this is a subjective assessment, because each measures the level of comfort in different ways. However, do not sit in the tail of the aircraft. There, as a rule, the most noticeable maneuvers and rocking of the hull. Places at the window will always be the best, because the bird's-eye view is always breathtaking.
Airplane Reviews
Reviews about the APR 72 are different. Mostly these are positive responses, but there are also negative ones. Many passengers note the very unusual flight on this plane. The plane is comfortable, small, and it is just nice to fly in it. Civil aviation pilots leave some negative feedback , complaining that operation in the cold season is very dangerous. Some complain about hard chairs, but this is also a rather subjective experience.
The cabin is noisy. Nothing can be done about it, because it is a turboprop. These engines make noise and create an interesting surroundings. Most passengers are glad to experience the thrill of flying on such an aircraft, because they are completely incomparable with flying on a turbojet aircraft.