Update -British Aerospace ATP

The ATP program was launched on 1 March 1984 and the first flight of the prototype G-MATP took place at Woodford on 6 August 1986. Although at first glance it looks like an updated BAe 748, it is in fact a new aircraft which has been certified to the latest and most demanding airworthiness regulations – JAR 25 to change 10 and FAR 25 amendment 25. 56.

Currently, orders and options are held for 56 ATPs from airlines in Britain, Europe, the USA and Asia. The world fleet has accumulated approximately 70,000 flying hours and 100,000 landings. The highest time aircraft as at February 1991 was British Midland Airways’ G-BMYL with 4,874 hours and 7,002 landings.

British Aerospace has taken care to carry over elements of the highly successful 748 and combine these with the latest technology. Typical of this approach is the wing design which blends the outer section of the 748 2B with the centre section of the Andover military version. This innovative move enables the new generation six bladed, 13ft 9in diameter propeller, which has been jointly designed and manufactured by British Aerospace and HamiltonStandard,to be given wide clearance from the fuselage skin, a feature which reduces internal noise and vibration significantly below levels of other turboprops – the cabin noise level of the ATP reduces to 8OdB, half the 90dB of the Fokker F27. The 84dB noise level in the cabin at the ATP’s propeller plane is still quieter that the competitors’ low-noise cabin area.

The powerplants are the highly fuel efficient, lightweight 2,653shp Pratt and Whitney PW126A, which are over 20% lighter and 20% more powerful than the Rolls-Royce Dart. Although the turbine has a speed of 20,000rpm, after passing through the reduction gearbox at an overall reduction ratio of 16. 6:1, the propeller speed is 1,200rpm. During cruise, propeller rpm is 960/990, which is typically two-thirds that of older technology aircraft. The environmental payoff is that the external noise footprint covers 20% of the area affected by a twin engine jet airliner at a certified flyover noise level of 79. 5 EPNdB at maximum takeoff weight.

The ATP is the only turboprop which is compatible with aerobridges, and integral airstars can be fitted for operations where aerobridges are not in use. It is extremely manoeuvrable on the ground and is capable of turning in 20. metres under its own power. The low propeller wash produced at ground idle at a speed of only 790rpm enables reverse thrust to be safely used for backing away from the terminal as was demonstrated during the Sydney visit.

Seating ranges from 60 to 72 with the 64 or 68 seat configurations at a 31 inch pitch being fairly typical. The roomy cabin has a maximum internal width of 2. 5m (8ft 3in), an aisle width of 0. 41m (16in) and a maximum cabin height of 1. 92m (6ft 4in). The modern, attractive styling has been designed to convey an impression to passengers similar to that of larger airliners. This feeling is further enhanced by the generous overhead bin volume of

2. 73m3 (96. 4cu ft) and low cabin noise level.

An interesting development is the ATP Combi, which has the ability to have varying combinations of passenger/freight loads. The conversion from all passenger to combi operations can be accomplished in one hour. The container is a complete enclosure designed to Class D baggage compartment standards consisting of interlocking panels which can be loaded through the passenger door and assembled inside the aircraft. Its dimensions are width 71cm (28in), height 1. 27m (50in) and length 1. 47m (58in), empty weight 64kg (141Ib), max load 181. 6kg (400lb) and max volume 38. 75cu ft. The removal of four seats enables one container to be accommodated. Another option available is an enlarged 1. 27m (4ft 2in) wide, 1. 09m (3ft ?in) high forward baggage door.

British Aerospace has designed the short haul flight deck to maximise assistance to the flight crew by minimising high workloads imposed by operations in denser traffic during multi-stop regional sectors. Equipped for two crew operation, the flight deck is fitted with all digital avionics and a four tube EFIS with information transfer in the event of a display malfunction.

The fuel capacity of 6,365 litres (1,400imp gal) enables four 150nm sectors to be operated without the need to refuel. Current ATPs in airline operation are flying twelve 150nm sectors a day, with an on-line time of 14 hours.

One particular area in which the ATP displays superiority is its extremely cost efficient level of operation. It is claimed that this enablesit to break even at only a 31% load factor on a typical operation. A 68 seat ATP could therefore break even with 23 passengers, giving a potential profit making 45 seats. This compares with the breakeven 22 seats of the 50 passenger Fokker 50. It is figures like these that British Aerospace use to claim that the ATP has a profit potential up to 45% greater than its competitors.

So what is the outlook for the ATP in Australia, New Zealand and the other countries of the Asia Pacific region? In Australia, we have a severe economic downturn which has dampened the potential for new sales of aircraft to the airlines in the short term. yield has dropped significantly, the airlines are paring back staffing levels and flying hours, and in general are maintaining a rigorous watch on all expenditure. Against this scenario, it is hardly a propitious time for the aircraft manufacturers to sell new aircraft. However both the Australian economy in general, and the airline business in particular, have been through all this before on numerous occasions. When the recovery inevitably comes there will be a need for new cost efficient aircraft. In other countries of the Asia Pacific region, the domestic outlook is not quite so bleak, and as a consequence, the chance of securing sales is perhaps brighter than in Australia.

With this in mind, British Aerospace has taken the optimistic longer term view and brought their ATP demonstrator to regions perceived as having good sales potential. In Australia and New Zealand, the ATP is seen as a replacement aircraft for the BAe 748, Fokker F27 and Fokker F28. In Japan there would also seem to be good prospects for the ATP as a successor to that country’s sizable aged NAMC YS-11 population. Other nations in the region to offer potential for ATP sales would be Indonesia and the Philippines with their large F27 and YS-11 fleets though the locally built IPTN CN-235 might be a problem here in political terms. New Zealand’s Mount Cook Airlines with its six BAe 748s would also seem to be a prime candidate for ATP sales. Prior to its arrival in Australia, the ATP demonstrator carried out a three week trial operation on Mount Cook’s route network. Feedback indicates that it performed well during the trial period.

The ATP demonstrator G-BRLY is actually the 25th production aircraft and after the conclusion of its demonstration tour, it returned to the UK on 14 April to have its temporary and hybrid ATP/British Airways livery transformed into the regular colours of British Airways prior to delivery.

The ATP is a surprisingly large aircraft for a twin engine turboprop with a 30. 7m (100ft 6in) wing span, 26m (85ft 4in) length and 7. 6m (24ft 11in) height. It is interesting to note that the much earlier Vickers Viscount 800 series which carried 57/65 passengers powered by four 1,990ehp Rolls-Royce Darts had a 28. 6m (93ft Bin) wing span, 26. 1m (85ft Bin) length and 8. 2m (26ft 9in) height. Military aircraft aficionados may also be surprised to relate the ATP’s dimensions to the Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune which had a 31. 7m (104ft) span, 28m (91ft Bin) length and 8. 9m (29ft 4in) height. A comparison of the ATP with these earlier and quite dissimilar aircraft serves to underline the great strides in aeronautical progress in the perhaps less glamorous but quite important arena of the short haul airliner. Advances in powerplants, structures and a host of other improvements enables the ATP to carry a large load in a lighter more efficient airframe with substantially lower internal and external noise levels.

During the Sydney demonstration, Australian Aviation purposely sat in the potentially “worst seat in the house”, a window seat just forward of the propeller plane. It was not possible to sit next to the propeller because the ATP has been designed so that the propeller plane is not adjacent to a cabin window. During takeoff and cruise, the noise level was quite comfortable and there was a noticeable further improvement as one moved further aft. The attractive, modern cabin is roomy with a constant cross section throughout its total 16. 5m (54ft) length. The sidewalls are sculptured to ensure that cabin width is fully optimised. Large overhead lockers extend along the entire cabin.

Based on ATP’s excellent short haul economics it would seem an ideal aircraft for say a Melbourne/Canberra/Sydney service and other routes such as from Brisbane to ‘milk run’ ports both along the coast and inland regions. With deregulation in force, but somewhat restrained because of the economic malaise, the ATP would be well positioned to open up new short haul routes out of Sydney and other major population centres when market conditions improve. The potential to carry a mix of passenger in varying combinations could well provide an added 1ncent1ve for sales while the aircraft’s low noise footprint would make it an ideal candidate for night operations into noise sensitive airports.

British Aerospace also see the ATP as a natural addition for BAe 146 operators their fleet. The ATP configured to say 64 seats would fit in well to operate on thinner routes and still make a profit. British Aerospace patiently promoted the BAe 146 for several years until it was able to penetrate the Australian market. With the recent important Eastwest sale consolidating the earlier Australian sales to the Ansett group, there is now a sizable BAe presence in our region. In addition, Jetstream 31 and the BAe 125 have enjoyed strong Australian sales so the only missing member of the Bae civil family is the ATP. With the airlines watching operating costs more closely than ever before, it would not be surprising to see one of our operators eventually become an ATP customer. With its attractive credentials offering a combination of passenger comfort, superior economics of operation and environmental friendliness to population centres near airports, the ATP would seem to be ideally placed to secure sales in our region in the years ahead.