ATR’s new purpose-built regional freighter aircraft took to the skies for the first time on 16 September.

The regional aircraft manufacturer revealed the flight took off at 14:00 from its Saint-Martin site. During the flight, which took two hours, crew onboard performed a number of tests to measure the new aircraft’s flight envelope and flight performance.

ATR says the brand new cargo aircraft will offer a number of unique advantages to operators and, with a large cargo door included as part of the original design and the same wide cross section as all ATR aircraft, the freighter will be able to accommodate bulk cargo and industry-standard pallets and containers.

The aircraft will also provide operators with an avionics suite which can be continuously upgraded, future-proofing the -600F’s state-of-the-art cockpit by allowing cargo airlines to benefit from future innovations.

ATR, a joint-venture between Airbus and Leonardo, is the only turboprop manufacturer offering a freighter as an original design. Due to the efficiency of turboprop technology and the benefits of the company’s focus on continuous innovation, ATR aircraft open more than 100 new routes every year. The company says its turboprops burn up to 40 per cent less fuel and emit up to 40 per cent less CO2 than regional jets.