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The British Aerospace Advanced TurboProp or BAe.ATP is a twin turboprop airliner for up to 72 passengers.
The BAe ATP is evolved from the earlier British Aerospace 748 (BAe748). Development of the BAe ATP /
Jetstream 61 started in 1984 as a short-range, low-noise, fuel-efficient turboprop aircraft. The airframe
of the Avro 748 was re-designed and lengthened and the wing re-designed. Minor modifications were made to
the nose and tail shapes. The six-blade propellers were driven by 1,978kW Pratt & Whitney Canada PW126
engines. The prototype British Aerospace ATP, G-MATP s/n 2001, was flown first on 6 August 1986. Certification
was granted in March 1988 and the ATP entered airline service in May 1988 with British Midland Airways.
In 1994, a modified version with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127D engines was introduced under the name
Jetstream 61. The BAe ATP and Jetstream 61 failed to attract significant orders. The ATP / J61 saw a
limited production run. 63 ATPs and 1 Jetstream 61 were built. Production ended in 1998. In 2001, the ATP Freighter
project started, with 6 ATPs to be converted into cargo aircraft for West Air Sweden. The ATPF is capable of
carrying eight LD3 containers or six LD4s when fitted with the Large Freight Door, or loading up to eight
tonnes. The ATPF made it first flight on 10 July 2002. Since 40 ATPs were converted into
the ATP Freighter configuration. Of these 17 are in the Large Freight
Door (LDF) configuration. |
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Manx Airlines was founded in 1982 and started operations with a Embraer
EMB.101 Bandeirante from its base at Ronaldsway Airport, Ballasalla,
Isle of Man, in November 1982. In October 1988, the airline collected
their first BAe.ATP, replacing the Viscount. The airline operated
seventeen BAe.ATPs. In 1998, Manx Airlines became part of the BRAL Group
and lost its separate identity in 2002. On 10 May 1998, the 1992-built
Manx BAe ATP G-MANA was photographed at Groningen Airport Eelde in the
Netherlands. The BAe.ATP c/n 2056 was testflown as G-11-056 and
registered first as G-LOGH with British Aerospace PLC, Prestwick, on 31
August 1993. The G-LOGH was operated by LoganAir. On 21 February 1994,
the ATP was re-registered G-MANA and transferred to Jetstream Aircraft
Ltd., Prestwick. The G-MANA entered service with Manx Airlines. On 23
March 1994, BAe.ATP G-MANA was registered with British Regional Airlines
Ltd Engineering and Maintenance, Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man, and
was as before operated by Manx Airlines. On 24 December 2002, the G-MANA
was registered with British Airways Citiexpress, Quality Assurance
Department, Ronadsway Airport, as owner. On 15 January 2004, BAe.ATP
G-MANA was transferred to Trident Aviation Leasing Services (Jersey)
Ltd., as registered owner. On 6 July 2005, registration G-MANA was
cancelled as sold in Sweden. The aircraft was converted into a
Large Freight Door (LFD) freighter in the Romaero Baneasa facilities
near Bucharest in Romania. On 26 September 2005, the BAe.ATPF was
registered SE-KXP with West Air Sweden AB, Göteborg, as operator and
Trident Aviation Leasing Services (Jersey) Ltd. as owner. BAe.ATPF
SE-KXP is operated by West Air Europe Cargo since. |
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