On the occasion of the European Regions Airline Association General Assembly, Pratt & Whitney Canada and ATR announced the certification of the PW127XT-L engine by Transport Canada. This engine variant offers increased performance to match the requirements of ATR's future Short Take-Off and Landing version, the ATR 42-600S. This certification is a key milestone in the programme development, and an important step towards increasing regional connectivity and airport accessibility across the globe.

The ATR 42-600S will reduce take-off and landing distances, down to just 800 meters in standard flight conditions. It will be able to access 1,000 airports globally with short runways, providing local populations with a greater, quicker, more comfortable and low-emission access to the global economy, healthcare, education and culture, while creating new business opportunities for airlines.

Edward Hoskin, Pratt & Whitney Canada's Vice President, Engineering said: "The PW127XT-L marks the 200th engine type certification achieved by Pratt & Whitney Canada, and delivers the 20% lower maintenance costs, 40% improved time on wing, and 3% better fuel efficiency and reduced CO₂ emissions, which characterise the PW127XT engine series."

"This certification is a significant milestone for the ATR 42-600S programme, as modifications to the engines are part of the major technical changes we are bringing to the aircraft, in addition to the rudder and avionics, with a huge influence on take-off performance" said Daniel Cuchet, ATR's SVP Engineering. "The PW127XT-L offers the same turbomachinery as the existing PW127XT-M, and the Engine Electronic Control has been adapted to offer better versatility and increased performance. This great achievement comes as a reward after many months of hard work and constant collaboration between the ATR and Pratt & Whitney Canada teams."

Validation of the engine modification by EASA is scheduled before the end of the year. The integration of the modified engine with the other aircraft systems will become ATR's main focus moving forward, targeting an entry into service in 2025.

ATR has already received over 20 commitments for the ATR 42-600S and sees a lot of potential for this aircraft variant in several regions of the globe, including Europe, with Portugal, Greece, Iceland, Italy and Norway as key areas of interest.