Aircraft Would Compete With The ATR-72

Boeing and Embraer are reportedly in talks to develop a turboprop airliner in the 70+ seat category to compete with the ATR-72.

Reuters reports that a top Embraer executive said that the discussions are in the "advanced stages", but are subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO John Slattery (pictured) told Reuters that the airplane would have a "natural adjacency" to the E2 regional jets. "The business case is going well," he told the news service.

ATR currently dominates the turboprop airliner market, accounting for about four-fifths of sales in the segment. The De Havilland DHC-8, formerly Bombardier's Q-400, is also in the space, and China is hoping to gain some market share with its Xian MA700.

Turboprops are more efficient than jets over short distances, according to aviation analysts, which can make a major difference in airlines' bottom lines when fuel prices are high.

Slattery said on the sidelines of the Airline Economics and Airfinance Journal conferences in Dublin that such a move by Embraer would increase the options for airlines in the regional segment.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report