FedEx ATR order could spark new interest in turboprop freighters

FedEx’s order for 30 ATR 72-600Fs is interesting, especially in the light of last week’s Air & Sea Cargo Americas event in Miami. After Boeing’s market forecast update, several delegates asked the plane-maker about development plans for turboprop freighters, in the under-20-ton bracket.

E-commerce, with its supply of smaller packages, delivered frequently, seems to be triggering a newfound interest in smaller, cheaper-to-operate freighters. This appears to be particularly true in parts of Latin America, where limited transport options makes short, turboprop ...