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The British Aerospace ATP (Advanced Turbo-Prop) is a retired turboprop airliner designed and produced by British Aerospace. It was an evolution of the Hawker Siddeley HS 748, a fairly successful feederliner of the 1960s.
The ATP was developed during the 1980s; events such as the 1979 oil crisis and increasing public concern regarding aircraft noise led business planners at British Aerospace to believe that there was a market for a short-range, low-noise, fuel-efficient turboprop aircraft. First flown on 6 August 1986, by the time it became commercially available, the market segment it fell within was already hotly contested by multiple other airliners, such as the de Havilland Canada Dash 8, ATR 42, and ATR 72. Amid this intense competition, sales of the ATP were limited, leading British Aerospace to terminate production after only eight years, during which a total of 65 aircraft were completed.
The final European operator of the ATP, West Air Sweden, made a final repositioning flight on 24 February 2023. This marked the end of the type's primary active service.
In July 2025, BAE systems voluntarily surrendered the type certificate for the aircraft. This subsequently forced the last operator, Encomm Airlines, to retire their fleet, thus marking the end of service for the airframe. The fate of the remaining airframes has not been confirmed.
Design and development
Background
The origins of the ATP can be traced back to, in part, the 1979 oil crisis, which had caused dramatic rises in fuel prices; there was considerable attention paid to the possibility of another such event, thus operators came to place greater value on the fuel efficiency of their aircraft.
It was quickly decided that a development of the existing Hawker Siddeley HS 748 airliner would be the preferred option. The airframe was redesigned with a lengthened fuselage and a larger wing span. Furthermore, the windows were reduced in size and had a shorter pitch than those of the HS 748. There was a 30% commonality between the two aircraft. The airliner was also relatively lightweight, weighing only 468 pounds per seat, which was reportedly less than any other regional airliner in its size category in the mid-1980s.
Into flight
On 6 August 1986, the prototype ATP performed its maiden flight from Manchester Airport, flown by test pilot Robby Robinson.
Between 1987 and 2002, BAe reportedly held ambitions to sell around 300 ATPs.
Assembly of the type was largely undertaken at BAe's Woodford and Prestwick facilities, while the manufacture of both the airframe and wings was performed at the Chadderton plant. During mid 1997, BAe announced that production of the ATP was permanently terminated; work at the Prestwick was promptly shifted to the aerostructures sector. By this point, a total of 65 aircraft had been completed.
During July 2000, a project was announced that resulted in the conversion of existing aircraft into the ATP Freighter (ATPF) configuration, which was promoted to cargo operators. Outfitted with a modified freight door derived from that of the HS 748, the ATPF can carry 30% more cargo than its predecessor with a 10% increase in running costs. Under this programme, an initial batch of six ATPs were converted into freighter on behalf of the cargo airline West Air Sweden.
Operational history
During 1988, the ATP entered commercial service with the regional airline British Midland. Numerous British airliners were quick to adopt and operate the type, including British Airways, Loganair, and British Regional Airlines. During the 1990s, various charter operators also adopted small fleets of ATPs. The air ferry company British World Airlines also opted to acquire several ATPs in a quick change configuration.
During the late 1990s, the Scandinavian airline Sun-Air initiated a long-term plan to introduce jet-powered airliners into its fleet by 2000; as a step towards this, and to help handle increasing passenger traffic on its routes between Denmark and Britain, the company acquired a pair of second-hand ATPs during late 1997; further aircraft would follow. Around the same timeframe, the Spanish operator Air Europa Express became a sizable user of the type; in August 1998, it announced its intention to double its ATP fleet from six to 12 aircraft.
Early sales efforts had been particularly focused on the North American market, BAE reportedly held negotiations with numerous carriers across the continent; the first success was an order for five ATPs from the Canadian carrier Avline. By December 2021, 12 aircraft reportedly remained in commercial service as cargo aircraft with West Air Sweden (10) and Deraya (2).
End of service
By 2023, most operators of the ATP had retired the ageing fleet, pursuing more modern aircraft. The remaining active airframes were scattered around East Africa, mostly in Kenya.
BAE systems surrendered the type certificate in 2025,
- British Airways
- British Midland
- British World Airlines
- Canarias Regional Air
- Deraya Air Taxi
- Encomm Airlines (last known operator)
- EuroAir
- Eurodirect
- First Flight Couriers
- Loganair
- Manx Airlines
- Merpati Nusantara Airlines
- NextJet
- SATA Air Açores
- Sun Air of Scandinavia (operated for British Airways)
- Turkish Air Transport (Türk Hava Taşımacılığı)
- United Feeder Service (operated for United Express)
- West Air Sweden
- West Atlantic
Notable accidents and incidents
- On 19 April 1997, Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 106 lost control at 2,000 feet on approach to Tanjung Pandan Airport in Indonesia. 15 people died and 43 survived, making it the second-worst accident involving an ATP. It was the first fatal incident involving the type within its first ten years of service.
- On 11 December 1999, SATA Air Açores Flight 530M crashed into a mountain on São Jorge Island in the Azores, Portugal during a short haul flight. All 35 passengers and crew on board died in the crash. The accident was the worst air accident involving the ATP. It was confirmed that the crew were disorientated in the midst of low clouds over São Jorge Island and made a controlled flight into terrain.
Surviving aircraft
As of January 2024, there are six retired airframes that are either preserved or re-purposed. These are as follows:
- G-11-068: This aircraft was never completed and its fuselage has remained at Glasgow Prestwick Airport since. It is now used as an airport fire training platform.
- G-11-071: This aircraft was also never completed and was used as a smoke training platform at Woodford Aerodrome. Following the site’s closure, it was re-located to nearby Manchester Airport where it is used for similar purposes.
- SE-MHF: This aircraft was partially dismantled in 2021 at Isle of Man Airport. It only consists of its fuselage and wings up to the engine mounts. It is used as an airport fire training platform.
- SE-LHX (displayed as G-MAUD): This aircraft is on display at the Manx Aviation and Military Museum, Isle of Man Airport. It has used various salvaged parts from other scrapped airframes and has been restored in an original Manx Airlines livery. It also now bears the registration G-MAUD, although the actual G-MAUD was scrapped. It is the only ATP on display in near-complete condition.
- PK-DGA: Partially scrapped, the fuselage is currently being used as a restaurant in East Java, Indonesia.
- SE-LPU: Partially preserved, used for airport fire training at Coventry Airport, UK.