Aircraft lessor Avation has taken delivery of its first ATR 72-600 turboprop.
The aircraft will be wet leased to Australian regional carrier Skywest Airlines, which has an agreement to operate regional routes for Virgin Australia.
This is the first of nine -600s that Avation has on order. The company also has an option to order an additional eight aircraft.
"This is the first of a series of ATR 72-600s we are buying and we are delighted that it will be the first operating in the Asia-Pacific region, where we are successfully operating on a number of Australian regional routes," says Avation chairman and founding director Jeff Chatfield.
"The acquisition is in line with our strategy to own and maintain a fleet aircraft which are of a low age and very fuel efficient and which as a result, have a high residual value to shareholders."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
