NAC: additional orders for 15 firm ATRs and 25 options

On the occasion of the European Regional Association (ERA) General Assembly, held in Salzburg, the Danish leasing firm Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) and the regional turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR have announced the signature to increase the order placed at the 2013 Paris Airshow by an order for additionally 15 firm ATRs and options for 25 aircraft. The value of the increase alone is US$ 1 Billion. The cumulative orders placed in recent months by NAC reach 130 ATR aircraft, with 50 firm ATR -600 series aircraft and options for 80. In recent years, NAC has built up the largest portfolio of ATRs in the world. It currently manages a fleet of some 90 ATRs in operation, and within the next four years will expand its portfolio up to some 150 with the delivery of its remaining firm aircraft from ATR's backlog. The large amount of orders for ATRs booked by NAC since 2011 underlines the increasing interest of leasing firms on the ATR -600s aircraft, the best-selling regional aircraft below 90-seats in recent years and recently ranked first among investors' and operators' at the 2012 Airfinance Journal annual survey. As of today, some 25% of the total backlog of ATR will be delivered to leasing firms.