Oriental Air Bridge Receives First ATR 42
Oriental Air Bridge (OC) has become the latest Japanese operator of the Franco-Italian built ATR 42-600.
Oriental Air Bridge (OC) has become the latest Japanese operator of the Franco-Italian built ATR 42-600.
DALLAS - Japanese regional carrier Oriental Air Bridge (OC) has received its first ATR 42-600, ordered at this year's Farnborough Air Show, as part of its fleet renewal program.
OC will use the type to replace its pair of 22-year-old de Havilland Dash 8-Q200s. It is due to enter service in July 2023. The airline ordered the ATR in a bid to benefit from fleet commonality with its fellow Japanese regional partner carriers, Amakusa Airlines (MZ), HAC - Hokkaido Air System (6L), and Japan Air Commuter (JC).
https://youtu.be/TMxnESzFC-Q
Regarding the arrival, OC managing director Kazuhito Tanaka "We are pleased to start operating our ATR 42-600 aircraft soon. With the unrivalled versatility and sustainable performance of ATR aircraft, this delivery represents a step forward for us to better serve our higher purpose of providing air link to revitalise the remote islands around Nagasaki Prefecture, in the most responsible way."
Oriental Air Bridge was established in 1961 as Nagasaki Airways. It was given its current name in March 2001 and serves seven destinations in southern Japan. Its main base is Nagasaki Airport (NGS).
In June, the Franco-Italian plane-maker unveiled its plans to expand its presence in the Japanese market in anticipation of significant demand from Japanese carriers for its regional aircraft in the coming years. ATR entered the Japanese market six years ago, and 15 of its airframes are in service today.
https://airwaysmag.com/atr-plans-japanese-market-expansion/
Featured Image: The maiden airframe (JA10RC) is set to enter service in July 2023. Photo: ATR.
.webp)
David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.
Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!
