Leonardo has carried out an experimental air activity demonstrating the ATR MP aircrafts suitability to deploy paratroopers, using a door installed at the rear of the cabin.
The trials, carried out successfully at the end of July, included launching paratroopers and dummies plus demonstrating the effectiveness of recovery procedures during an emergency.
With this trial, the ATR MP confirms its versatility say MBDA.
?#PressRelease #Leonardo’s ATR 42/72 MP successfully completes paratrooper jump demonstration https://t.co/qKJy4nqynb pic.twitter.com/utcHnAqt9A
— Leonardo Aircraft (@LDO_Aircraft) September 6, 2019
“The aircraft has already been chosen by many customers as it can be quickly reconfigured to carry out significantly different missions, while keeping the low operating costs and high reliability, which originate from the civil market-leading turboprop platform model ATR 42/72-600.”
The ATR MP is operated, in its many configurations, by the Guardia di Finanza, the Italian Coast Guard and the Italian Air Force, for maritime patrol, search and identification of surface ships, search and rescue, monitoring and intervention of ecological disasters, protection of territorial waters, as well as the prevention of drug trafficking, piracy, and smuggling.
As a former paratrooper and jumpmaster with ~ 500 static line jumps, I can tell you that I would be very leery about the door situation on this aircraft. Particularly the tail situation on the aft end. I don’t know what kind of wind deflector they have on the door but it has to smooth airflow enough to ensure that troops don’t hit the side on exit. I also wonder what the maximum stick size per pass is and can you use both doors? Just because you can jump an aircraft doesn’t mean you can get enough troops out to… Read more »