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Type rating guide · Updated May 2026

ATR-72 Type Rating Guide

ATR-72-500 · ATR-72-600 · ATR-72-600P2F (freighter)

Regional Turboprop 4–6 weeks training €15,000–€25,000
Training duration
4–6 weeks
Simulator hours
32–44 hrs
Estimated cost
€15,000–€25,000
Training bond
12–24 months
Min. hours required
70 hours multi-crew (some operators accept CPL + IR)
Salary range
€40,000–€110,000 (FO to Captain, Europe to Middle East / Asia)

Key operators

Air France (via HOP!), Finnair (via Norra), Flybe, Binter Canarias, Air Nostrum, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Azul, Braathens Regional, Loganair, Aegean, SAS, Wideroe, Caribbean Airlines

Licence & eligibility requirements

CPL/IR with multi-crew endorsement, or Frozen ATPL (EASA/FAA/ICAO equivalent)

Training structure

ATR-72 technical theory (powerplant, avionics, systems), simulator training (3–4 phases), OPC, Line Check

Approved training organisations

ATR Training Centre (Toulouse — only ATR full-flight simulators), CAE (London, Dallas, Singapore), Simavia, Regional Jet Center (Stockholm)

Demand outlook

Steady and growing. The ATR-72-600 is the world's best-selling turboprop and dominates short-haul regional routes across Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and Africa. Pilot shortage is acute at regional operators.

Key facts

The ATR-72 is the world's best-selling regional turboprop — over 1,500 aircraft delivered to 200+ operators across 100 countries.

The ATR-72-600 cockpit uses an advanced Proline 21 avionics suite — a significant step up from earlier analog regional types.

Many pilots use the ATR-72 as a stepping stone to jet types — type rating cost is lower and regional airlines often sponsor training bonds.

The ATR-72-600P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter) conversion is in active service with DHL, FedEx feeders, and cargo operators in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Caribbean and Pacific island operators rely heavily on the ATR-72 — making it one of the few types with genuine demand in remote island networks.

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