Why don't we see more ATRs around the USA? It seems the Q400 is a hangar queen, although Horizon has proven it can be dispatch reliable. Are ATRs expensive? Or are buyers holding out for the NextGen?

Did they ever really solve the icing issues with that thing? I remember when that one went down after holding in a snow storm going into ORD, they sent them to San Juan.

The Roselawn accident changed turboprop sales. They went from convenient, inexpensive airplanes that did a great job connecting to the hub to death machines. I believe for a while their known ice certification was suspending, making it a little hard to fly north of Nashville in the winter.

American Eagle Flight 4184 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Although not the only turboprop accident in the 90s, it showed a problem with the de-icing capabilities that made the public wary of "small planes"

Yup, that's the one I was thinking about, and then of course there was the Colgan turboprop in ice...

I flew cancelled checks in an AC690 for over 4000 hours out of BOS-LGA-DET, all winter, it didn't ice up like that, but we never held in that crap, being late at night, we always came in high and hot. But we also rubbed Future Floor Polish on the boots before we took off! Otherwise the ice would stick and build up. The noise it made coming off the props would sure get your attention! :eek:

No, I don't think so. But TranStates airlines operated them out of STL for years after that accident. I guess it's still just the "scary turboprop" mentality that's keeping them away. I think they'll be coming back though.

Yeah, I remember that accident. I still shudder thinking about how fast the aircraft was going when it hit the ground.

I don't usually armchair QB, but the investigation shows that the Colgan accident really should've been avoided. Very poor airmanship on the crew's part.


Yikes! Who needs coffee when you're flying in those conditions? :eek: :D

Love it...................

Just for info icing had nothing to do with the Colgan accident. You can read the transcripts on the NTSB website. So many mistakes you can hardly count them all but the basics were they pulled the props to fine pitch and throttles to idle to slow down. Never pushed the power up and got the stick pusher. Captain over powered the pusher and the copilot decided to raise the flaps. The result we all know.

When I heard the CVR, & CA Renslow said "Yeah....that's the most ice I've seen on the wing in a while...." I still wonder how the heck that didn't send up a huge red flag. One of the first links in the chain...... the accident could've easily been avoided. :(

My bet, ATR 72 wasn't sexy enough for those willing to buy new props. But the ATR 72 is probably the better airplane on prop type flights and, all things considered more than just an ETE comparison, the CRJ900 bests the Q400 on jet routes.

The pic Bar posted doesn't show de-ice boots. I believe the P-3 didn't have any, right? The Piaggio below doesn't.

http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/fo...vanti_ii_a.jpg

The Citation does. :rolleyes:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ang_N416CM.jpg