Monday, Nov 14, 2011
DUBAI (Zawya Dow Jones)--European turboprop maker ATR said Monday Russia's NordStar Airlines had agreed to buy three ATR 42-600s, bringing a September order for four aircraft up to seven planes with an estimated value of $132 million.
The deal brings to 148 the number of firm aircraft orders this year for ATR, a joint-venture of EADS (EAD.FR) and Italian Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI) subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica, worth some $3.3 billion, Chief Executive Officer Filippo Bagnato said at the Dubai Air Show.
"This is confirmation of a record year," Bagnato said, adding that including 72 optional orders, the total value of orders this year is $4.9 billion.
ATR and NordStar in September announced an order for two firm ATR 42-600s plus two options. The firm order for an additional three brings the total to seven.
ATR's backlog is at a historical level of 267 aircraft, or around $6 billion, Bagnato said. Though the aircraft financing environment is currently "not an easy story," financing wasn't yet impacting deliveries or the backlog, he said.
"The financing problem is on the table, we know very well. But we have not seen the situation impacting deliveries because of financial problems," Bagnato said.
-By Nour Malas, Dow Jones Newswires, +9714 4461689; nour.malas@dowjones.com
Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Co.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
14-11-11 0837GMT
