As part of validation for the certification process of the ATR 42-500 with modification 5948 in China, a certification flight test took-off and landed from Francazal airport in Toulouse. The flight, which took place on Friday, July 3, is a major step toward ATR type certification validation in China, expected in autumn 2020.
The ATR 42-500 with modification 5948 is also known as the ATR 42-600 and certification will allow for delivery of the first of this latest-generation aircraft to a customer in China. The three-hour test flight was performed in cooperation with the Chinese and European airworthiness authorities CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); of the atter’s pilots were on-board the flight alongside an ATR crew