The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
ATR 72 vs Q400: How the Two Big Turboprops Really Compare
ATR 72 vs Q400: seats, engines, speed, fuel burn and range of the ATR 72-600 and Dash 8-400, from the makers' own figures, and why airlines pick each.
The article compares two popular turboprops, the ATR 72-600 and the Dash 8-400, using the manufacturers’ own figures to assess seats, engines, speed, fuel burn and range. It aims to explain how airlines decide between the two aircraft.
It examines seating configurations, noting differences in capacity as part of the overall evaluation of each aircraft’s mission fit. The analysis draws on official specifications provided by the manufacturers.
Engine and performance details are included, focusing on the type and power of each aircraft’s propulsion systems and how these relate to speed and efficiency metrics cited by the makers.
Fuel burn and range are discussed in the context of operational economics, with reference to claimed figures from ATR and Dash 8-400 materials to illustrate competitive advantages under typical route profiles.
The piece concludes by outlining general reasons airlines might choose one aircraft over the other, based on the cited makers’ data, without extending beyond the information provided.