The aircraft with registration SE-LGZ (MSN 2021) has officially completed its last commercial flight from Jönköping to Oslo Gardermoen on the night of February 24, 2023. It has now been moved to Malmö and is currently parked there. This 33.1-year-old aircraft was the final one among the forty-one BAe ATP(F)s that were operated by West Atlantic Sweden.
The BAe ATP(F) aircraft is being operated by only two airlines: AeroSpace Consortium (AKQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) and Deraya Air Taxi (DRY, Jakarta Halim). Both of these airlines have two of these aircraft in their fleet. Some of the BAe ATP(F)s that West Atlantic Sweden previously owned have been sold to a new carrier, while most will be dismantled for parts. There are no more passenger BAe ATP aircraft currently in operation.
The development of ATP took place during the 1980s, a time marked by significant events such as the 1979 oil crisis and growing public concern regarding aircraft noise. British Aerospace's business planners perceived a market opportunity for a fuel-efficient, low-noise turboprop aircraft that would operate on short-range routes.
The aircraft made its inaugural flight on August 6, 1986. It faced stiff competition from models in the similar market segment, which were produced by Canada's De Havilland and Franco-Italian turboprop manufacturer.
In 1988, British Midland, a regional airline, became the first commercial operator of the ATP. Shortly after, several other British airlines, such as British Airways, Loganair, and British Regional Airlines, also began operating the aircraft. Throughout the 1990s, multiple charter operators followed suit and built small fleets of ATPs.
Despite its promising features, the ATP struggled to gain traction in this fiercely competitive market, leading to limited sales figures. Eventually, British Aerospace discontinued production of the ATP after just eight years, during which a total of 65 units were manufactured.
