Aircraft patchwork?

Visited Manchester (EGCC) on Thursday 18th and the attached ATR42 landed.
I am just a little puzzled by the area at the front that looks like a large
patch, I tried a Google without success so does anyone know what is this
for?
I have seen similar areas on other ATR42 aircraft and it seems to be a
standard feature, it's just that it stands out on this one.

I will post some other shots taken that day when I have finished
sorting them out.

--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)

Might be a former military version of the aircraft. From the pics I found,
the military versions had this 'hatch/patch' located here.


"Andrew B" wrote in message
om...
Visited Manchester (EGCC) on Thursday 18th and the attached ATR42 landed.
I am just a little puzzled by the area at the front that looks like a
large
patch, I tried a Google without success so does anyone know what is this
for?
I have seen similar areas on other ATR42 aircraft and it seems to be a
standard feature, it's just that it stands out on this one.

I will post some other shots taken that day when I have finished
sorting them out.

--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)

Might be a former military version of the aircraft. From the pics I found,
the military versions had this 'hatch/patch' located here.


"Andrew B" wrote in message
om...
Visited Manchester (EGCC) on Thursday 18th and the attached ATR42 landed.
I am just a little puzzled by the area at the front that looks like a
large
patch, I tried a Google without success so does anyone know what is this
for?
I have seen similar areas on other ATR42 aircraft and it seems to be a
standard feature, it's just that it stands out on this one.

I will post some other shots taken that day when I have finished
sorting them out.

--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)

It appears that it was first registered with Finnair in 1986 and then Sasmat
Holdings, TAT, Cimber Air, TAT again, Air Liberte, Air Atlantique and then
had been stored by Aer Arann in December 2007 - I don't know when it
returned to service. I'm not sure there is any military history but you
could be correct.
--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)


"Bill & Ange" wrote in message
...
Might be a former military version of the aircraft. From the pics I found,
the military versions had this 'hatch/patch' located here.

It appears that it was first registered with Finnair in 1986 and then Sasmat
Holdings, TAT, Cimber Air, TAT again, Air Liberte, Air Atlantique and then
had been stored by Aer Arann in December 2007 - I don't know when it
returned to service. I'm not sure there is any military history but you
could be correct.
--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)


"Bill & Ange" wrote in message
...
Might be a former military version of the aircraft. From the pics I found,
the military versions had this 'hatch/patch' located here.

"Andrew B" wrote

I have seen similar areas on other ATR42 aircraft and it seems to be a
standard feature, it's just that it stands out on this one.

It appears to be a "cargo loading" door that has been replaced and not
yet painted. See:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/CSA--...461524/L/&sid=
0330cae2681537c95687d78991642d2a

Makes sense.....FEDEX uses the ATR-42 for their package service.

Bob Moore

"Andrew B" wrote

I have seen similar areas on other ATR42 aircraft and it seems to be a
standard feature, it's just that it stands out on this one.

It appears to be a "cargo loading" door that has been replaced and not
yet painted. See:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/CSA--...461524/L/&sid=
0330cae2681537c95687d78991642d2a

Makes sense.....FEDEX uses the ATR-42 for their package service.

Bob Moore

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:38:22 +0100, Andrew B wrote
(in article ) :

I am just a little puzzled by the area at the front that looks like a large
patch, I tried a Google without success so does anyone know what is this
for?

Isn't it the cargo door, as in the attached 3-view drawing (filched
shamelessly from the ATR web site)? It hinges upwards (the door, that is).

It's depicted open in Flight's cutaway drawing at:

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...laviation1949-
2006cutaways/aerospatiale-atr42-cutaway-6662.aspx

What a long URL.

"Netko" wrote in message
x.com...
On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:38:22 +0100, Andrew B wrote
(in article ) :

Isn't it the cargo door, as in the attached 3-view drawing (filched
shamelessly from the ATR web site)? It hinges upwards (the door, that
is).

It's depicted open in Flight's cutaway drawing at:

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...laviation1949-
2006cutaways/aerospatiale-atr42-cutaway-6662.aspx

What a long URL.


Thank you Netko, that explains it, I hadn't thought of a cargo hold ahead of
the passenger cabin.

--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)

"Netko" wrote in message
x.com...
On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:38:22 +0100, Andrew B wrote
(in article ) :

Isn't it the cargo door, as in the attached 3-view drawing (filched
shamelessly from the ATR web site)? It hinges upwards (the door, that
is).

It's depicted open in Flight's cutaway drawing at:

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...laviation1949-
2006cutaways/aerospatiale-atr42-cutaway-6662.aspx

What a long URL.


Thank you Netko, that explains it, I hadn't thought of a cargo hold ahead of
the passenger cabin.

--
Andrew B (Cheshire, England)

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president Royal Society, 1895.)