Aviation Traders ATL-90 Accountant
Aviation Traders · United Kingdom · first flew 1957 · airliner
The Aviation Traders ATL-90 Accountant was a British twin-turboprop short-haul airliner prototype first flown in 1957. It was designed by Freddie Laker's Aviation Traders engineering company as a modern replacement for piston-engine feederliner types.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Circular-section fuselage with large oval windows |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- British twin-turboprop short-haul airliner prototype of 1957
- T-shaped tailplane with low horizontal stabiliser — conventional tail
- Circular-section fuselage with large oval windows
A low-wing twin-turboprop with Dart engines in prominent nacelles, a circular-section fuselage, and a conventional fin and tailplane. Superficially similar to the Fokker F27 Friendship of the same era but with a different nose profile and smaller overall dimensions.
Specifications
- The Aviation Traders ATL-90 Accountant has a length of 18.93 m (62 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 25.15 m (83 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 470 km/h (292 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Conceived and built by Aviation Traders under Freddie Laker to meet the growing demand for economical short-haul turboprop airliners, the Accountant first flew in July 1957. Despite its modern design featuring Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops, it failed to attract airline orders in the face of competition from the already-established Fokker F27 Friendship and Vickers Viscount. Only the single prototype was built.
Variants
Only one prototype was constructed; no production variants were developed.
Where you'll see it
The sole prototype conducted test flights but did not enter airline service; it represents an interesting British might-have-been in short-haul aviation.
Related aircraft
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