Aero International (Regional) or AI(R) was a short-lived multi-national consortium intended to merge the businesses of the French-Italian Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) and British Aerospace Regional Aircraft (BAe) (which comprised Avro International Aerospace and Jetstream Aircraft).[1][2][3]
AI(R) was launched in 1996 to perform marketing, sales, support and aircraft development of the partners' transport aircraft and to oversee future programs.[4]
In its first year of operation, AI(R) earned USD1.3b on sales of 38 turboprops and 21 regional jets.[5]
AI(R)'s product range included the British Aerospace Jetstream 31 and 41, but BAe announced it would cease production in May 1997.[6] The proposed Jetstream 61, an improved British Aerospace ATP, was cancelled because it overlapped with the already established ATR 72.
AI(R)'s AIRJET project studied a new 70-seat regional jet for two years developed from the ATR-42,[7] before deciding not to proceed in December 1997, after BAe decided it would not make a major investment in the project.[8][9]
In 1997 another plan to build a 100-seat jet with Asian partner companies was transferred to Airbus Industrie.[10]
The organization disbanded in July 1998, with ATR and British Aerospace regaining full independence.[11][12][13]