David Eyre 
(Photo © Eurospot – reproduced with permission of the photographer)
This is the first of up to 18 ATR72s to be acquired by Skywest on lease from Avation for operation on behalf of Virgin Australia in the Eastern States and later in Western Australia.
The initial order is for eight aircraft with five options, and the first few aircraft will be ATR72-500s, which will be replaced in 2012 by ATR72-600s. The -600s have more powerful PW127F engines, and more advanced flight decks and cabins.
