▁jet ▁brid ges ▁at ▁air ports ▁with ▁this ▁equipment . ▁While ▁passengers ▁are ▁board ing ▁or ▁dis emb ark ing ▁the ▁aircraft , ▁a ▁tail ▁stand ▁is ▁set ▁into ▁place ▁as ▁standard ▁procedure ▁to ▁guard ▁against ▁the ▁aircraft ▁nose ▁lif ting ▁off ▁the ▁ground . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁was ▁a ▁record - bre aking ▁year ▁for ▁sales ▁at ▁A TR . ▁According ▁to ▁A TR ' s ▁CE O ▁Fil ipp o ▁B agn ato , ▁sales ▁had ▁continued ▁to ▁grow ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁Rec ession ▁despite ▁the ▁dow nt urn ▁experienced ▁by ▁most ▁av iation ▁companies ▁as ▁" f uel ▁consumption ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁half ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁alternatives ▁and ▁[ with ] ▁lower ▁maintenance ▁costs ". ▁B agn ato ▁noted ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁Africa ▁as ▁a ▁market ▁for ▁the ▁type , ▁as ▁well ▁at ▁the ▁firm ' s ▁aircraft ▁being ▁capable ▁of ▁serving ▁destin ations ▁that ▁would ▁otherwise ▁be ▁in access ible ▁with ▁other ▁aircraft ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁aust ere ▁conditions ▁of ▁many ▁a irst ri ps ▁and ▁run ways ▁in ▁the ▁region , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁operate ▁autonom ously ▁without ▁any ▁reli ance ▁upon ▁ground ▁support ▁equipment . ▁ ▁For ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁A TR ▁claimed ▁a ▁ 4 8 ▁percent ▁global ▁market ▁share ▁for ▁regional ▁aircraft ▁deliver ies ▁between ▁ 5 0 ▁and ▁ 9 0 ▁seats ▁( com pr ising ▁both ▁tur b opro ps ▁and ▁j ets ), ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁dominant ▁manufact urer ▁in