JAPAN: Japanese MRJ Regional Jet First Test Flight In Late October

Japanese twin-engine MRJ will conduct its first test flight in Japan in late October, announced Monday the aircraft manufacturer Mitsubishi Aircraft, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group (MHI).

After four postponements, the maiden flight is now expected in the second half of October at a date to be precisely defined. The commissioning of the first Japanese aircraft line is still scheduled in 2017. It will be available in two versions: the MRJ-70 with 78 seats as standard single-class layout and MRJ-90 with 86 to 96 seats. Two Pratt & Whitney PW1200G turbofan, whose certification is expected soon, will equip the unit.

The MRJ has so far registered 407 orders including 223 farms, says Mitsubishi Aircraft. The launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) bought 15 RJ-90 (plus 10 options). Btw this is the MRJ-90 model which recorded the entire firm orders, including 100 units for the US partner SkyWest Airlines or 32 for Japan, while the little brother the MRJ-70 does not always account . The Japanese regional aircraft will compete with short and medium haul of brézilien Embraer and Bombardier of Canada.