Mitsubishi Regional Jet completes maiden test flight

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) successfully conducted the maiden test flight of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) - Japan's first commercial aircraft in over five decades. The MRJ took off from Nagoya Airport and confirmed its basic characteristics and functionality in ascent, descent and turning in airspace off the Pacific coast during its 90 minute long flight.

The MRJ is offered in 78 and 92 seater configurations, and will be powered by the PurePower® PW1200G engines by Pratt & Whitney. Mitsubishi claims it offers a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency over other aeroplanes in its class, including those from chief rivals - Embraer SA of Brazil and Canada's Bombardier.

Mitsubishi Aircraft and MHI will continue to conduct flight tests for the first delivery scheduled in the second quarter of 2017. Test flights in the US are scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2016, from the MRJ base at the Grant County International Airport at Moses Lake in Washington State.

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