Mitsubishi MRJ

[flanker]

Thank you for the continues updates blackkite. Great looking aircraft and wish the Mitsubishi team all the luck in certification and sales.

 

[T-50]

a great day for Japanese aviation! another great new Japanese aircraft model is airborn!

 

[blackkite]

どうも有難うございます。Do mo arigatogozaimasu flaker-san, T-50-san and xmotex-san.

Chase aircraft is Kawasaki T-4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYAuy3pBXEI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6B6uEw9L6E

 

[xmotex]

It really is a very graceful-looking aircraft.
Glad to see it in the air at last.

 

[blackkite]

Hi!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5PPW2IUTrI

 

[kaiserbill]

Nice video...congrats to Mitsubishi.

 

[blackkite]

Thanks!!
Please enjoy some maiden flight pictures.

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-10/mitsubishi-s-new-regional-jet-five-key-facts

 

[Grey Havoc]

MRJ prototype No. 2 passes with flying colors on maiden flight (The Asahi Shimbun)

 

[Grey Havoc]

On a related note: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/SDI201608235319.html

 

[Grey Havoc]

MRJ returns to airport 2nd time, delays maiden overseas flight (The Asahi Shimbun)

 

[blackkite]

;D

 

[Grey Havoc]

Mitsubishi Aircraft at a loss on latest glitch to affect the MRJ (The Asahi Shimbun)

TOYOYAMA, Aichi Prefecture--The latest problem to hit Japan’s trouble-plagued first passenger jet has flummoxed engineers and could erode confidence among clients expecting deliveries of the aircraft.

Glitches in the environmental control system forced the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) to scrap its maiden overseas flight to the United States first on Aug. 27 and again on Aug. 28. Both times, the jet had to return to Nagoya Airport here.

On Aug. 30, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp., developer of the MRJ, said the third attempt to send the jet to Grant County International Airport in Washington state has been pushed back to the end of September. The MRJ is to undergo testing at the U.S. airport.

“We have not worked out the cause of failure,” a company executive said on the night of Aug. 29. “It will take a while for the re-relaunch.”

The executive said time is needed for a comprehensive investigation into the environmental control problem and to gain necessary permission for a stopover at a Russian airport.

The major U.S. aircraft parts manufacturer that produced the MRJ’s environmental control system is also totally baffled, the executive said, adding that it is “the first case of its kind” for the U.S. company. [snip]

It would appear that UTC Aerospace Systems has a major PR disaster (at the very least) on it's hands. One suspects that Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. is not very happy with them at the moment...

 

[Grey Havoc]

Mitsubishi's MRJ aircraft makes it to U.S. mainland on third attempt (The Asahi Shimbun)

However, just when they thought things were getting back on track:

Mitsubishi MRJ deliveries likely to be set back for a fifth time (The Asahi Shimbun)

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-delta-air-union-embraer-idUSKBN13K2BS

When planemakers such as Brazil's Embraer and Japan's Mitsubishi designed their latest regional jets, with heavier but more fuel-efficient engines, they expected the scope clause to have loosened, but unions have managed to hold on to it.

Delta's vote will follow similar decisions by unions at American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) and United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) earlier this year and in 2015.

Pilots' opposition to relaxing scope clauses is a problem for Embraer’s E175-E2 regional aircraft that is to be delivered in 2020, and Mitsubishi’s MRJ90 jet, slated for delivery in mid-2018, which both exceed the weight limit.

 

[Flyaway]

MRJ safe despite receiving 'non-conforming' metal

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has confirmed that one of its metal suppliers has been caught fabricating inspection data on its products, but that is not expected to have any impact on the development programme for the MRJ regional jet.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/mrj-safe-despite-receiving-non-conforming-metal-441938/

 

[Grey Havoc]

Mitsubishi Aircraft unveils SpaceJet brand, revamped version of smaller jet

Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp rebranded its MRJ family jets to be called the "SpaceJet" and unveiled a redesigned version of the smaller jet to help improve its sales prospects in the large U.S. market.

www.reuters.com

Mitsubishi signs MOU for 15 Spacejet planes

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp said on Wednesday it had signed a preliminary deal to sell 15 newly redesigned Spacejet M100 aircraft to a North American airline.

www.reuters.com

MHI to purchase Bombardier unit to jump-start delayed business：The Asahi Shimbun

 

[Grey Havoc]

Fresh delay hits Mitsubishi’s beleaguered SpaceJet

Mitsubishi Aircraft's SpaceJet programme has suffered another major delay, with the first delivery slipping potentially a year or more from the current target. In its third-quarter results announcement, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the parent of Mitsubishi Aircraft, said that the "first...

www.flightglobal.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

More woes for MHI’s SpaceJet: $1.6 billion loss, 6th delivery delay (The Asahi Shimbun)

 

[litzj]

What is the problem of the space jet?

 

[Grey Havoc]

Ironically, part of the problem seems to be that they adopted what were supposed to be Boeing's cutting edge project management practises in order to speed up progress on the MRJ. Unfortunately for Mitsubishi, the 'old fashioned' way of doings appears to have been proved superior in the long run.

 

[Grey Havoc]

First Japan-made PW1200G engine completes maiden sortie

The first Japanese-made Pratt & Whitney PW1200G geared turbofan completed its maiden flight on 14 February. Mitsubishi Heavy Industry's (MHI) engines unit manufactured the powerplant, which was shipped last November from its Komaki facility in Japan to sister company Mitsubishi Aircraft's flight...

www.flightglobal.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Despite rumors, MHI denied it will freeze SpaceJet program :

More doubts cast on development of Mitsubishi Heavy’s SpaceJet | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[TomcatViP]

Spacejet engine, PW1200G project, frozen (as well as PW1700G For Embraer P175-E2) :

MTU’s outlook suggests that Pratt & Whitney will at some point terminate the PW1200G program. As for the PW1700G on the E175-E2, more than 800 orders were placed for the E175-E1. Whether the E2 version would reach this number of sales is anyone’s guess. But without a viable US market, there is little prospect for the future of the E175-E2 and the likelihood the M100 SpaceJet program will be restarted is remote at best.
[...]
Effectively blocked by union Scope Clauses from selling the E175-E2 in the US market, Embraer currently relies on the aging E175-E1 to refresh US airline fleets and for growth, whenever the COVID-19 virus is defeated.

P&W, Embraer pause E175-E2 engine; MTU writes off investment, sees no revenue in future for SpaceJet engine - Leeham News and Analysis

By Scott Hamilton Exclusive: Dec. 21, 2021, © Leeham News: Pratt & Whitney and Embraer agreed to suspend further development and production of the PW1700G for three years, LNA learned. PW and Embraer did not respond to inquiries.... Read More

leehamnews.com

 

[windcalm]

Mitsubishi Heavy to terminate SpaceJet development -media

TOKYO :Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd has internally decided to terminate the development of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet aircraft, Japanese media reported on Monday.Mitsubishi Heavy had suspended development of the aircraft, formerly called Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), in 2020 after a series of...

www.channelnewsasia.com

Mitsubishi has decided to terminate the program internally.

 

[Maro.Kyo]

Mitsubishi Heavy to terminate SpaceJet development -media

TOKYO :Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd has internally decided to terminate the development of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet aircraft, Japanese media reported on Monday.Mitsubishi Heavy had suspended development of the aircraft, formerly called Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), in 2020 after a series of...

www.channelnewsasia.com

Mitsubishi had decided to terminate the program internally.

Tbh, the death of the MRJ program was written on the wall. I wonder how thing would've been if the Japanese gov. decided to fund the Kawasaki proposal instead. Anyways, now the only hope of Japanese civilian aviation is Honda Aero and their Honda Jet, which is quite funny I'm not going to lie.

 

[Moose]

The Hondajet only needs 20-30 more years, it should be fine.

More seriously, MRJ/superjet died a long time ago. There was an interesting opportunity for Boeing to jump on it for awhile, but they went for Embraer (and ultimately failed in that bid).

 

[Maro.Kyo]

There was an interesting opportunity for Boeing to jump on it for awhile, but they went for Embraer (and ultimately failed in that bid).

Also true in vice-versa, considering how Mitsubishi turned down Boeing's offer to use a common cockpit for MRJ that comes from (iirc) B737. The way they've managed the programme was simply a textbook on how to mess up a civil aviation project.

 

[helmutkohl]

Mitsubishi Heavy to terminate SpaceJet development -media

TOKYO :Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd has internally decided to terminate the development of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet aircraft, Japanese media reported on Monday.Mitsubishi Heavy had suspended development of the aircraft, formerly called Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), in 2020 after a series of...

www.channelnewsasia.com

Mitsubishi had decided to terminate the program internally.

Tbh, the death of the MRJ program was written on the wall. I wonder how thing would've been if the Japanese gov. decided to fund the Kawasaki proposal instead. Anyways, now the only hope of Japanese civilian aviation is Honda Aero and their Honda Jet, which is quite funny I'm not going to lie.

same.. i wonder why not Kawasaki since their proposal was based on the already flying P-1. just twin engined instead

 

[Maro.Kyo]

From MHI Q3 operations report. So they are retaining the CRJ program it seems.

 

[alberchico]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1633561916298891264

View: https://twitter.com/jetcitystar/status/1633561916298891264


I'm surprised this airframe wasn't ferried back to Japan. A sad end for such a promising program. These 2 articles provide a postmortem analysis:

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The long, slow death of Mitsubishi's SpaceJet - Leeham News and Analysis

By Scott Hamilton Feb. 9, 2023, © Leeham News: Mitsubishi Heavy Industry’s (MHI) announcement this week that it finally killed the SpaceJet program is hardly new. This was apparent as far back as January 2020 when all the... Read More

leehamnews.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

In regard of the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G:

http://theflyingengineer.com/flightdeck/pw1100g-gtf/

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kfDLgs-UHI