Originally planned for this spring, Mitsubishi Aircraft announced on 10th., April, that the maiden flight of the MRJ ( Mitsubishi Regional Jet ), had been delayed until the autumn.
According to the Japanese company, in wishing to reassure all interested parties, the postponement was decided upon in order to make better use of the ground test data. "To date, there has been no incident likely to significantly disrupt the schedule," Nobuo Kishi, deputy general manager of Mitsubishi Aircraft told the French news agency AFP.
The first scheduled delivery will be to the Japanese airline, All Nippon Airways ( ANA ), in spring 2017.
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation presented an MRJ prototype on 18th., October, last year, during a ceremony at Komaki in Japan. The aircraft will be offered in two single-class versions : the MRJ70 78-seater, and the 92-seater MRJ90, in 2+2 configuration, with twin seats on either side of the central aisle.
This is the first Japanese designed and built airliner for over fifty years ; Mitsubishi Aircraft have so far received 407 firm orders or intentions to buy, and plan to produce ten per month.
