At long last: Japan builds new planes of its own

[Tsuru]

Thanks. Nice update...



You wouldn't give it STOL capabilities?

Dirt strip yes, but STOL? Hardly.

It's got a shorter takeoff roll than a civilian airliner with comparable capabilities but it's not a mountain goat. (See what I did there?)

[IkemenTommy]

After watching that video above, the XC-2's landing gear appears not retractable.

[Tsuru]

After watching that video above, the XC-2's landing gear appears not retractable.

They often don't retract landing gear on a new design's first flight. You will notice the same with the flaps/slats.

[Doctor Stop]

Wake me up when it has thrust vectoring.

[Coligny]

Dirt strip yes, but STOL? Hardly.

It's got a shorter takeoff roll than a civilian airliner with comparable capabilities but it's not a mountain goat. (See what I did there?)

Gave Greiji a boner ?

[Greji]

Gave Greiji a boner ?

No, but it did have me panting pretty hard.....

[Tsuru]

MRJ makes first sale outside of Japan

US regional operator Trans States Holdings has firmed up its letter of intent for up to 100 Mitsubishi MRJ jets.

The carrier has signed a firm deal for 50 MRJs plus 50 options.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2014.

That puts the counter at 65 orders + 60 options. The Canadian C-series due to enter service one year prior in 2013, has so far managed to rack up 90 orders and 90 options.

[Mike Oxlong]

Japan rolls out 'long-held dream' with first commercial jet in 50 years

To the sound of drums and a children's choir, Mitsubishi Aircraft on Saturday rolled out Japan's first commercial jet in half a century, amid doubts it can attain an ambition to sell more than 2,000 aircraft in a competitive market segment.

Developed by a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that includes Toyota Corp as a shareholder, the $42-million regional jet, with just under 100 seats, is Japan's second bid to break into the commercial aircraft market.

"This has been a long-held dream of ours, and one that all of Japan has waited for," Hideaki Omiya, chairman of Mitsubishi Heavy, said at a factory in Nagoya in central Japan, which was also the site of the roll-out, 75 years ago, of the prototype of the World War Two-era Zero fighter plane.

The ceremony, attended by about 500 people, kicks off a sprint to complete flight tests before the first delivery of the aircraft in June 2017 to ANA Holdings Inc.

That target is three years later than initially planned...

[Samurai_Jerk]

Japan's first commercial jet in 50 years makes maiden flight

Japan's first commercial jet in half a century made its maiden flight on Wednesday, in a breakthrough for the country's long-held ambition to establish an aircraft industry that can compete with some of the major players in global aviation.

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) took off on a one-hour return flight from Nagoya Airport to test Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp's ability to bring the 100-seat class plane into service after three years of delays.

The unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which built the World War Two-era Zero fighter, is hoping the $47-million regional jet will help it oust Canada's Bombardier Inc as the world's second-biggest maker of smaller passenger jets behind Brazil's Embraer SA.