Four MRJ flight test aircraft in the US are due to finish being further upgraded ahead of their next phase of testing towards eventual certification, according to Mitsubishi Aircraft.
The aircraft at Moses Lake flight centre have also been undergoing ground tests over the past month. A spokesperson said: “We are currently upgrading our flight test fleet at Moses Lake to support the next phases of testing towards certification while executing ground testing. We will resume flight operations in the near future without any impact to the development schedule of the MRJ.”
The upgrade work is mainly associated to improvements in the aircraft wiring harnesses, as part of the Japanese manufacturer’s progression towards production configuration, as well as aspects of the avionics.
To help meet the MRJ-90’s planned entry into service in 2020 with Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA), two further prototypes in Nagoya will join the test fleet before the end of this year, as previously planned. A fifth test aircraft is already stationed at Nagoya, mostly for ground-testing work.
Earlier this year Mitsubishi lost one customer from its order books, when Eastern Air Lines pulled out of a deal for 40 aircraft due to a change in its business plan. It still has 223 firm orders and 184 purchase options on its books currently with airlines including SkyWest, Trans States, Japan Airlines and ANA.
