After delays, Japan’s regional jet faces dogfight with industry giants

FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND/SINGAPORE: Japan’s Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp, trying to keep its new regional jet on track after series of delays, was forced to cancel a demo flight for the world’s aerospace industry after the jet was hit by a truck.

The prang, which follows the jet’s debut at the show on Monday, will not interrupt marketing efforts.

But it will do nothing to help the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) pull in orders at a time when giants Airbus SE and Boeing Co are extending their grip to the smaller end of the market.

The 90-seat MRJ, Japan’s great hope for reviving a dormant commercial aviation industry, was launched a decade ago.

Five delays later, it is now expected to enter service with Japanese carrier ANA Holdings Inc in 2020, compared with the initial target of 2013.

As a result, it missed a potentially lucrative window of opportunity to be the first to market with the latest generation of fuel-efficient regional jets.

It is up against Embraer, whose commercial aircraft arm may be controlled by Boeing if a provisional deal between the manufacturers is completed.

Meanwhile, Airbus has pushed into the smaller end of the jet market with a deal to take control of the Bombardier Inc CSeries, now branded as the A220. — Reuters