Aerospace

The first MRJ Regional plane from Japan is scrapped in United states. After the programme had terminated

Japan is renowned for its technological advancement, consistently outpacing other nations. In 2003, the well-known Japanese corporation Mitsubishi plans to launch a regional jet aircraft with a seating capacity of 70 to 90 seats, just like in other nations. An indigenous regional jet for 30 to 90 people is the subject of a five-year, 50 billion ($420 million) research project that was launched by Japan.

The first Mitsubishi Aircraft Regional Jet / SpaceJet JA21MJ, which was based at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, is being destroyed. Due to the lack of a successful testing phase. The program is terminated. Most aviation enthusiasts disagreed with the choice to scrap items rather than donate them to the museum.

Mitsubishi Announced The Discontinuation Of SpaceJet program(Opens in a new browser tab)

Let’s find out more about this plane. Several problems have caused the project to be postponed, and MHI keeps delaying its debut. At first, it also received some orders from airlines based in Japan. such as the SpaceJet program. The planned entry was delayed because flight testing took longer than anticipated, and as a result, development was first postponed in October 2020 and then stopped completely in February 2023.

Two versions of MRJ M90 and M100.

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, a division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, created the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family of regional jet aircraft. The Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90 and Mitsubishi SpaceJet M100 are the two current versions that make up the SpaceJet family.

Up to 90 passengers can board the regional plane Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90. It has a maximum range of 2,200 nautical miles and two Pratt & Whitney PW1217G engines. The Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has been working on the M90 for a number of years, with the initial goal of delivering the first aircraft to launch client ANA in 2020. The delivery has been delayed, nevertheless, because of a number of problems.

Mitsubishi converted the MRJ production facility into a maintenance hangar after the programme was terminated.(Opens in a new browser tab)

The Mitsubishi SpaceJet program has had numerous difficulties and failures, which has caused some business analysts to view the initiative as a failure. The following are some of the main problems that have added to the SpaceJet program’s difficulties:

1. Delays in development: The SpaceJet program has faced major setbacks, with the initial delivery to launch customer ANA being repeatedly postponed. Several technical problems and design modifications contributed to the delays, which in turn led to more expenses and additional delays.

2. Few consumers have placed orders for the SpaceJet program, which has had difficulty getting orders from airlines. Instead, many airlines have opted to buy regional planes from different producers like Embraer and Bombardier.

3. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic: Due to the need for airlines to reduce fleet size and postpone new aircraft deliveries, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative influence on the SpaceJet program. This has made it even harder for Mitsubishi to acquire additional SpaceJet orders.

4. yet another delay In 2018, Bombardier filed a lawsuit against MRJ for allegedly stealing the trade-secret blueprints for its aircraft. MRJ was granted relief from the allegation by federal judges. It has accomplished about 2600 flying hours up to that point. Yet later, when the aircraft was being tested, there was yet another delay. in 2019,

5. Financial setbacks: Despite Mitsubishi Heavy Industries investing billions of dollars in the SpaceJet program, there have been financial difficulties. But because of the holdups and a lack of orders, the program hasn’t brought in enough money to pay for its development expenses.

The corporation was looking for a reliable source of funding to support the manufacture of airplanes. The flying display was performed by the aircraft in 2018 at the Farnborough air show. Due to the delays, the aircraft is also receiving some criticism. For all of the prototypes that were improved gradually, it has finished roughly 9 aircraft. MHI persisted in working on this project. More than a billion dollars were invested. but even so, the airworthiness authorities were never impressed.

6. More than 900 design changes have reportedly been made, many of which necessitate going back to the basic design stage. Examples of these changes include a review of the design load and adjustments to the system design of various systems. During the testing phase, numerous design modifications were made to the wings, landing gear, fuselage, wiring, and avionics. Throughout the testing stage, numerous design modifications were done.

The SpaceJet program has generally encountered a number of challenges that have made it challenging for it to prosper, raising questions about its future and whether it will ever enter service. The development of the SpaceJet M100 has been put on hold as Mitsubishi Aircraft Company reevaluates its approach to the SpaceJet program.

Following five revisions of the planning delay, it was stated in October 2020 that the project would be frozen. Five prototypes have already made the trip to the US for flight testing, however, testing has been halted and one of them has had its aircraft registration canceled. The process for acquiring this kind of accreditation was the main cause of delays in the MRJ project. A significant design change was made in order to get type certification, which also contributed to the significant fifth delay, which dealt the business freeze its fatal blow.

Engine maintenance is now being performed on a variety of aircraft at the facility that was constructed for the production of MRJ aircraft. This will be capable of producing 15 units per month.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.