Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation: MRJ now performing two flights per day

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation provided (28-Jul-2016) the following updates on the progress of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) flight test programme:

• Flight testing has completed more than 50 flights across the first and second aircraft (FTA-1 and FTA-2);
• FTA-1 has expanded the flight envelope to the extent of design specifications (maximum speed of Mach 0.78, maximum altitude of 39,000 ft), and successfully completed flutter testing. This test purposely introduces oscillations to verify that the aircraft diminishes the effect and keeps flying safely without fluttering;
• Ferry flights to the US are scheduled to start in Aug-2016 Prior to that, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation is carrying out two flight tests per day, fully preparing for multiple flight tests on a daily basis scheduled in the US;
• FTA-3 and FTA-4 will move forward with engine tests, aiming for first flights later in northern summer 2016. [more - original PR]