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| Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Photo: Mitsubishi |
[Avionics Today 11-12-2015] Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) conducted the first flight of the first flight test aircraft for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), their next-generation regional jet. 

The MRJ took off from Nagoya Airport and confirmed its basic characteristics and functionality in ascent, descent and turning in airspace off the Pacific coast during its 1.5-hour first flight. Operational performance of the MRJ was better than expected, according to Pilot Yasumura, who served as captain during the aircraft’s first flight.
Mitsubishi Aircraft and MHI will continue to conduct flight tests for the first delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2017. The flight tests in the United States are scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2016, from the MRJ base at Grant County International Airport in Washington.