Final assembly of the first Mitsubishi MRJ flight test aircraft has commenced at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Komaki South Plant in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
The mid fuselage was transferred from the Tobishima Plant on 13 October.
Photos: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
Mitsubishi's MRJ program has suffered a series of delays with first flight now expected to take place in the second quarter of 2015 and first delivery in the second quarter of 2017. When the program was launched in April 2008, first delivery was planned for the fourth quarter of 2013. Three customers are awaiting delivery of 165 aircraft from Mitsubishi.
Aviation Week & Space Technology's Brad Perrett recently visited the MHI plant during assembly of the first fuselage to see how Mitsubishi is using precision to cut costs. Read his full report here.
Photo: Brad Perrett / AWST
