MHI commences Mitsubishi Regional Jet manufacturing
30-Sep-2010 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MJET) have jointly announced the commencement today by MHI of the manufacture of the next-generation Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ).
Based on an order placed by MJET, which is developing the MRJ, MHI began cutting aluminum material for the horizontal stabilizer's frame component of the aircraft. With this event, the MRJ project to develop Japan's first passenger jet has now entered the manufacturing phase, with the aircraft's first flight scheduled in 2012.
To mark the occasion of the metal-cutting for the MRJ, a ceremony was held and attended by Hideo Egawa, President of MJET, and Akihiko Ishikawa, Deputy General Manager of MHI's Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works, as well as others involved in the project. The event took place at the Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works, where manufacturing got under way.
The start of the MRJ's production indicates that development of the aircraft's production drawings is progressing after detailed design review this summer. Following MHI's lead, project partners will now launch manufacturing of the various components they are responsible for, based on the production drawings. MHI, in addition to producing the MRJ's major components such as the fuselage, wing, empennage and core system, will also be responsible for final assembly and equipment installation.
Going forward, MHI and MJET continue to devote their utmost efforts to make the MRJ project a success, aiming to play a significant role in the ongoing development of the global aviation industry.