Mitsubishi Pushes Back Delivery Until 2014

It would appear that Boeing has company in struggling to get a new airliner to market. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has reportedly pushed back the delivery of its new regional jet until at least 2014 as it makes design changes.

The international news service AFP reports that Mitsubishi has delayed delivery to its launch customer All Nippon Airways by three months. Mitsubishi, which is being advised by Boeing on the project according to AFP, has switched the wing skin to aluminum from composite carbon fiber construction. Mitsubishi provides the carbon fiber wings for the Dreamliner, but found that for this aircraft, the weight savings were not as great. It has also increased cabin and cargo space, and is considering a stretched model in hopes of attracting European customers.

The plane is a 70-90 seat NextGen regional jet Mitsubishi hopes will compete with Embraer and Bombardier aircraft, as well as Chinese and Russian designs, AFP says. Mitsubishi says it has orders from ANA for 25 of the jets, and it says it is certain more carriers will be interested.

The only airliner Japan has produced since WWII has been the YS-11, a turboprop aircraft that enjoyed only limited success and went out of production in 1974.

FMI: www.mhi.co.jp/en