Mitsubishi SpaceJet completes maiden flight with Japan-assembled engine

February 28, 2020

First flight with Pratt & Whitney GTF™ PW1200G engine

On February 27, 2020, Mitsubishi Aircraft announced the successful maiden flight of its regional jet, the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, equipped for the first time with a Pratt & Whitney GTF™ PW1200G engine assembled in Japan. The flight was conducted on February 14 at the company’s Flight Test Center located in Moses Lake, Washington.

Verifying engine and airframe performance

During the test flight, Mitsubishi Aircraft’s flight test team confirmed the basic functions of the engine and evaluated the integrated performance of the engine and airframe. The results showed that the engine operated as expected during its initial flight phase.

In the coming weeks, the Mitsubishi SpaceJet is scheduled to undergo Type Certification (TC) flight tests with both Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).