Page 7 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE REGIONAL JETS

station adjacent to Komaki South Plant of Estimates indicate that there is a
MHI’s Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works demand for roughly 5,000 planes in this
(Nishikasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture) last category of roughly 100-seater aircraft
Dec. 25. over the next 20 years.
The static strength test is one of the “Five thousand is not a small number.
airframe tests to inspect if the aircraft met The main players at this time are just
safety standards in strength. During the Embraer and Bombardier. We may be able
testing, the maximum load that the aircraft to get into that market with a 50% of that
is expected to experience while flying was share in the next 20 years,” says Kawai,
applied to the wing of the static strength the president of Mitsubishi Aircraft.
test aircraft, which was calculated from And both Russian and Chinese firms,
simulation of all flight conditions. with their Sukhoi Superjet 100 and ARJ21,
“The wing up-bending test produced which may be cheaper than the US$40
50 years claims to be a next-generation anticipated results,” the spokesman adds. million MRJ, are also competing for
aircraft, featuring the Pratt & Whitney’s The project, which involves a great deal of regional jet orders. China will deliver its
revolutionary PurePower engine and national prestige, has been well supported first ARJ21-700 to Chengdu Airlines early
state-of-the-art aerodynamics to by the Japanese government toward the this year since it has now received an
drastically reduce fuel consumption, plane’s research and development. airworthiness certificate.
noise, and emissions.
“We have started full-scale testing of Solid Start Made in China
the MRJ toward its first flight scheduled The beginning seems to be good for ARJ21, short for Advanced Regional Jet
in the second quarter of this year,” says a MRJ with an order book of over 400 jets for the 21st Century, is a type of regional
Mitsubishi spokesman. and All Nippon, along with three more liner designed and manufactured by
Mitsubishi Aircraft performed the airlines, becoming its customers on the COMAC. There are 78 seats in a dual-
first engine run for the starboard side year of its launch. class configuration and 90 seats in a full
engine of MRJ’s first flight test aircraft “While the order book is a good start, economy class configuration. Its economic
at the apron of the Nagoya Airport the MRJ programme needs to prove life is designed to be 60,000 flying hours or
(Nishikasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture) on it can be competitive even against the 20 calendar years.
Jan. 13. The first engine run verified the market leader,” says Richard Aboulafia, Some analysts observe that it is
total operations of the aircraft’s various Vice President at Teal Group, a Fairfax, highly unlikely that the ARJ21 will be
systems including hydraulic, fuel, air Virginia-based consultant. competitive with either Bombardier’s
conditioning, electric systems and power “The MRJ will be brought to market, CRJ family of regional jets or Embraer’s
system such as engines. and will effectively replace Bombardier E-Jet series.
The company also performed the in the regional jet business, although “It’s unbelievably outdated,” Aboulafia
wing up-bending test on the static Embraer will still enjoy a strong of the Teal Group says.”It has components
strength test aircraft at the strength test advantage,” he opines. that were quite fresh and modern 30 years
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