First MRJ under final assembly in June 2014. (PHOTO Mitsubishi Aircraft)
NIKKEI web-edition reported on August 28 that Japan Airlines has chosen MRJ, regional jets under development by Mitsubishi Aircraft.
JAL will introduce MRJ to its domestic destinations from 2021 by replacing aging feeder fleet. Fuel efficient, MRJ is expected to lower fuel bills for JAL while bringing with more flexibility to adjust flexibility of operations by seasonal change, thus reinvigorating JAL’s local network that once shrunk during the carrier’s corporate rehabilitation processes.
JAL will introduce 32 MRJs, billed about JPY 150 billion (USD 1.4 billion) by catalog price. The fleet will be based at Osaka Itami Airport for operations by its subsidiary J-Air that currently flying both Bombardier and Embraer small aircraft.
MRJ, either 70- or 90-seat, will become commercially available in 2017 according to Mitsubishi Aircraft. Applying with more composite materials and GTF engines, MRJ has a target of fuel consumption lower by 10 to 20 percent than today’s counterparts.
ANA, the launch customer of MRJ, has ordered 25 previously.
Mitsubishi Aircraft received order for 375 MRJs including options. Adding 32 more from JAL, Mitsubishi will mark over 400 orders that is said to be break-even point for MRJ development and production. Further, expectations of cost reduction by volume production may accelerate its marketing in overseas markets. ■
No comments:
Post a Comment