Story ID: 030Oct17
Mitsubishi MRJ Resumes Flight Testing
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Mitsubishi test pilots took the skies again in MRJ FTA-4 on September 6.
Word Count: 205
Flight-testing of the Mitsubishi MRJ resumed last month, following grounding of the four-airplane test fleet on August 21. During a test flight about 90 miles west of Portland, the left Pratt & Whitney PW1200G geared turbofan on MRJ FTA-2 experienced an uncommanded shutdown, and the flight-test crew diverted to Portland International Airport. After an engine swap, the test pilots flew FTA-2 to the flight-test base at Grant County Airport in Moses Lake, Wash.

FTA-4, which had been flying from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz. resumed flight-testing there on September 6, according to a Mitsubishi spokesman. “We were able to review and inspect the engines on FTA-4 with the Pratt & Whitney team and determine that the aircraft was able to resume flight-tests,” he told AIN. “We are still in the process of determining the exact cause of the malfunction in the engine on FTA-2. We will re-inspect the other engines in our flight-test fleet and phase them into resumed testing once the appropriate measures are implemented, and pending [Japanese] JCAB approval.”

The fly-by-wire MRJ was expected to complete flight-testing by the end of 2018, with certification planned in 2019. First delivery to All Nippon Airways is scheduled in 2020.

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