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Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines Celebrate First Flight of First GTF Engine Produced in Japan
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NAGOYA (JAPAN) – February 27, 2020 - Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, an MHI Group company, announced today that it has completed its maiden flight with the first Pratt & Whitney GTF™ PW1200G engine assembled in Japan. The flight was completed in the United States at the company’s Flight Test Center in Moses Lake, WA, and was performed by the company’s Flight Test Aircraft 1 (FTA1).
With the success of this flight, Mitsubishi Aircraft and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, Ltd. (MHIAEL) marked an important milestone for the development of the commercial aviation business in Japan.
"This is the first flight with an engine completed in Japan, and represents an important milestone for Mitsubishi Aircraft, our SpaceJet family of aircraft, and the further development of the aerospace cluster in Japan," said Mitsubishi Aircraft President Hisakazu Mizutani.
Katsuyuki Shimauchi, the President & CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, Ltd., declared, "We are very pleased that the first engine we completed has made its first flight. In addition to manufacturing complete aircraft like Mitsubishi Aircraft, the ability to assemble aircraft engines in Japan is very important for the growth of the domestic aircraft industry as well as the development of a reliable supply chain needed to support future aircraft."
Bryan Rivard, PW1200G program director at Pratt & Whitney commented, "Congratulations to the team on this important achievement. We are proud to see the revolutionary GTF technology taking flight after being assembled in Japan."
Additionally, Mr. Mizutani explained, "We are in the process of creating not only aircraft but also the foundation for the commercial aviation industry in Japan. I would like to thank everyone at MHIAEL for their untiring efforts and Pratt & Whitney for their support of this achievement."
The first flight took place on Friday, February 14 (PST). The Mitsubishi Aircraft flight test team validated the basic functions of the engine in normal flight. In subsequent flights, the performance of both the engine and the aircraft were confirmed, and the engine has been cleared. It is scheduled to join the flight test fleet in the coming weeks.
About PW1200G
The PW1200G engine uses Pratt & Whitney's proprietary GTF (Geared Turbofan) technology to achieve optimum efficiency by rotating the low-pressure turbine at high speeds, while significantly reducing noise by rotating the fan at low speeds. MHIAEL, founded in 2014, has one of 2 sites that finalize and test its PW1200G engine.
About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, Ltd.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, Ltd. (MHIAEL) is a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) established in 2014 for its aircraft engine business. MHIAEL’s business portfolio includes development and manufacturing of commercial aircraft engines in partnership with aircraft engine OEMs such as Pratt & Whitney in the United States and Rolls-Royce in the United Kingdom, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft engines such as Pratt & Whitney's PW4000 engine and V2500 engine of IAE International Aero Engines A.G. MHIAEL also takes responsibility in final assembly and test of Pratt & Whitney’s PW1200G engine which is the power plant for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, a regional jet airliner currently under development by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation. Engine assembly work was started in 2017 utilizing Japan’s first commercial engine final assembly line located at MHIAEL’s facility in Komaki, Japan and successfully completed first shipment in 2019. MHIAEL is committed to contributing in innovation for the global aerospace market through next-generation jet engine technology with PW1200G engine.
About Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation develops, produces, sells and supports the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family of next-generation regional jets, which offer the most spacious cabins, widest economy seats, highest aisle clearance and most overhead bin capacity of any aircraft in their class. The company headquarters are in Nagoya, Japan, and its U.S. headquarters are in Renton, Washington, U.S. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation is a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Media Contact:
Jeff Dronen Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
Mobile (US): 972-333-9254 Mobile (Japan): 080-1603-5683
[email protected]
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.