Aircraft

(corrects Trans States Holdings structure)

Mitsubishi Aircraft has signed a deal with US regional carrier Trans States Holdings for 100 aircraft in the MRJ regional jet family.

Under the agreement, Trans States has firm orders for 50 aircraft and options for 50 more, says Mitsubishi.

This is the second firm order for the MRJ. Japan's All Nippon Airways has firm orders for 15 MRJs and options for 10.

Delivery dates have yet to be set, and Mitsubishi says the US carrier is interested in all three variants: the 92-seat MRJ90, the 78-seat MRJ70, and the proposed stretched variant of the aircraft with 100 seats.

Mitsubishi Aircraft announced the stretched variant on 9 September after discussions with potential customers in Europe and the USA, and the final design will now be frozen in mid-2010 instead of the third-quarter of 2009.

As a result, the first flight is delayed from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the second quarter of 2012. Launch customer All Nippon Airways will receive its first aircraft in the first quarter of 2014 instead of the fourth quarter of 2013.

Trans States Holdings is a regional airline providing feeder services for American Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways. Its subsidiaries are Trans States Airlines an GoJet.