SpaceJet programme’s star rises

This was to have been the year for Mitsubishi Aircraft’s SpaceJet programme, formerly known as the MRJ.

It kicked the year off by beginning certification flights in March. Weeks later, a federal judge in the USA dismissed rival Bombardier’s claims that Mitsubishi Aircraft had violated trade secret laws. The rivalry took a surprising turn when Mitsubishi Aircraft confirmed rumours that it would be acquiring Bombardier’s CRJ programme.

Big news followed in the run-up to June’s Paris air show, when Mitsubishi announced an overhaul of the MRJ programme. The aircraft was rebranded as the SpaceJet, and work was under way on a new variant, dubbed the SpaceJet M100 – a 76-seater small enough to satisfy the so-called scope clause requirements that effectively bar US regional carriers from operating larger aircraft.

Then, at Paris, Mitsubishi signed a memorandum of understanding with an undisclosed North American customer to start formal negotiations for 15 SpaceJet M100s. In September, the M100 received another boost – Mesa Airlines indicated its intent to order up to 50, with purchase rights for another 50.

But, and perhaps not surprisingly for this much-delayed programme, optimism soon collided with reality. In mid-October, reports suggested the programme was facing a fresh round of delays. Mitsubishi neither confirmed nor denied the reports, insisting the programme was on track.

Then, a week later, another bombshell: Trans States Holdings, which owns several US regional carriers, cancelled its order for 50 SpaceJet M90s, along with its options for 50 more. The reason: that the 88-seat variant did not “meet the requirements of the US market”.

As 2020 approaches, service-entry plans look to be in jeopardy. The first M90 was due to be handed over to launch customer All Nippon Airways in mid-2020.

Mitsubishi, meanwhile, has been redoubling assurances that the programme remains on track. The company has told FlightGlobal that it has “made tremendous progress” over the past two years and is “in a much stronger position now”.

One cancelled order, however large, does not of course derail development and certification. But until delivery and service entry the question remains – will 2020, finally, be the year of the first all-new Japanese commercial passenger jet in decades?