Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (Nagoya Chubu) has formally rebranded its MRJ programme as the SpaceJet with its M90 to be known as the SpaceJet M90 while the tentative MRJ70 will become the SpaceJet M100.
The President of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, Hisakazu Mizutani, said in a statement that the upcoming MRJ70/M100 would be tailor-made for the US regional market where labour contract scope clauses have inhibited large-scale carriers from acquiring the 90+-seater MRJ90/M90.
"As we prepare for entry-into-service for the SpaceJet M90, we are also announcing the SpaceJet M100 – the result of our research and development during the past few years and the answer to the regional market’s current and future needs. The SpaceJet M100 is perfectly matched to the United States and global markets alike. In the US market, the aircraft is optimised to be scope clause compliant in the 65-76 seat, three-class cabin configuration," he said. "It can also be flexibly configured for other global market needs up to 88 seats single class, with industry-leading operating economics throughout the full range of configurations."
He did not specify any time frames regarding the type's production and service entry.
Mitsubishi will debut the SpaceJet M100 cabin interior at the Paris Air Show, from June 17, 2019, through June 20, 2019.
According to Mizutani, the M90 is currently undergoing type certification with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) ahead of an anticipated EIS in 2020 with ANA Wings (EH, Sapporo Chitose).
