On 18 March, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation completed the first flight of Flight Test Vehicle 10 (FTV10), the first Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90 in final, certifiable baseline configuration.

FTV10 took off from the Prefectural Nagoya Airport and carried out basic aircraft performance tests in normal operating conditions over the Pacific Ocean over approximately two hours of flight.

With the completion of FTV10’s first flight, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation is prepared to enter the final phase of certification flight testing for the SpaceJet M90, the first commercial jet manufactured in Japan.

In the coming weeks, the company plans to continue flight tests on FTV10 in Nagoya, as well as prepare for the ferry flight to Moses Lake Flight Test Center (MFC) to join the remainder of the SpaceJet M90 test fleet for the final phase of type certification flight test.

President of Mitsubishi Aircraft, Hisakazu Mizutani, said: “I am very pleased that FTV10, which was handed over from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in January this year, successfully conducted its first flight today.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who are continuously supporting the program. We are excited for this latest step in the certification of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90.”

Mitsubishi Aircraft’s chief development officer, Alex Bellamy, added: “Today’s announcement is especially encouraging, as it marks the start of certification flight testing for the first SpaceJet M90 in final, certifiable configuration.

“We are all proud of this latest accomplishment, which reflects the hard work of a dedicated team, the culmination of an organisational transformation and all of the engineering changes made since 2016.

“We look forward to continuing our progress toward commercial certification of the M90 programme.”