Mitsubishi Aircraft - SpaceJet

[tintintin]

Mitsubishi Aircraft has rebranded the MRJ as the SpaceJet - JA23MJ left the painthall today in MST/EHBK in the latest color scheme.
https://www.airliners.net/photo/Mitsubishi-Aircraft-Corporation-Spacejet/Mitsubishi-MRJ-90STD/5565063/L

[SpringHeeledJack]

There's not much difference visually between this chap and the longer Embraer or Bombardier jets to the casual observer. Does the SpaceJet have anything new to bring to the table in this segment of the market, or is it just about having an indigenous aerospace industry in Japan ? Just out of interest, why was it being sprayed by the good people of Maastricht and not in Japan ?

[G-ARZG]

Its next destination after MST might be a clue...Paris Le Bourget. Something happening there next week, seemingly.

[treadigraph]

I noticed it paasing the Orkneys on FR24 a coupla weeks ago.

Something happening in Paris next week? Bit early for Bastille day innit? :}

[DaveReidUK]

Just out of interest, why was it being sprayed by the good people of Maastricht and not in Japan ?

The four MRJs flying were built at Nagoya, but for the past 2-3 years all have been based at Moses Lake in the USA, which is where the aircraft bound for Le Bourget via Maastricht arrived from.

[SpringHeeledJack]

As always, reality isn't as straightforward as I had imagined. Out of interest, why would Mitsubishi choose to flight test in the US (space/weather/etc aside) ? You'd have thought that they'd want to keep that 'in country' for various commercial reasons.

[DaveReidUK]

Some background to the decision here: Moses Lake to be test site for Mitsubishi Aircraft Regional Jet (https://www.seattletimes.com/business/moses-lake-to-be-test-site-for-mitsubishi-aircraft-regional-jet/)

[JLSF]

It is rumored that they want to acquire the MRO network part of the CRJ programme from Bombardier.