Japan's first commercial jetliner completes its maiden test flight
 

The WSJ is calling this Japan's first commercial jetliner, but Reuters says it's only the first in 50 years. The last one was the 64-seat YS-11.

Mitsubishi Aims for the Sky After Jet Takes Off - WSJ Includes video.

Japan's first commercial jet in 50 years makes maiden flight

I hope there's more headroom in it than in my Mazda MX-5. :)

It will be news to all the operators who flew the YS-11 that it was a jet. :O

And the last Jet, the Mitsubishi Diamond (later known as the Beechjet 400) was less than 50 Jears ago...

The new Honda business jet will not count either then.

The YS-11 was a great plane for the many years that it flew. Many fond memories.

Good luck to MRJ, though, a pretty-looking jet. Many Chinese people are apparently showing great interest in this potential rival for their ARJ-21.

Well, the YS was technically a jet, as in prop-jet. Nice airplanes; Reeves Aleutian used to have a couple, along with their prop-jet Electra(s).

Have they all retired?

I'm thinking that I saw a military YS-11 at KIX not that long ago. Seems like it was on that small ramp along taxiway P close to the departure end of 24L.

There are around 20 still flying, mostly with the Japanese military.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../6/2575644.jpg

Looks like a nice jet................good luck with this :D

Mock-up of Mitsubishi MRJ interior:
http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/...t-attendre.jpg

I always thought they looked like a 748 on steroids.

It probably was. Some of the first Japanese motorcycles were direct copies of British bikes. I seem to remember that one of them was so alike (a Kawasaki 650 twin) that it even copied the BSA three-rifle logo on the timing case.

And then we have the VC-10-ski, the Concord-ski, the 146-ski.....

ST

Indeed, but what is a truly original design?

Lear "copied" a Swiss design.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100, Bombardier CS100 and the Mitsubishi MRJ.. Copies?

WARNING - THREAD DRIFT

Here we go again with the "copy" thesis.

Who did the Japanese "copy" for the design of the MU-2? The ShinMaywa US-1?
...and WW.II designs too numerous and innovative to mention..

Who did the Russians "copy" for the Beriev Be-200? The Tupolev Tu-95?..and many other designs too numerous to mention. Don't even get me started on their innovative helicopter designs...

Look at the Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Convair 880 planform. Who "copied" whom? What about the Martin 202 and Convair 240 similarities?

Were the SUD Caravelle, DC-9, and BAC-111 distant cousins?

The CAC CA-15 Kangaroo and the P-51 Mustang?

Feel free to start a new thread.