FTA-1 arrives at Moses Lake

Mitsubishi launched MRJ FTA-1 from Nagoya, on the 26th of September, and after a total flight time of 13 hours 8 minutes, and stops in Sapporo, Russia, and Alaska, the aircraft touched down in Moses Lake this morning at 9:44am. They reached a maximum altitude of 27,000 feet, and top speed of Mach 0.55 on the different legs of the trip. The aircraft had previously tried twice to make the trip and was forced to turn back both times, after a sensor in the air management system read bad. Eventually four of the five test aircraft will arrive in the US. They will fly from Colorado, Nevada, and one will go to Florida to the environmental hangar at Eglin AFB.

Mitsubishi Aircraft's first flight test prototype for the MRJ regional jet programme has landed in the US, after a 8,300km journey.

FTA-1 took off from Nagoya at 13:28 local time on 26 September and arrived at Grant County International airport at Moses Lake, Washington, at 09:44 local time on 29 September.

In between, the Pratt & Whitney PW1200G-powered aircraft made stops at Sapporo’s New Chitose airport, Yelizovo airport in Russia and Ted Stevens Anchorage International airport in Alaska.

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a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm going to try to make it over there sooner than later. Unfortunately with the new job and the lack of any vacation days right now, it'll have to be on the weekend so i hope they leave her out for me to see.

a reply to: Sammamishman

I suspect they're going to be flying at least Saturdays for the near future. They have a lot of ground to make up to avoid another schedule slip that they really can't afford.

The second aircraft left Nagoya on the 15th, and landed on Guam a few hours later. It's expected to take about a week to arrive in Moses Lake.