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https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... cejet-dealMitsubishi SpaceJet, formerly known as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet MRJ
https://thepointsguy.com/news/american- ... itsubishi/Mitsubishi, Mesa to Explore Potential 100-Plane SpaceJet Deal
6 september 2019 1:34
Pact calls for talks on 50-plane firm order, options for 50
New regional aircraft complies with U.S. pilot contracts
Mitsubishi, Mesa to Explore Potential 100-Plane SpaceJet Deal
6 september 2019 1:34
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. got a boost for its long-delayed SpaceJet regional aircraft, as Mesa Air Group Inc.
signed a pact to negotiate a potential 100-plane deal.
The memorandum of understanding, signed Thursday,
calls for Mitsubishi and Mesa to discuss terms for a firm order of 50 SpaceJet M100 planes with purchase options for 50 more.
Deliveries would begin in 2024, the companies said in a statement from a regional airline conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
The possible order by Phoenix-based Mesa would give the SpaceJet a bigger toehold in the U.S. market.
In June 2019, Mitsubishi renamed the aircraft,
which had previously been known as the MRJ family, and said deliveries would begin in 2020.
The jet is designed to carry 65 to 76 passengers in a three-class configuration or 88 seats in a single-class.
The SpaceJet M100 is small enough to comply with “scope clause” language in most U.S. pilot contracts,
which limit the size of aircraft that regional airlines can fly for large carriers.
Mesa flies 145 regional jets for American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc.
The Japanese planemaker, part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.,
has suffered multiple delays in its $2 billion development of the aircraft as it reworked major aspects to reduce weight.
Delivery to launch customer ANA Holdings Inc. has been delayed several times and is now expected next year.
Mitsubishi says the aircraft will burn 20% less fuel per trip than current regional jets of the same size
due to newer geared turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney,
a division of United Technologies Corp.
In June, Mitsubishi agreed to acquire Bombardier Inc.’s CRJ regional jet program for $550 million and about $200 million in liabilities.
https://leehamnews.com/2019/09/05/mitsu ... -mesa-air/Mitsubishi Aircraft’s new SpaceJet M100 aircraft
could soon be flying for American Airlines or United Airlines
with a new commitment by their partner Mesa Airlines for up to 100 of the jets.
Phoenix-based Mesa signed a memorandum of understanding for 50 firm M100s, plus 50 options,
at the Regional Airline Association’s (RAA) annual convention in Nashville on Thursday.
The first aircraft are due in 2024 depending
on whether the regional carrier lands a contract with major U.S. airline for the planes.
Rich added that Mesa is already in discussions with major airlines,
including its partners American and United, regarding flying the M100.
Mitsubishi rebranded its MRJ program as the “SpaceJet” in June 2019.
As part of the effort, the airframer launched the M100 to meet the restrictions on regional aircraft included in pilot contracts at the major U.S. carriers.
The contracts limit the size of large regional jets to up to 76 seats,
and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to 86,000 pounds.
Previously, Mitsubishi’s two regional jet models — the larger MRJ90 and smaller MRJ70 —
did not meet the restrictions for “scope,” as the limits are known.
The M70 model was discontinued as part of the reorganization.
The M100 is a smaller variant of the M90,
capable of seating 76 in “three-class” configuration that includes first-class, economy plus and economy.
In its pitch to potential customers, the Japanese manufacturer touts the M100 as “mainline comfort for regional travelers.”
It claims the aircraft will have wider seats than other regional aircraft,
and the largest overhead bins of airplanes in its class.
The M100 is expected to make its first flight in late 2021 or early 2022,
with the first delivery scheduled for 2023.
Mitsubishi received a commitment from an unnamed North American carrier for 15 of the aircraft in June.
Mesa flew
62 CRJ900s for American, plus
20 Bombardier CRJ700s and
60 E175s for United at the end of June 2019, its latest fleet plan shows.
Final contract needed
A final contract must be negotiated. Brad Rich, EVP and COO of Mesa,
said the order is conditional on Mesa
placing the airplanes with its partner legacy airlines.
Current partners are American and United.
Mesa flies the Bombardier CRJ900 for American and the Embraer E175-E1 and Bombardier CRJ700 for United.
Rich, who signed the MOU for Mesa at the RAA show,
said the spacious interior design and airplane economics were major attractions of the airplane.
The Mesa COO is intimately familiar with regional jets.
He worked for nearly 25 years at SkyWest Airlines,
a major CRJ and E175 operator.
SkyWest also has a conditional order for 100 MRJ90s, the precursor to the SpaceJet.
SkyWest orders
SkyWest’s orders for the MRJ90, which has been renamed the M90,
are conditioned on Scope Clause relief and partner airplane placements.
The MRJ90/M90 exceeds the weight limit, as does the Embraer E175-E2.
SkyWest also has a conditional order for 100 of these airplanes.
In a separate event at RAA, SkyWest CEO Chip Childs said no decision has been made yet to swap the M90 order to the M100,
or the E175-E2 order to the Scope-compliant but current technology E175-E1.
SkyWest operates the E175-E1 for its partners as well as a huge fleet of CRJs.
“We’re going to watch and see what happens with Scope,” Childs said.
“Our orders can go pretty fungible from E1 to E2.
Our strategy is to be prepared both ways.
If we get Scope, we’re ready. If we don’t get Scope, we continue to make some adjustments.”
Childs called the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) planned acquisition of the CRJ program and product support system “outstanding.”