Nagoya (Japan) – October 31, 2019 – Today, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation announced the termination of its contract with Trans States Holdings, Inc. (TSH), a privately-owned holding company for three regional airlines. After close discussions, the decision was made to cancel the contract for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90 – 50 firm orders with 50 options – as the variant does not meet the requirements of the United States market. Future discussions will be focused on the scope compliant SpaceJet M100 aircraft.
“TSH has been a long-time proponent of our aircraft program and we look forward to continuing discussions regarding a potential order for the SpaceJet M100 product,” said Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation President Hisakazu Mizutani. “When we established our contract with TSH, the outlook on the regional market was very different. Scope clause has not relaxed as anticipated. We have since shifted our strategy to be responsive to the market realities in the U.S., in partnership with our airline customers. We are confident that the SpaceJet M100 presents us with a market-leading aircraft for North America.”
In June of this year, the company introduced the Mitsubishi SpaceJet M100, the only clean-sheet regional aircraft in its category that also meets U.S. scope clause requirements. The product has received commitments for up to 115 aircraft from North American customers. Delivery of the SpaceJet M100 will build off of the certification and delivery of the SpaceJet M90, the foundational member of the product family.
“The SpaceJet M100 is designed to enhance passenger satisfaction and bring more profit potential to airlines and operators around the world, including the U.S., the biggest market for regional aircraft,” said Alex Bellamy, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation Chief Development Officer. “Certifying the SpaceJet M90 platform is our top priority and a critical step toward meeting global market demand for this best-in-class family of
regional aircraft.”
Read more about the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family of aircraft here.