Japan's bid to re-enter the commercial jet market took a step forward with the successful first test flight of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) in Nagoya in mid-November.

The plane, which will be delivered in 78- and 92-seat configurations, is the first launched by a Japanese company since the YS-11 turboprop, by Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corp., debuted in 1962. The country was banned from developing aircraft after its defeat in World War II.

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will continue to conduct flight tests in advance of the first delivery, scheduled for the second quarter of 2017 to All Nippon Airways. Flight tests in the U.S. are scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2016, from Grant County International Airport in Washington State, near where the companies have an engineering center.

The MRJ is the first commercial plane to be launched by a Japanese company in more than 50 years. Image credit: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.Development of the MRJ is Mitsubishi's attempt to tap into the growing market for smaller jets, generally 100 or fewer seats, which service shorter-haul routes. Currently, that market is dominated by Brazilian (Embraer) and Canadian (Bombardier) aerospace companies.

The MRJ will be powered by Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1200G engines, which Mitsubishi says will deliver operating cost and environmental benefits through increased efficiency.

According to the company, the engine's low-pressure system operates at high speeds for peak efficiency, while the fan operates at slower speeds for optimal efficiency and less noise. Mitsubishi says that the engine design, combined with weight reduction achieved through the use of composite materials, will contribute to a more than 20% reduction in fuel consumption compared with other regional jets currently in operation.

Thus far, 407 MRJ (223 firm, 160 option, 24 purchase rights) are on order, including 32 from Japan Air Lines (JAL). Deliveries to JAL are scheduled to start in 2021.

MHI has been engaged in the development and production of a wide variety of aerospace products in recent years. In the civil aircraft sector, it has manufactured structural parts for the Boeing 767, 777 and 787, as well as the H-II rocket used in Japan's space program.