By Bjorn Fehrm

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Introduction

03 Aug 2015, © Leeham Co.: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, the company behind Japan’s new regional aircraft, is inaugurating an engineering center in Seattle today and presenting their testing facility at Moses Lake (WA) Grant County International Airport tomorrow. Against this backdrop we decided to look a bit deeper into the MRJ after having done a first comparison on our January article, MRJ90 vs. Embraer’s up and coming E-Jet 175 E2.

Now we compare the 90 seat version, MRJ90, to the aircraft that it aims to ultimately replace, the most efficient regional jet of the present generation, Bombardier’s CRJ900. With lower fuel prices, will the advantages of a new aircraft still be strong enough to create a compelling business case against the CRJ900?

We start with the examination of the two aircraft and will finish in Part 2 with an efficiency comparison over typical regional routes.

Summary:

• The MRJ90 and CRJ900 are the same size, around 90 seats single class or 80 seats dual class
• The CRJ900 has an advantage in that it fits in the present Scope Clause for 76 seats regional operations for mainline carriers. The MRJ is too heavy.
• The MRJ has by virtue of more efficient engines and a more modern wing a lower fuel burn. With today’s lower fuel price, will the difference be large enough to motivate a higher acquisition cost?