MRJ makes demo-flight debut

Jul 18 (NHK) - Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft has debuted its long-delayed passenger jet at an airshow in Britain.

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet, or MRJ, is the country's first domestically built passenger jet.

It is the first time that people in the aviation world have gotten to see the aircraft in action outside of test flights.

The jet bears the logo of All Nippon Airways as it is scheduled to be delivered to the air carrier in two years. The first delivery has been postponed 5 times due to developmental delays.

The pilot demonstrated the MRJ in flight for 7 minutes at the airshow, in a bid to ease concerns over the delays and to attract new orders.

President Shunichi Miyanaga of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the parent company of Mitsubishi Aircraft, says he thinks the spectators were able to see that the plane's development is moving forward.

He said they would now carry out safety tests to make sure the aircraft meets global standards.

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