Aircraft
Mitsubishi Inaugurates Seattle Engineering Center
Facility to administer certification flight-test program for new regional jet
L-r: Consul General of Japan Masahiro Omura, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Mitsubishi Aircraft president Hiromichi Morimoto and FAA Transport Airplane Directorate Manager Jeffery Duven take part in a ceremony to mark the opening of Mitsubishi’s Seattle Engineering Center. (Photo: Nigel Moll)
L-r: Consul General of Japan Masahiro Omura, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Mitsubishi Aircraft president Hiromichi Morimoto and FAA Transport Airplane Directorate Manager Jeffery Duven take part in a ceremony to mark the opening of Mitsubishi’s Seattle Engineering Center. (Photo: Nigel Moll)

Mitsubishi Aircraft formally opened its Seattle Engineering Center (SEC) on August 3 in Washington State. Established in collaboration with locally based AeroTec, the facility will administer the certification flight-test program for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), which Mitsubishi expects to fly for the first time in September or October. The first aircraft was rolled out in Japan last October and it logged its first engine run this past January. It has since been engaged in taxiing tests.