FutureFlight
Veteran Airframer Seeks Leading Role Weaning Airliners Off Fossil Fuel
The team that built the CRJ regional jet family is now focused on how legacy aircraft can be converted to hydrogen propulsion through partnerships with innovators like ZeroAvia.
CRJ900
The 86-seat CRJ 900 regional jet is one of several legacy airliners be evaluated as candidates for conversion to hydrogen propulsion by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ MHI RJ Aviation Group and its prospective partner ZeroAvia. (Photo: MHI RJ Aviation Group)

It’s one thing developing a highly innovative concept to power aircraft with carbon-neutral fuel such as green hydrogen. It’s quite another to integrate this technology with new and existing aircraft, while also handling all aspects of type certification, manufacturing, and customer support.

This is where Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ) feels it can add value with hydrogen propulsion system developers leveraging its expertise. The Montreal-based operation has a strong heritage because it used to be Bombardier’s commercial aircraft manufacturing division before the Japanese group acquired the Canadian airframer’s CRJ regional jet program in June 2020.