TOKYO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The parent company of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. said Thursday that the delivery of the new SpaceJet M90 small passenger jet is set to be delayed again until at least 2021 due to issues with parts.
The latest delay of the 90-seater small passenger jet marks the sixth for Mitsubishi Aircraft, with its parent company explaining the duration of the delay amid a shakeup of Mitsubishi Aircraft's executive personnel.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. President and CEO Seiji Izumisawa said the delivery will be delayed from mid-2020 to sometime in the business year 2021 starting in April, or later, according to local media.
Mitsubishi Aircraft, for its part, also announced that Takaoki Niwa, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America Inc., will become its new president as of April 1.
The appointment was made as the company "prepares to enter the final phase of certification flight testing on the SpaceJet M90," Mitsubishi Aircraft said.
Niwa will replace Hisakazu Mizutani, who will assume the position of chairman to oversee governance matters and relationships with customers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines Co., the company said.
Mitsubishi Aircraft was supposed to begin the first deliveries of its then-called Mitsubishi Regional Jet in 2013, but has time and again run into parts troubles, leading to the postponement of Japan's first homegrown jet operating commercially.
The multiple delays have raised development costs for the passenger jet to around 800 billion yen (7.3 billion U.S. dollars), sources with knowledge of the matter have said.
