PARIS/MONTREAL ¨C Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., which agreed Tuesday to buy Bombardier Inc.¡¯s loss-making regional jet program, plans to exploit the Canadian company¡¯s support network and global customer list to rejuvenate its delayed efforts to conquer the jet market.
Japan¡¯s return to the aircraft market for the first time in 50 years had run into trouble as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet hit seven years of delays ¡ª but Bombardier¡¯s withdrawal from the cutthroat commercial aerospace sector gives Japan a second chance.
The deal comes days after Mitsubishi announced a redesigned 65 to 88-seat regional jet at the Paris Air Show and gave the MRJ a face-lift and new brand, SpaceJet, promoting high cabins which it says will allow passengers to store suitcases in overhead bins.
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