Mitsubishi engineers arrive in Moses Lake from Japan

MOSES LAKE — After years of putting things in place, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. is ready to move on its plans to flight test the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet in Moses Lake.

Close to 100 Japanese engineers have arrived in Moses Lake for the three-year flight test program, which is expected bring about 400 people from the U.S. and Japan.

“I think it will be a tremendous experience for us,” Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. Vice President of Corporate Affairs Kenji Okimoto said. “The actual flight testing should begin sometime in summer.”

The new Mitsubishi Regional Jet is a significant project for Mitsubishi. The Japanese company chose Moses Lake to flight-test the jets because the airspace is quieter and less cluttered than in Japan. Mitsubishi engineers have been flying a Cessna jet in and out of Grant County International Airport, using it as a proxy to iron out flight test procedures.

“Because MRJ has not sufficiently progressed to the point that they can get permission to fly it here, they have brought in a proxy plane to practice on running through their processes to make sure the equipment is working properly,” Port of Moses Lake Executive Director Jeffrey Bishop said. “It’s like a dry run, so they are rehearsing the process they are going to use.”

After some setbacks and a delay last year, the arrival of Japanese is a reflection of how well the MRJ flight test program has been going in Japan. The timeline for the Grant County portion of the program has moved exceptionally quickly, considering that in February engineers found problems with the jets’ wing-body joint, which required reinforcement.

The regional jets are designed to carry 70 to 90 passengers. The first MRJ90 has completed 22 test flights in Japan, and the second flight test aircraft is scheduled to fly this month.

“We’re just excited that it’s finally happening after years of prep work,” Bishop said. “Last night when I went to the barbecue, it looked like there were already 100 to 200 people here to me. Of course AeroTec will have a large number of English-speaking employees here. I think we’ll see a increase in the number of Japanese nationals soon. Right now we’re taking buses of people to Wenatchee to process the Social Security.”

Moses Lake and Grant County will see significant boost to the economy, especially in the area of housing, food and other purchases.

“Purchasing a home doesn’t seem like an option right now, so it will more likely be in the form of rental property,” Okimoto said. “I went to a couple of grocery stores in Moses Lake and definitely feel like groceries and ingredients are available.”

Bishop said there are several other outlets available in Moses Lake to address their needs.

“Frank’s Market in town specializes in Japanese food products,” he said. “Safeway carries quite a few Japanese food products, so there are options. There is the potential that (Mitsubishi) will be running two shifts, so there’s negotiations going on in providing lunches, dinners. But it appears that Moses Lake has everything they will need.”

Okimoto just laughed, saying the old adage, “When in Rome,” works for him.

“We’ll be fine,” he said. “Some Japanese people might need other ingredients. If they need something special, they can always go to Seattle and get whatever they need.”

Since it is projected to be a three-year project, several engineers and employees are bringing their families and children. The Moses Lake School District can expect to see a number of Japanese nationals in the local schools next fall.

“From what I understand, there won’t be many high school-aged children. It’s mostly elementary- aged children,” Bishop said. “They were very insistent that their children attend a public school. It’s considered a positive experience to have exposure to English-speaking cultures. English is a mandatory subject in Japan. They see it as a great learning opportunity for their children.”