Mitsubishi MU-2B
One of the most successful aircrafts from Japan, the MU-2B is a utility transport aircraft that is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop, with a pressurized cabin. It was produced from 1963-1986 and its first flight was on September 14, 1963. On its 50th anniversary, it embarked on an around the world journey, commemoratively stopping in its place of manufacturing, Nagoya, Japan.
The MU-2 lineup can be divided up into two basic types, the standard fuselage and stretched fuselage models. While the Solitaire features the short fuselage, the others, including the Marquise, have the stretched fuselage. The aircraft was improved and upgraded throughout its production life. Notable changes include improved and more powerful TPE331 engines, and four blade propellers in the N and P models.
The Mitsubishi MU-2B was designed with corporate America in mind. Mitsubishi, originally a shipbuilder and manufacturer, had done research that indicated that in the United States, demand would grow for a low cost, fast airplane that requires less runway length than many others on the market.
Incidents with the Mitsubishi MU-2B
- Number built: 704
- Incidents recorded: 183
- Fatalities: 330
There have been 330 fatalities from MU-2 crashes, alerting the FAA to begin safety evaluations. The aircraft has been concluded to be safe only when operated by properly trained pilots and when the aircraft is also adequately maintained. When training became required outside of the U.S., the MU-2 accident record was vastly improved. A wave of accidents with the aircraft occurred in Australia between 1988 and 1994, all caused by icing on the airframe, which caused the airspeed to decrease to the point where the aircraft stalled and entered a spin.
- http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1988/aair/aair198800143.aspx
- http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=28956
- http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/dblist.php?AcType=MU2&page=2
| Role of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | Utility transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | Mitsubishi |
| First flight of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | September 14, 1963 |
| Introduction of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 1963 |
| Status of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | In service |
| Mitsubishi MU-2B Production | 1963-1986 |
| Number of Mitsubishi MU-2Bs built | 704 |
| Unit cost of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | $300K-$500K |
| Variants of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | MU-2B, XMU-2, MU-2A, MU-2B, MU-2C (MU-2B-10), MU-2D (MU-2B-10), MU-2DP (MU-2B-15), MU-2E, MU-2F (MU-2B-10), MU-2K (MU-2B-25), MU-2M (MU-2B-26), MU-2P (MU-2B-26A), Solitaire (MU-2B-40), MU-2G (MU-2B-30), MU-2J (MU-2B-35), MU-2L (MU-2B-36), MU-2N (MU-2B-36A), Marquise (MU-2B-60), LR-1, MU-2S |
| Crew of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 1-2 pilots |
| Capacity of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 4—12 passengers |
| Length of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 12.01 m (39 ft 5 in) |
| Wingspan of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 11.94 m (39 ft 2 in) |
| Height of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 4.17 m (13 ft 8 in) |
| Wing Area of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 16.55 m² (178 ft²) |
| Empty Weight of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 3,433 kg (7,570 lb) |
| Max Takeoff Weight of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 5,250 kg (11,575 lb) |
| Powerplant of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 2 × Garrett TPE331-6-251M turboprops, 579 kW (776 shp) each |
| Maximum Speed of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 547 km/h (295 knots, 340 mph) at 4,575 m (15,000 ft) (max cruise) |
| Cruise Speed of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 483 km/h (261 knots, 300 mph) at 7,620 m (28,000 ft) (econ cruise) |
| Range of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 2,334 km (1,259 nmi, 1,450 mi) |
| Service Ceiling of the Mitsubishi MU-2B | 9,020 m (29,600 ft) |
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earbooker/
IDuke at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons