Subaru Jet delayed

Fuji Heavy Industries has delayed the development of its new business jet, the Subaru Jet, for a few years. The research for the Subaru Jet will continue but development would be on hold due to funding issues. FHI will need to study the market carefully as well. With high fuel prices and sluggish growth, it may not be the best time to sink resources into a project like the Subaru Jet. The Subaru Jet specifications have also not been decided as well since the company is not sure what kind of business jets would be needed in the future.

If the Subaru Jet is manufactured, it will be FHI’s first indigenous product since the Fuji FA-200 Aero Subaru single-piston aircraft in 1986. FHI also supplies components for Boeing passenger aircraft, and manufactures the wing area of the Eclipse 500 very light jet. FHI is also collaborating with Hawker Beechcraft on the manufacture of the H4000 midsized business jet. HSI also manufactures the T-7 primary trainer and Boeing AH-64D attack helicopeter for Japan’s air force.

The Subaru Jet is named after the Subaru cars that FHI manufactures. FHI has deferred the development of the Subari Jet because it does not want to draw resources from other FHI business, particularly the car business, which accounts for 90 per cent of FHI sales.

FHI wants to increase sales from the its aerospace business, which currently contributes 6.3% to HFI’s total sales. After that goal is achieved, FHI will use the resources from the aerospace business to develop the Subaru Jet.

With the Subaru Jet, FHI will be the third Japanese company to launch a new indigenous commercial aviation programme after Mitsubishi Aircraft and Kawasaki, which are developing the Mitsubishi Regional Jet and a C-X airlifter commercial version respectively.