Thats a good pilot rumor. You realize that they ordered 100 firm, 100 options. This 200 MRJ deal is worth 8.4 BILLION. You think they can just order all that and then cancel without spending a dollar?All as a ploy to save $ from EMBRAER?
Without that SkyWest order, this aircraft wouldn't likely of entered production. It is what justified building this airplane, with nearly 50% of all orders. Mitsubishi had to have had strong assurances or severe penalties to undertake this whole project if SkyWest canceled. Its too massive of risk (tens of billions) otherwise.

I never said it wouldn't cost them anything. If you think the bean-counters haven't crunched the numbers every way possible, then I don't know what to tell you. SkyWest does not have to even cancel, they can sell their slots or make other deals. The fact that this plane was supposed to be here 3 years ago doesn't really help Mitsubishi's bargaining position.

I agree, I think they have accounted for various scenarios financially. What I doubt is that this historically fiscally conservative company would make a 8 bil order, having no intention of actually flying them, all as a risky gamble to gain leverage with another manufacturer. I think that played into it, but I actually think they intended to fly them when they made that order. Sure they can sell slots, but that's a backup plan. It would be foolish to order 100 firm paper airplanes with the Plan A always being to resale them. They will have a hard time selling all 100 slots, there are only 240 total firm for the MRJ, and not much demand outside US regionals. If I wanted to show other manufacturers I can go elsewhere, I order 10 or 20, not 100-200. That's a lot of liability.

They can lease them out if scope isn't relaxed. That's a lot of debt to take on, though, for a company like SkyWest.

That's not really fair. The problem was in the A/C sensors. Hardly a show stopper, they just wanted to be safe.

And don't forget Mitsubishi is basically making its first new plane in 60 years. It is essentially starting from scratch. That's a brutal learning curve and they have paid for it. Are you forgetting all the Dreamliner problems?

I'd fly on an MRJ over that Chinese plane any day of the week. Japanese quality vs. Chinese quality? Not even a contest.

Says the regional pilot with all the back room inside information.

I forgot. What is your position again? Give me a break.

Not one who parades on the internet claiming to have inside information about the private dealings of an airline when all they are qualified to do is fly airplanes.