Yamaha Motor and ShinMaywa Conduct Early-Stage Test Flight of Small Aircraft

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan; President, CEO and Representative Director: Yoshihiro Hidaka) and ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd. (Headquarters: Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan; President and CEO: Tatsuyuki Isogawa) conducted an early-stage test flight of a prototype small aircraft at Fujikawa Gliding Field in Shizuoka Prefecture on September 21 This flight was run as part of the joint research project for small aircraft begun by both companies last year. The aircraft tested was an R&D aircraft owned by ShinMaywa, the XU-L (Experimental Utility aircraft – Large type), which was equipped with an existing 499cc engine manufactured by Yamaha Motor. Following the success of this early-stage test flight, both companies plan to continue this joint research endeavor.