A specially lettered commemorative version of the YS-11, the first passenger aircraft built in postwar Japan, was shown to the media Tuesday at Tokyo's Haneda airport ahead of its retirement from commercial service next fall.
Japan Air Commuter Co., part of the Japan Airlines group, operates four of the venerable planes on commercial flights. The twin turboprop YS-11, which can accommodate up to 64 passengers, made its maiden flight in 1962 and a total of 182 planes were manufactured until 1973 by Nippon Aircraft Manufacturing Corp., the now-defunct consortium partly owned by the state.
Of the four aircraft, three -- including the one shown to the media -- will be adorned with a message reading, "Thank you, Japan's wings YS-11," Japan Air Commuter said. The other will have a logo with a photo of the aircraft on the left front door.
The four redecorated planes will ply regional routes Thursday, including those to and from Fukuoka and Kagoshima. Commemorative flight certificates will also be issued to passengers starting in April, the airline said.
