Honda Realizes Its Dream of Flight

On April 23rd, the "HondaJet," a small business jet produced by Honda Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Honda's aviation business, made its first flight demonstration in Japanese skies.

The "HondaJet," a six-seater small business jet developed by Honda Aircraft Company, is characterized by its unique engine placement above the wings. Through meticulous aerodynamic design and lift optimization, it achieves class-leading speed and fuel efficiency. It is powered by the "HF120," a production turbofan engine from GE Honda Aero Engines. The fact that Honda develops both the airframe and the jet engines in-house is also noteworthy in the aviation industry.

The aircraft is currently in the final stages of certification by the U.S. aviation authorities. Priced at $4.5 million (approximately 540 million yen), it has already received over 100 orders, and assembly of 18 aircraft is underway at Honda Aircraft Company's plant in North Carolina, USA. Deliveries to customers are expected to begin once certification is granted.

Michimasa Fujino, President of Honda Aircraft Company, who is also the chief development engineer responsible for development, manufacturing, and sales, stated, "We believe the HondaJet can bring the same mobility innovation that Honda has achieved with motorcycles and cars to the aviation world. Through this demonstration flight, we want many people to experience the HondaJet, which embodies Honda's corporate slogan, 'The Power of Dreams.'"



This first flight in Japan is part of a world tour to showcase the HondaJet. The tour is scheduled to visit over 13 countries, primarily in Japan and Europe. The HondaJet will be exhibited at the "European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2015)," Europe's largest business aviation show, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19th to 21st.

Demonstration Flights Until May 5th Across Japan

The HondaJet will be publicly displayed at various locations across Japan from April 25th to May 5th. During this period, demonstration flights and ground exhibitions are planned at multiple airports, including Narita International Airport. President Fujino commented, "We want people to experience the high speed and quality of the HondaJet firsthand through these demonstration flights and exhibitions."

HondaJet | Honda Jet
Body Dimensions | Length 12.99 x Wingspan 12.12 x Height 4.54 m
Engine | GE Honda HF 120 Turbofan
Thrust | 9,119 N (2,050 lbf) x 2
Bypass Ratio | 2.9
Maximum Cruise Speed | 778 km/h (420 knots) true airspeed
Maximum Cruise Altitude | 13,106 m (43,000 ft)
Rate of Climb | 1,216 m/min (3,990 ft/min)
Range | 2,185 km (1,180 nautical miles)
Takeoff Distance | Less than 1,219 m (4,000 ft)
Landing Distance | Less than 914 m (3,000 ft)
Capacity | (Standard configuration) 1 crew + 5 passengers (2 crew + 4 passengers)
(Maximum configuration) 1 crew + 6 passengers (2 crew + 5 passengers)
Cargo Volume | 1.87 m3 (66 cu ft)
Price | $4.5 million (approx. 540 million yen)