Honda Motor Company is a Japanese company that produces a range of vehicles, most notably automobiles. The companies cars are extremely popular all over the world and are consistently praised for their affordable and reliable nature. Honda Motor Company is extremely large and has many subsidiaries including Honda Aviation. Honda has always wanted to create a jet airplane for some time now and their first jet, the HondaJet, just recently completed its first flight.
The Honda HA-420, better known as the HondaJet, was first unveiled in its prototype stage in 2003. Honda wanted to produce a jet for some time, and after many years of research and development, the company finally did just that. However unlike vehicles, jets are obviously more complex, especially for a company that never made one before. So it took some time for Honda to develop its jet. The company started taking orders for the jet in 2006, however those still have not been fulfilled. Luckily it won’t be long know as the first production-spec’d HondaJet has just recently completed its first flight. While a few prototypes have flown in the past, the one that flew recently is the version that will be released to the public. It takes a considerable amount of time to develop a jet, and then have it meet all the various safety codes and regulations.
The HondaJet is a super small, light-weight personal jet marked at those looking to purchase a jet on a “budget”. I put quotation marks around budget, as the jet still costs around $3.5 million dollars, but compared to others in its class it is a very good deal. The jet can fit one to two crew members and carry four to five passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. The interior is simple and clean, and it even has a bathroom. Still, this is a very small jet at 42 feet in length with a wingspan of 39.7 feet. The HondaJet can carry 66 cc of luggage as well. The jet is powered by two, GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines. It can climb to altitudes of 43,000 feet, reach speeds of 483 mph, and has a range of around 1,358 miles. The first flight was a success and Honda is currently producing the vehicles, which hopefully will be available sometime early this year. Honda also promises us that this jet will be the “fastest, quietest, and most fuel-efficient” jet within its class.
Photos from Honda
