KIA are working on a cheaper version.
Posted on 07/25/2006 11:54:13 AM PDT by managusta
Honda today announced plans to enter the growing very light jet market by formally launching sales of the HondaJet at OshKosh.
The company made the announcment at the US Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) AirVenture 2006 air show in OshKosh, Wisconsin. The Japanese automotive company, which revealed the previously-secret project 12 months ago, will establish a new US company to pursue Federal Aviation Administration type certification and production certification. "We will have more information to share this [Northern Hemisphere] Fall," Satoshi Toshida, senior managing director of Honda Motor said. "But today we're excited to announce our intention to enter the very light jet market. We are very confident that HondaJet will be welcomed by customers and that it will quickly become the benchmark in the field of light business jets."
Honda will create a new American subsidiary to pursue certification of the jets, but officials wouldn't reveal where the jets will be manufactuered, other than to say it will be in the USA.
Sales and service will fall under a new partnership with Piper Aircraft. Piper President and chief executive James Bass was at the Honda exhibit in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to join in the announcement. "This business alliance is a perfect fit given the committment both Piper and Honda have to providing our respective customers with world class products and services," he said.
The announcements were made at Airventure, the same venue where Hondajet was first seen by the public one year ago.
Reporters had lots of questions for Michimasa Fujino, HondaJet project leader and vice president of Honda Research & Development Americas. No official performance specifications were given, but so far the 6-7 seat HondaJet has completed more than 240h of flight-testing since December 2003, reaching an altitude of 43,000ft (13,000m) and a speed of 412kt (765km/h) and is on course to meet or exceed all of its design specifications, says Honda.
The HondaJet features an over-the-wing engine-mount configuration, a natural-laminar flow wing and fuselage nose and an all-composite fuselage structure.
Fujino said the patented wing-mounted engines were one of the keys to the jet's superior spped, fuel efficiency and cabin space. "I am glad I no longer need to use the word 'experimental' when describing the HondaJet," Fujino said, adding that he was thrilled to give the world his "daughter."
Honda's goal is to complete certification in around 3-4 years, followed by the start of production in the USA.
KIA are working on a cheaper version.
cheaper is not always better...yugo
I can hear the advertisements now....All your runway are berong to us!
Cute little sucker, that. Pity I'll never be able to afford one.
http://www.airventure.org/
Welcome to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006!
July 24 - 30, 2006
Exactly... join the club. LOL
Watch the promo video here:
http://world.honda.com/HDTV/news/2003-c031216_2a/
Fuel guzzling capitalist personal transportation bump
:-)
I wonder if they are using their i-VTEC techonology in it???
That's a joke, btw.
One thing to keep in mind, Honda is the LARGEST engine manufacturer in the world. Though nothing is for certain,my guess is that this plane will be wildly popular and efficient.
Now if only Honda could design their cars with a little more style and more low end torque....
I expected to see them (the $1M jets) proliferate, since there are a lot of $1M "second homes" being built around where I live.
Maintenance and fuel are real bears. I believe they can burn over 150 Gallons per hour.
Could someone explain that to me? It appears from the video that the engines could have been located in the same spot relative to the fuselage with a conventional fuselage strut mount.
That's a very pretty little bird. The engine placement is one of those things that seems obvious after someone does it.
A prominent feature of the HondaJet is the over-the-wing engine configuration. Because no carry-through structure is needed in the aft fuselage for the engine mounts, this allows for a full-width cabin farther aft gaining 30% extra space within the same dimensions. Honda also claims that this configuration reduces drag at higher speeds.
Ping me when the hybrid version is released. j/k!
"It appears from the video that the engines could have been located in the same spot relative to the fuselage with a conventional fuselage strut mount."
By moving the support structure to the wing they gain a small amount of cabin space.
They are going to have a tough nut to crack in competing with the Eclipse 500 that starts delivery this year and has over 2,500 orders/$100,000k deposits on them.
The over the wing configuration removes the engines from the airstream around the wings permitting laminar flow. This makes for a much more efficient wing. Pylon mounting below the wing on such a small aircraft means the engine must be much closer to the wing surface, disturbing the flow.
OSHKOSH, 2006 Workers tow the sole example of Honda's entry into the Very Light Jet sweepstakes. The Honda jet is making it's second appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and will be on display in the Honda Pavilion. Photo by Dave Higdon
" I believe they can burn over 150 Gallons per hour"
If it goes that high they are going to be out of the ball park.
The Eclipse 500 is going to burn about 70 gal/hr.
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