Posted on 06/28/2013 12:30:30 AM PDT by TexGrill
Honda Motor Co., preparing to enter the market for business jets, said it’s won two to three years of orders for what it calls “flying sports cars” and signaled the business will turn profitable before the end of the decade.
The aviation business is on track to turn profitable five years after it begins delivering planes as soon as next year, Michimasa Fujino, president of Honda Aircraft, said in an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Though he declined to specify the number of orders received so far, Fujino said sales of the $4.5 million jet may reach 80 to 90 units annually in a few years.
Honda, Japan’s third-largest carmaker, is betting that lessons drawn from its main automotive business will help the company compete against Textron Inc.’s Cessna and Brazil’s Embraer SA. While the U.S. currently accounts for most of the demand for business jets, Fujino said Brazil and India are among markets that offer the most growth potential.
Fujino said the location of Honda’s engines, which unlike conventional planes are mounted on top of the wings, will increase fuel efficiency by about 15 percent and allow cabin space to be 15 to 20 percent roomier than in comparable aircraft. With a cruise speed of 778 kph — 420 knots — the jet is also 10 percent faster than the average biz jet and more resistant to turbulence, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at japantimes.co.jp ...
Just for reference, “Flying Sports Car” in this situation is Honda’s term for their new lightweight, somewhat-lower-cost business jet. This is NOT a flying car.
My hopes have been dashed again.
Actually it would be cool to have a flying car. But I’m sure it would cause lot’s of havoc in the air. It could be somewhat frightening to fly through air traffic jams.
Trophy wife. Where’s the 60 year old husband?
lol
j/k
I always pictured myself up in the air bypassing the traffic jams, and everyone else stuck on the ground.
In my fantasy, everything works out great!
LOL.
It’s funny how fantasy and reality rarely go hand-in-hand.
Yeah, that whole reality thing always shows up and crushes me.
That ain’t no stinkin’ car.
It isn’t a nice smelling one either. :-)
Like that time I thought NJ Gov. Chris Christie was the real deal and gonna fight the Democrats, Unions, Eco-Activists, Flamers, Hippies, Peaceniks, PETA, Planned Parenthood and all other Leftist organizations. But then I woke up one morning from this fantasy and saw him endorse Obummer in his re-election bid to the White House. And the next thing you know Con-man Barry gets re-elected.
I’m waiting for the Acura Flying Sports Sedan.
I wish it was me.
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