Sky is the Limit: Honda Aircraft
Honda’s domination on land and sea is phenomenal; however, the company didn’t stop there. Honda’s logo, which represents a wing, truly embodies the company’s aspiration to take flight and, in 2006, Honda finally established the Honda Aircraft Company to develop business jets. Prior to establishing the company, Honda was keenly involved in aviation research, producing prototypes and testing them in Boeing’s wind tunnel. From 1988 to 1993, Honda tested prototypes like the MH01 and MH02 respectively. In December of 2003, Honda’s first experimental business jet took flight from Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, which also happens to be the current headquarters of Honda Aircraft Company. Following the successful first flight of the concept, Honda announced in 2004 that they would officially start commercial development of Hondajet. The first ever Hondajet made its début at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh air show in Wisconsin, USA, in 2005.
The first test flight, conforming to FAA regulations, happened in 2010 after five years of further development. Honda spent four more years fine-tuning the aircraft to make it production-ready. And, in 2014, the first production-ready Hondajet took flight. This was a big moment for Honda as the company finally had wings they could sell. The Honda HA-420 light business jet finally got the type certificate from FAA in December 2015, enabling Honda to sell the jet commercially to customers. In 2016, the aircraft also received certification from European Aviation Safety Agency.
The journey of the Hondajet was an amazing one as it is quite a unique aircraft. After all, it is made using more than three decades of Honda’s research and developement expertise. The HA-420 uses composite materials for the fuselage because it’s lighter and stronger than aircraft-grade aluminium, which helps the plane achieve greater cruising speeds and higher fuel efficiency.
The Hondajet’s unusual or unique engine mounting, where the engine is placed on top of the wing, was a breakthrough in aeronautical engineering, as it liberates more space inside the cabin and makes it a lot quieter to comparable jets. Advanced avionics that were jointly developed by Honda and Garmin help the pilots fly the plane easily. Honda also employed Natural Laminar Flow while designing the aircraft for better aerodynamics that aid fuel efficiency.