First delivery of HondaJet for Christmas
One lucky customer got the first HondaJet for Christmas
The wait is finally over – for one fortunate customer, at least. After an extensive gestation period, the Honda Aircraft Company has delivered the first HondaJet to its eagerly awaiting new owner. And with it, the Japanese industrial giant has stepped into yet another territory of motorized transportation.
Though Honda first started experimenting with aircraft as far back as the 1980s, the development of the HondaJet as we now know it dates back to the late 1990s when designer Michimasa Fujino – now chief executive of the Honda Aircraft Company – first penned its form. The company has been working on getting it into the air and into customer hands ever since, with that process culminating now on no less fitting a day than just this past Christmas Eve.
Following the type certification received from the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month, the handover of the first customer aircraft took place at the company’s headquarters at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, NC. That’s where Honda will be producing all its aircraft, performing service and maintenance, and training its customer pilots, which has already begun on its on-site, full-motion flight simulator. A network of dealers handles sales across North America, South America, and Europe. The company did not disclose the identity of the first customer, but suffice it to say it was not Jenson Button – even though he is, once again, driving a Honda-powered F1 car.
The HondaJet HA-420 is classified as a very light business jet, measuring 42 feet and 7 inches long with a 39’9″ wingspan. Power comes from a pair of turbofan engines produced by Honda and General Electric, each good for over 2,000 pounds of thrust and together are capable of propelling the aircraft to a cruising speed of 435 miles per hour or a top speed of 483 mph. That makes the HA-420 far and away the fastest vehicle Honda makes across numerous modes of transportation. In addition to cars, trucks, and jets, the company produces motorcycles, ATVs, marine engines, and lawnmowers, making it one of the most diverse manufacturers in the industry.
Dec 23, 2015 – GREENSBORO, N.C.Honda Aircraft Company today announced it has begun deliveries of the HondaJet, the world’s most advanced light jet. The company delivered the first aircraft today at its world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. This milestone follows final type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which the HondaJet received on Dec. 8.”We are very excited to commence deliveries of the HondaJet, fulfilling Honda’s commitment to advancing human mobility through innovation,” said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. “Honda Aircraft has now extended this commitment skyward with the delivery of our first aircraft, and I hope we soon will begin to see many HondaJets at airports around the world.”Honda Aircraft Company is manufacturing the HondaJet at its world headquarters in Greensboro. The aircraft is offered for sale in North America, South America and Europe through the HondaJet dealer network.To support HondaJet customers, Honda Aircraft has established a robust worldwide dealer network in 11 territories. HondaJet dealers are ready to support aircraft entry into service, together with a 90,000 square-foot customer service facility in Greensboro to support the dealer network with heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities.Pilot training is already being conducted for HondaJet customers with a full-motion, Level D flight simulator installed at the Honda Aircraft Training Center in Greensboro.The HondaJet is the world’s most advanced light jet, with revolutionary technology and design innovations—including the Over-The-Wing Engine Mount design—that help it achieve the highest speed, superior fuel efficiency, and a more spacious cabin over conventional aircraft in its class.For more information about the HondaJet, visit www.HondaJet.com.
