News of a very different nature, yes, but undoubtedly something Honda aficionados looking for bragging rights can sink their teeth into – this one is much faster than an NSX, and it can even take to the skies; best of all, you can look at that Toyota owner and say quite politely that the TAA isn’t remotely in the same league.
Honda Aircraft’s HondaJet advanced light business jet has succesfully completed its maiden flight, which lasted 51 minutes, a milestone for the company as it moves towards getting the plane ready for its market debut in late 2012.
Well over 100 orders have been taken for the US$4.5 mil jet, which features a unique over-the-wing engine-mount configuration that dramatically improves aircraft performance and fuel efficiency by significantly reducing aerodynamic drag in flight. The HondaJet is powered by two GE Honda HF120 turbofan jet engines, and performance specs include a top speed of 420 knots (778 kph) and a maximum altitude of 43,000 ft in flight testing.
The production HondaJet flight deck will feature a Honda-customised Garmin G3000 next-generation all-glass avionics system incorporating a class-leading layout with three 14-inch landscape-format displays and dual touch-screen controllers, as well as a HondaJet Avionics Suite that provides state-of-the-art integrated avionics functionality featuring split screen MFD capability, satellite weather, graphical synoptics, digital audio and optional Synthetic Vision.
Definitely a neater trick than any car, except of course it’ll cost you very much more to get, and run.
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coming to Malaysia?
sure it coming to Malaysia, they’ll even CKD’ed it in Melaka. Cheaper for Malaysian.
hehehe…sorry for the dry humor
this will be reliable and have high second hand value.
How to order???
So Honda has left it’s ivtec engines stagnant and outdated to play with airplanes?
Maybe the next generation production car from Honda might be using the new GE Honda HF120 turbofan jet engines. We never know =p that would cause the rise of death rate in Malaysia.. Wahaha!
surely this is another hallmark case of ‘as there was no synergy between car and motorcycle’…
no. i mean aeroplane. no not motorcycle
its a good thing arthur andersen/enron/lehmann long gone, if not sure go up profit if hire HIM. or the BOARD.
Are you forgetting “flying cars”? There is no direct synergy now between cars and airplanes right now, but it will. The future can be a lot sooner than you think.
If you look closely, Honda is exploring motive (transportation) technology from all fronts. Flying vehicles, personal transports (Honda U3-X) and even walking machines (in the form of Asimov). Who knows, we may even have transport machines that can walk and climb to go to all those inaccessible places (mountains, canyons, caves, you name it). It should be even good for exploration on another planets.
It’s good to dabble in these new technologies, to build your reputation, gain experience and getting that first mover advantage.
There have been a few lame ones with wings but so far nothing streamlined or VTOL/Harrier in mass production yet. I’ve been watching for flying cars since 5th Element, nothing close to maglevs either.
They probably have the tech but want to use it in UFOs for more false flag scenarios instead of giving the world flying cars which would solve so many problems. Convert one of the bedrooms into a garage and it’s the the REAL 21st century finally, if we don’t all get out brains fried by Wiifi or 3G/4G electomagnetic waves first.
the power of dreams . . . one step closer to reality . . .
i hope there is proton’s aviation divison in future? use yourownselfproud maCampro engine. come on.
If Proton makes jet, would you dare to buy if u can afford?
IF it’s Rm50k.. why not ? dun take off lor.. drive it on the ground.. haha!
malaysia is the international centre for aircraft maintenance, build and produce a lot of sparepart for plane and jets…..don’t be to absurdly pessimistic sarcastic katak bawah tempurung
Yeah lar.. sparepart mah!! TUDM old jet engine also for sale as sparepart. Next round will be MIG engine.
we malaysian can make a lot of good stuff, we only need good management aka gomen.
Honda Jet in action in this video, hahah, Honda has not left its I-vtec, and still planning a turbo charged I-vtec.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skthLlY0oAk
What was that pointy needle doing at the nose of the aircraft? To stab crows?
its a radar
Amoura: No its definitely not a radar. No radar for flight use can fit in that tiny tube. My guess would be its a pitot-static tube. You know… that thing they use to tell airspeed and the little things that matter to the pilot :)
it’s not a radar, it’s an apparatus fitted for any new aircraft going for certification to collect various data. It’s like a giant pitot use to confirm IAS from the main pitot which is a lot smaller, just 1 and a half size of a normal kilometrico pen.
Glad that Paul spent a time to write about Honda Jet.
One step closer to achieve basic understandings about how TF works. I mean, his businesses.
It’s pitot tube for god sake ! …
Truely rich man toys ><
Honda wanna compete with G6???
so, u can still feel the “vtec kicked in yo” experience or not with this thingy?
I think is quite late for Honda to join the plane business… If u guys go research, most of the Japan car manufacturer already producing planes (war or light commercial) since WW2. Even Subaru (fuji heavy) & Mitsubishi have been building their own fleet fow quite some time.. But maybe Honda decided to move on to the sky.. :P
I agree that Honda’s a little late into the game but aside from the famed Mitsubishi Zeros back in WW2, I don’t recall any other japanese company building an ENTIRE modern commercial jet on their own. Take a look at the engine… its a collaboration with GE. That means they have some gas turbine design knowledge! I think that says something for the people at Honda.
Oh and let’s not forget the modified version of the F-16 Falcon by the Japanese for their airforce. Look it up.,… its called the F-2…..this one is being worked on by Mitsubishi for the Japanese government.
No offense meant littlefire. :)
Maybe the next generation Honda cars might featuring the GE Honda HF120 turbofan jet engines. =p That would cause a lot accidents in the high way.. Joking… =p
so slow. mitsubishi already produced thousand of airplane (ZERO) model during WW11
So…where is the plane now?..deep bottom in the sea….
Din: Designing a WW2 I/C engine powered prop airplane isn’t exactly the same as designing a next generation jet powered airplane. Throw in composites technology and you have an incredibly sophisticated airplane to design and build. I think it is unwise to compare the two. On a side note, Mitsubishi does have their own airliner coming out… try googling Mitsubishi Regional Jet.
WTF with all these vtec vtec comment, its not an internal combustion engine goddamit.
honda has been working on jets for quite a long time already actually.. and if the reports on the 100 orders is true..its a great start. any aircraft company who can secure 100 orders before launch is a great achievement.
well, it’s a honda.. brand perception maa..
well.. its a plane.. i dont think peopel will buy just based on brand perception.. its too expensive an item just to buy on brand alone ;)
Well said rally_fan. What people don’t realize is that the aviation industry works a little differently from the auto industry. If anything, brand perception don’t mean squat. People don’t really care if they’re flying in a Boeing or Airbus airplane. They don’t own it. Its kinda like asking if anyone cared on what brand of bus they’re riding in…. Scania? Mercedes? Do you really care?
What does matter is which airplane company can provide the best aircraft in its class and by best, I mean perception of performance… burn less fuel, less costly to maintain and reliable (zero ground time). After the incident with the recent Qantas R-R engine, is there going to be a poor perception of the brand? maybe a little but that company has a long history of making aircraft engines that are reliable and safe. That incident is a kink in their reputation but it won’t destroy R-R’s reputation.
now, the ‘wing’ logo on their bikes started to make sense… hmmm… i like.
It is new milestone for Honda, way to go…
i sense a rebadged HondaJet in the next coming 20 years… its called Proton Terbang!!!
I think Mitsubishi has the guns to blow away this Honda – have a look at this! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_F-2
Nice one Honda, but I think Mitsubishi will blow you out of the sky with their F-2! See link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_F-2
They should put Asimo in that plane as pilot. Just like RD-2D in starwars.
Now we know where the R&D budget for the next NSX actually went to =P
So anything that moves Honda has it all. Bike, boat, car, robot, aircraft. When are they gonna launch Honda brand rocket?
if the plane suddenly accelerate mid-air, you’ll knw that VTEC JUST KICKED IN YO!
You very advance meh?
How can you know before you “tumpang”?
Wow! It’s miracle oh!
Malaysian new NAP New Aviation Policy will forced this to be CKD-ed by DRB and the price simply 2 times dearer than USD4.5 m.
That’s not even the worst news yet. Imagine if they let a 25 years old ‘tin milo’ company designed an aircraft instead, even the darndest blind supporter will think thrice to fly in one. “Power window” tercabut masa flight nanti. Hehe.
honda has been working on jets for quite a long time already actually.. and if the reports on the 100 orders is true..its a great start. any aircraft company who can secure 100 orders before launch is a great achievement.
I wonder if there is any crossover technology between the Honda’s automotive and aeronautic business?
haha…. imagine when the V-tec kick in!! got sonic boom kar?
When honda gonna make time machine….hummmmm???
i think mitsubishi already launch rocket, sattelite and own broadband.. more advance than honda yo’.