By Skies Magazine | June 14, 2023 Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 58 seconds.
Honda Aircraft Company on June 13 announced its plans to commercialize the HondaJet 2600 concept, a new light jet that made its debut at the 2021 National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). The company aims to achieve type certification for the jet in 2028, marking an expansion of Honda Aircraft Company’s product line alongside its existing very light jet model, the HondaJet Elite II.
Since its introduction at NBAA-BACE, Honda Aircraft Company said the new light jet program has received a positive response from the market. The company’s goal is for the HondaJet 2600 to surpass the performance, comfort, and efficiency standards of typical light jets by providing a medium-sized jet experience.
“It is designed to be the world’s first light jet capable of nonstop transcontinental flight across the United States, with a quiet and spacious cabin suited for long-range travel,” noted Honda Aircraft Company in a press release.
To bring the HondaJet 2600 into service, Honda Aircraft Company has established partnerships with key suppliers, including Aernnova for aerostructures and components; Garmin for G3000 avionics; Spirit AeroSystems for the fuselage; and Williams International for the engines.
The aircraft is to be powered by two Williams FJ44-4C engines, and is expected to have a one crew + four passenger range of 2,625 nautical miles, a max cruise speed of 450 knots, and a ceiling of 47,000 feet. The aircraft, which is designed for single-pilot operations, can accommodate up to 11 occupants; possible configurations include one crewmember and 10 passengers or two crew and nine passengers.
“The commercialization of our new light jet represents Honda’s next chapter of skyward mobility, which further expands the potential of people’s lives,” said Hideto Yamasaki, president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company. “By building on the expertise behind our technological innovations, we will accelerate the development of the program with sustainability a key element throughout.”
The company said the HondaJet 2600 is expected to offer up to 20 percent better fuel efficiency than traditional light jets and more than 40 percent better fuel efficiency than medium-sized jets during typical missions.
The aircraft, which features a carbon composite fuselage, inherits Honda Aircraft Company’s innovations including the Over-The-Wing Engine Mount configuration and Natural Laminar Flow technology on the wings and fuselage nose.
The company said it is currently finalizing engineering designs for the new light jet, with fabrication activities already in progress.
