Honda HA-420 HondaJet

The Honda HA-420 HondaJet is the first aircraft developed by the Honda Motor Company. It is a light corporate jet to the general aviation market.

In 1986 Honda began research into small sized business jets, using engines from other manufacturers.

 The Honda MH02, an organic matrix composite prototype, was fabricated and assembled at Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1999, Honda developed the HF-118 its own small turbofan jet engine, a single fan, a two-stage compressor and a two-stage turbine.

This led to the evolution of the HF120, which was developed with GE Aviation under the GE Honda partnership. It was test flown on a Cessna Citation and on a modified Boeing 727-100.

Further design testing on wing shape and design were done on a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, modified by AVTEL Services, Inc, and flight tested at the Mojave Airport.

The HondaJet made its maiden flight in December 2003 and was debuted to the public at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in July 2005.

On July 25, 2006, Honda returned to Oshkosh to announce it would commercialize the HondaJet.

The company began taking customer orders for HondaJet in the fall of 2006, and estimates deliveries to begin in 2010.

In August 2006 Honda and Piper Aircraft announced a partnership to market the HondaJet.

Design

Honda decided to go with an unusual over-the-wing podded engine configuration on HondaJet.

This HondaJet feature developed on the Fokker VFW-614 decades earlier, which allows for more space within the fuselage because no carry-through structure is needed in the aft fuselage for the engine mounts

Honda also claims this HondaJet configuration can make reduction of drag at higher speeds.

The HondaJet fuselage itself is made from lightweight composite materials, while the wings are made from structurally reinforced single sheets of aluminum.

The use of a single sheet on HondaJet allows for a smoother surface than more conventional methods.

The HondaJet wing uses turbulence reducing laminar SMH-1 airfoil which is Honda's proprietary. It is rather thick but offers low drag at high speed.

Honda claims that the combination of lightweight materials, aerodynamics and the efficient engines gives the HondaJet a 30-35% higher fuel efficiency than similar aircraft.

Specifications (HA-420 HondaJet)

General characteristics

Crew: Two crew members

Capacity: 5 passengers

Length: 41.70 ft (12.71 m)

Wingspan: 39.87 ft (12.15 m)

Height: 13.21 ft (4.03 m)

Max takeoff weight: 4,173 kg (9,200 lb)

Powerplant: 2× GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines, 1,880lbf each (Bypass Ratio= 2.9) (8.04kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 420 KTAS (778 kmh, 483 mph)

Cruise speed: 420 KTAS

Range: 1400 nm (1611 mi, 2,593 km) (VFR Range)

Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,107 m)

Rate of climb: 3990 ft/min (20.27 m/s)

Avionics

The Honda H-420 HondaJet is equipped with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit system (i.e. most of the cockpit readouts are presented on flat-panel displays).

Sources: Wikipedia - Honda H-420 HondaJet