Forget electric cars, motorcycles, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and ATVs, Honda has literally taken their engineering prowess to new heights. The company synonymous with small engines and fuel-efficient cars like the Civic, recently unveiled their second jet, the HondaJet Elite.
It turns out Honda actually has an aviation subsidiary, Honda Aircraft, and its latest offering features improved range, an enhanced noise reduction design, and advanced avionics.
The HondaJet Elite offers a range of 1,437 nautical miles when four passengers are onboard – which equates to a 17 percent gain in fuel efficiency from its previous model. These improvements are partly attributed to a unique nose shape and honeycomb-inspired air inlets that not only improve aerodynamics but reduce noise. The engines have also been placed over the wings, as opposed to being attached to the main fuselage, which enhances speed and aerodynamics.
Upgrades were also made to the Elite’s avionics system to help improve flight planning, stability, and safety. These upgrades include automatic computations for required runway length, V-speeds, climb and approach gradients, as well as performance planning for all phases of a flight that can be integrated into a Garmin G3000 avionics suite. According to Honda Aircraft, the Elite also has the best fuel efficiency, maximum speed, maximum altitude, and range in its class.
This performance translates into a top speed of 486 mph and a flight ceiling of 43,000 feet. The aircraft also features a speakerless, in-cabin sound system from Bongiovi Aviation and a fully-enclosed lavatory, complete with seat belts.
Deliveries of the $5.25 million HondaJet Elite are expected to begin in August.
Editorial Correction – June 8, 2018: An earlier version of this story reported the range of the HondaJet Elite to be 1,223 nautical miles. This was the range on the original HondaJet. The HondaJet Elite model has a range of 1,437 nautical miles.