Heading to Honda Jet

Next week I will be spending a few days at the Honda Jet facilities in Greensboro NC. I'm working with a Transport Canada team on issuance of a Canadian type certificate for the new HF420 aircraft. Unfortunately no V4s in the facility but I'm sure I will find a way to entertain myself. The machine itself promises to be quite interesting based on the technical data and reviews I've read as well as the Honda presentations we've been given thus far. Cruises at 423 Knots which is damn fast for a little guy like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM9cXN5Bsng

Sorry, couldn't resist that one...

I'll follow up with some information if any of you express an interest. I can't comment on the certification process itself and cameras will be forbidden on the property so that will limit the eye candy potential unfortunately.

 

Now that's some cool beans there. Always thought way back in the 70s Honda should have been in the engine making for aircraft, being thats where Soichiro got started, Lycomings where just IMO Meh.... he was making pistons for fighter aircraft. Nice to see it coming about. BTW cute video

 

Well it's funny that you should say that because they have built their own turbine engine as well and then they took it to GE to help improve the efficiency.

http://www.gehonda.com/

I'll be going there in February.

 

been loosely following these from when the first talked about them years ago, not because im into aircraft but I always joke about it...
if HD made a airplane would you fly in it? cause I would fly in a Honda.

 

Oh you bet I am. I have always been closely related work-wise to Certification at Bombardier (celebrating my 23rd year this month with them).

 

Interesting, I worked on the Global and Challenger 300 program for years and was the quality manager for Bombardier parts logistics before coming to TC back in 2008. Small world...

 

Started in '94 on the 601-3As, then moved on the RJ program(s). Been on the Global 7000 since 2009 as an Aircraft-Level Integrator, Interiors.
Bring us anything you can from HJ (legally), always interesting how others make it happen.

 

is this a small world or what.. and to think you both have VFRs too

 

Technically I'm between VFRs at the moment having sold the RWB a little over a year ago. There will be another...oh yes...there will be another

 

I guess it's time to give y'all an update on the Honda Jet trip since almost six weeks have passed since I was there. Located in Greensboro NC, Honda have erected a reasonably large facility that houses their R&D, training, flight test, manufacturing, paint and completions, delivery center and corporate offices. The facilities are state of the art for an operation building small corporate jets. By that I mean, they are clean and well organized but there isn't much automation like one would expect at a typical Honda automotive plant. The personnel are for the most part aviation professionals with many years of experience at places such as Learjet and Cessna as well as Gulfstream and Raytheon (Beechcraft). So it's reasonable to expect a very high level of professionalism and that is exactly what they deliver.

R&D is well laid out and have all the toys you can imagine in well laid out shops where they can prototype and test their designs. This includes interiors and paint. The training facility is run by Flight Safety and has on-site a level D full motion simulator which is their crown jewel of course but they also have fixed base simulators and maintenance training classrooms as well. The production line manages approximately 15 aircraft being built at various stages which start at one end with the wing mate and ends as the complete machine rolls out the door at the other end of the shop, a few hundred feet down the line. It's super clean and everyone wears white.

Production flight test is just around the corner and then the planes are painted in their final livery which is one of five exterior paint colors. They aren't doing custom paint schemes like so many corporate jets get. You have to choose from the five like you were buying an Accord. The same holds true for the interiors. This may not be adequate for some egos but that is just they way it is a Honda.

A few weeks later I went to GE Honda engines to have a closer look at the HF120 engine. It's just over 400 lbs and puts down 2095 pounds of thrust (5 min max at sea level) which is pretty respectable. If you want more specifics you can review the FAA type certificate # E00085EN As you would expect, GE Honda have done a pretty thorough job developing this engine and it promises to be a reliable performer for many years. This isn't their first dance and I look forward to going back to work on their 9X project sometime this spring. That thing is a monster!

So sorry there are no pictures or videos but that wouldn't have been appropriate, given my role as a regulator, to dispense such information. However, rest assured, Honda and GE Honda have created quite a nice package that will see Canadian certification some time this spring and is sure to be here to stay. I'm actually looking forward to what's next but nobody is talking down there and we didn't see anything to indicate that a bigger jet was in work. I'm sure it will come though if we wait long enough.

 

Are you saying that I can't buy one of these jets and not have skulls and other cool things in the paint jobs. No wonder everyone says Honda never has anything interesting any more.

 

Thanks for posting Honda Jet info Jethro. I've been watching/reading about their personal aircraft during its long development. It's inspiring to see Honda come up with so many innovative ways to improve on standard designs. The over wing engine pylon is especially impressive.

 

Lycoming got started building sewing machines. They built a shitload of car engines too, most notably for Cords, Auburns and Deusenburgs. The aircraft engine biz came later. Other examples of aircraft engines were by Ford using a highly modified flathead V8 and the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin. MotoGuzzi built aircraft engines for drones.

Harley engines are or were available for aircraft use. Not for the feint of heart IMO. Hopefully for any potential purchases they come with chutes at no added cost.


Just guessing that what Honda San was doing was making forging dies for those pistons
.
https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hcc/2009/11/Sewing-Machines-to-Straight-Eights/2262391.html