Honda Aircraft Debuts New HondaJet Elite
And we are there to witness the event.
Honda Aircraft’s president and CEO, Michimasa Fujino, unveiled a new version of its light jet at EBACE 2018, the HondaJet Elite. More than just a cosmetic upgrade, the Elite expands the light jet’s performance envelope while adding interior improvements and significant updates to the Garmin G3000-based flight deck.
Thanks to additional fuel capacity and aerodynamic improvements that include removal of vortex generators on the empennage and winglet leading edges and a slightly wider elevator, the HondaJet needs less runway for takeoff and can fly farther. Maximum takeoff weight is up 100 pounds, but some weight-shaving measures carved about 100 pounds from the empty weight, for a 200-pound payload increase.
Interior and exterior noise have been lowered significantly with a unique design feature, a perforated honeycomb-sandwich engine inlet engineered to cut fan blade passage noise. Buyers have new interior options such as a Bongiovi audio system with speakerless transducer-based immersive audio; a belted lavatory seat; galley with coffee brewer; and two-tone leather seats. On the outside, new “premier signature” paint options are available, in colors that deliver greater depth using a new three-layer paint process. The colors are Ice Blue, Ruby Red, and Monarch Orange.