Jenson Button to take delivery of first two HondaJets
Click above to view the HondaJet in hi-res
Although it is being built in North Carolina, it will be another couple of years before the HondaJet will undergo U.S. federal aviation certification. But in the meantime, the aircraft launched this week in Europe at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition – held at the same Palexpo that hosts the Geneva Motor Show each year – while the jet undergoes European certification. And who do you think placed the first order? None other than Jenson Button, Honda's star F1 racing driver.
Button – who has (arguably) loyally stood by Honda (formerly known as BAR) for six straight seasons despite the team's dismal performance and in the face of offers from other teams – will take delivery of not one, but two HondaJets when they begin delivery in 2012. In addition to personal use, the scruffy F1 driver will use the jets for his new charter aircraft business. Each new HondaJet can carry five passengers and two crew in groundbreaking (but decidedly un-earth-shaking) silence to 483 mph in all the high-tech luxury expected from the creators of Asimo.
Gallery: HondaJet
[Source: 4Car]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
iSpec 9:39AM (5/23/2008)
Jets?
My 06 Pilots air conditioner isn't working with only 50,000 miles. And no friggin' warranty!!! Not happy.
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ambientFLIER 8:13PM (5/23/2008)
How did you put 50K on it in less than 2 years, and why would it be out of warranty already?
Steve 10:31PM (5/24/2008)
50k in two years isnt that hard. i put 65k on my car in two years
yacoub 9:50AM (5/23/2008)
Awesome! I want one :(
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yacoub 9:54AM (5/23/2008)
Wait, do those passenger seats recline?
Also what's the cruising range?
Jared 10:01AM (5/23/2008)
range is 1100 to 1400 miles. http://world.honda.com/HondaJet/Performance/Range/
wrussi 8:24PM (5/30/2008)
are the jets fwd? lol
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Mr. Oak 10:16AM (5/23/2008)
Lol!! That was funny.
Ford Wannup 11:24AM (5/23/2008)
Looking at the position of the engines and possible thrust vector, I'd say it's mid-engine, rear drive... second for Honda, after the NSX, and not counting bikes and race cars.
Since they make some of the best handling RWDs cars, this baby probably handles pretty well....looking forward to a full blown test result from In JetBlog's Hangar upcoming article.
However, knowing Honda's obsession with FWD, I can't wait to see a front-mounted engine(s) jet in the future, or optionally, SH-AJD (All Jets Drive) and how they spin it as more efficient, and "handle" just as well.
Big Jim Slade 11:57AM (5/23/2008)
Best handling RWD cars???
They've made like, two. And heck, an STI beats either on a track and its just a modified sedan...
pmiddle5 1:02PM (5/23/2008)
Being faster does not mean you handle better.
I bet it has just a slight amount of understeer built in though. All Honda's do stock
Ford Wannup 4:28PM (5/23/2008)
@pmiddle: ...lol...truth is the funniest joke!
Tragedy 8:37PM (5/23/2008)
@ Ford Rannup:
NSX isn't the only production Honda mid-engined car. Don't forget the Honda Beat.
matt 10:14AM (5/23/2008)
way to contribute to global warming
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Cameron 10:25AM (5/23/2008)
What they neglected to tell you is that this jet is something like 30% more efficient than anything else in its class. That's a huge leap for a class of vehicle that is so thoroughly engineered.
Ford Wannup 11:26AM (5/23/2008)
nice cliche, original comment....way to contribute to the discussion.
why not the LS2LS7? 11:38AM (5/23/2008)
Yep, traveling faster uses more energy, which contributes to global warming if you're burning fossil fuels. But there's a hell of a lot more energy wasted by all those V8s and V6 cars out there that could have 120HP 4-cylinder engines than there are by the small number of private jets. So, want to fix the problem? Take the first step yourself.
Cameron:
Most of improvement in plane efficiency lately comes from new engines, which are making huge strides right now, with another one (geared compressor fans) right on the horizon. I doubt Honda makes their own jet engines, so probably a good portion of this increase in efficiency is attributable more to Honda's engine supplier than to Honda. Small jets in particular have typically used ancient, 60s era old military designs for their jet engines, most are even turbojet (not turbofan) engines. At the lower outputs of these smaller engines, the efficiency just wasn't a big concern in the past. But it is now.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:00PM (5/23/2008)
wow, Honda does have input to their engines, seemingly a lot of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_Honda_HF120
If you click on the link in there to the Hondajet, you'll find out more about the engine development than you do on the HF120 page.
RMc 12:05PM (5/23/2008)
LS2LS7,
As a blatant and obvious lover of all things made in Mexico and China then partially assembled in a barely staffed mid-west factory (i.e. "domestic" cars), you failed to miss that Honda's real part in this project was the engines themselves. They have been in development for years on the engines alone knowing that they could achieve higher efficiency and lower noise. You have it backwards; Honda IS the engine supplier and engineering support on aerodynamics while another company builds the airframe, interior and avionics.
In fact, the well known aircraft manufacturer Piper is the partner that builds the airframe and Honda supplies the revolutionary engines.
Please, everyone, speak with facts and not opinions so you don't look this foolish talking out your rear.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:15PM (5/23/2008)
RMc:
As I mentioned in my link before you got done with your lengthy insult to everything American, the engine supplier is GE/Honda. Note GE is an American company and shares in the credit. I'm really sorry to have to mention that in front of you, because it clearly pains you to hear that an American company had anything to do with it.
If making turbofan in a small size with two spools that has a higher bypass ratio than previous engines in that range (esp. no-bypass turbojets) is revolutionary, then yeah, Honda has revolutionized jet engines. I personally would have said the companies developing geared turbofans and three spool designs right now were the real innovators, as opposed to two spool designs that originated in the 80s, but no, it's Honda I guess.