HondaJet milestone reinforces commitment to business jet market advancement
Honda Aircraft celebrates 10 years since HondaJet FAA type certification and first customer deliveries, looking ahead to upcoming production models.
The HondaJet Echelon. Source | Honda Aircraft Co.
On Dec. 8, 2015, Honda Aircraft Co. (Greensboro, N.C., U.S.) achieved the moment its team had pursued for decades: the HondaJet received its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certificate. Just a couple weeks later, the company met another major milestone: The first customer delivery of the HondaJet. These moments marked the beginning of a new chapter for the company and for business aviation. Ten years later, those defining moments have grown into a legacy of innovation, with the HondaJet continuing to advance and redefine what a very light jet can be.
Since its certification in 2015, the HondaJet has transformed business aviation with its advanced design and performance, empowering businesses to expand their reach and operate more effectively worldwide. Beyond the skies, Honda Aircraft Co. has also made a lasting impact on its home in the Triad community in North Carolina and beyond — creating hundreds of high-skilled jobs, partnering with local educational institutions to support STEM programs volunteer initiatives.
Honda’s dedication to continuous improvement has shaped the aircraft’s evolution. The HondaJet has gone through significant technological upgrades from the original model, including enhanced avionics and improved performance. The HondaJet Elite II, the current production aircraft model, is a twin-turbine very light business jet offering Autothrottle, and is anticipated to become the “first” aircraft in its segment to offer Emergency Auto-Land. To date, Honda Aircraft Co. has delivered more than 260 aircraft.
As the HondaJet fleet continues to expand, the company diligently works toward certification of the HondaJet Echelon, which will extend the award-winning features of the original HondaJet to a new segment of the business jet market, including its signature Over the Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) (read “HondaJet Echelon program passes key milestones on the way to first 2026 flight”). The HondaJet Echelon aims to become the first transcontinental light jet — single-pilot capable, longer range and significantly more fuel-efficient than comparable light and midsize jets.
Ten years after certification and first delivery, the HondaJet’s distinctive silhouette stands as a symbol of innovation, continually refined.
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