The HondaJet is an already impressive piece of aerospace engineering, with a pair of speed records under its belt and what Honda describes as best-in-class efficiency. Now the Japanese company is upping the ante, today announcing the HondaJet Elite, which is claimed to not only fly farther than its competitors, but also fly quieter, with new noise-attenuating technology to keep noise down in the cabin.
Honda attributes the performance of the original HondaJet to its unique configuration. This includes a fuselage crafted from a lightweight composite materials rather than aluminium, and engines mounted over the top of the wings, which, along with the nose, have a Natural Laminar Flow design.
All this is designed to make for a supremely fast, light aircraft with a more spacious cabin, minimal noise and optimal fuel efficiency. These features carry over to the newly announced HondaJet Elite, which is also claimed to be the furthest-flying in its category.
Range is listed as 1,437 nautical miles (1,653 mi, 2,660 km), which Honda says is a 17 percent or 396 km (246 mi) increase on the original. There are no figures on efficiency, but Honda is maintaining its best-in-class stance on that front and says it emits less greenhouse gases than business jets of a similar size.
The HondaJet Elite also features new noise attenuating inlets that line the engines and drown out high frequency noise. The Garmin G3000 avionics system has also been upgraded for better flight planning, stability and safety.
On the luxury side of things, the jet has room for seven occupants, including the pilot, with two-toned executive leather seats, onboard Wi-Fi, full service galley, and even a belted lavatory. The Bongiovi Aviation audio system sees the cabin's interior panels become speakers that adapt their sound to flight conditions.
Maximum cruise speed is listed as 422 knots (485 mph/781 km/h), while the aircraft has a length of 43 ft (13 m), height of 15 ft (4.5 m) and a wingspan of 40 ft (12 m). The HondaJet Elite will also come in three color variants: Ice Blue, Ruby Red and Monarch Orange.
Already type certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency, the HondaJet Elite will be on show for the first time at European aviation expo EBACE from May 28th through May 31st. There's no word yet on when deliveries will begin or pricing.
Source: HondaJet
