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Corporate December
16, 2003 |
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| Flight Tests of Honda Experimental Business Jet Begin |
Tokyo, December 16, 2003 --- Honda
Motor Co., Ltd. announced today that the HondaJet, its
new experimental compact business jet equipped with Honda-developed HF118 jet engines,
successfully completed initial flight tests this month at Piedmont Triad Airport in North
Carolina, US.
Compared with conventional jets, this experimental aircraft offers superior fuel efficiency and
remarkable cabin space. The engines are optimally positioned on the upper surface of the
main wing in a unique configuration that reduces drag at high speeds and increases cruising
efficiency. This layout also eliminates the need for structural engine mounts in the fuselage,
creating over 30% more cabin space than in a conventional aircraft.
The fuselage is a compact and lightweight co-cured carbon composite structure, yet realizes
the largest cabin in its class. The main wing, which features aluminum skin panels formed
from single sheets of aluminum that provide a smoother surface than conventional wing
configurations, along with Honda's proprietary turbulence-reducing laminar airfoil, work
together to significantly improve aerodynamic performance. Additional drag-reducing
technologies include the fuselage nose, which is designed to generate laminar flow. These
features, in combination with Honda's fuel-efficient HF118 Turbofan Engine, achieve fuel
efficiency over 40% higher than conventional aircraft.
This experimental aircraft is also fitted with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit with an integrated
avionics system, as well as an autopilot function, anti-icing equipment, and other systems.
The jet is scheduled to undergo approximately 200 hours of flight-testing to demonstrate and
verify the operability and performance characteristics of its various systems.
Honda began research into compact business jets in 1986, using engines provided by other
manufacturers. The HF118 Turbofan Engine-equipped HondaJet experimental compact jet is
the first Honda-developed aircraft to be outfitted with a Honda engine, a significant milestone
for the company and the industry.
Main Specifications
| Provisional name |
HondaJet |
| Seating |
6 (2 crew + 4 passengers or 1 + 5) |
| Engine |
Honda HF118 Turbofan Engine |
| Maximum take-off thrust (kgf (lbf)) |
757 (1,670) x 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight (kgf (lbf)) |
4,173 (9,200) |
| Length x width x height (m (ft)) |
12.5 x 12.2 x 4.1 (41.1 x 39.9 x 13.2) |
| Maximum speed (km/hr (knots)) |
778 (420) |
| Service ceiling (m(ft)) |
12,497 (41,000) |
| Range (km (nm)) |
2,037 (1,100) |
| Fuel consumption (km/kg (nm/lb)) |
3.3 (0.8) |
| Take-off distance (m (ft)) |
807 (2,647) |
| Landing distance(m (ft)) |
694 (2,277) |
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 Diagrams |
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The HondaJet on the ground
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New Technologies Employed in the HondaJet
Honda SHM-1 Natural Laminar Flow Wing Section
Honda's proprietary SHM-1 achieves low drag and excellent performance at high speeds despite its relative thickness.
Laminar Flow Nose Section
The optimal design of the fuselage nose generates a laminar flow that
reduces drag on the fuselage.
Over-the-Wing Engine-Mount
Optimal
placement of the engine nacelles over the main wing improves aerodynamic
performance at high speeds.
Co-cured Composite Fuselage
The co-cured composite and honeycomb sandwich structure combine to
create a new composite structure that has enabled Honda to develop
a lightweight fuselage with more interior space.
Aluminum Main Wing
The use of an integrally stiffened skin produces a smooth wing surface that promotes laminar flow.
Glass Cockpit
The aircraft is equipped with a state-of-the- art Garmin G1000 glass
cockpit system. Information is efficiently presented on flat- panel
flight displays. |
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Wing
shape test on T-33 aircraft |
IR analysis of air flow |
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Visualization
of flow around the nose section during a wind tunnel test
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Computer-calculated pressure distribution around the over-the-wing mounted engine
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Strength testing of the co-cured composite material
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Structural
configuration of the aluminum main wing
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The
cockpit |
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