Honda Motor Co. announced Tuesday that it has established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Honda Aircraft Co., which will be responsible for the further development, sales promotion and production of the HondaJet.
The new company will be based in a facility at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, where the prototype HondaJet was assembled and flight tests have been carried out for more than three years.
Michimasa Fujino, the chief engineer who has led the development of HondaJet, will be president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Co. and prepare for the operation start of the new company beginning in October.
HondaJet features several innovations that help it achieve far better fuel efficiency, larger cabin and luggage space, and higher cruise speed than conventional aircraft in its class. Key HondaJet innovations include a patented over-the-wing engine-mount configuration, a natural-laminar flow (NLF) wing and fuselage nose, and an advanced all-composite fuselage structure.
Honda Aircraft Co. will begin taking sales orders for HondaJet this fall, with the goal of delivering the first mass production HondaJet in 2010. In addition, the company will develop the production version of HondaJet, pursue and hold both type certification and production certification, and conduct marketing activities for the aircraft. The company will also manage Honda’s new alliance with Piper Aircraft, Inc., which will collaborate on sales and service.