Honda Aircraft is introducing its certified pre-owned (CPO) program to support buyers and sellers of its light business jet in Asia. The company has delivered just over 250 HondaJets from its headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, including 23 in Asia.
According to Honda, it carefully selects aircraft for CPO approval, requiring that they be maintained to the manufacturer’s specific criteria in authorized facilities. The HondaJet fleet has logged more than 210,000 flight hours with a dispatch reliability of 99.7 percent.
“Aircraft must pass a thorough pre-purchase inspection covering more than 208 points on the aircraft and have no damage history or repair memos,” Honda Aircraft’s chief commercial officer and senior v-p Amod Kelkar told AIN. The company recently has expanded its network of authorized service providers in Southeast Asia with the addition of KarbonMRO, Forth Corporation, and WingsOverAsia.
In 2023, HondaJet flight activity in Asia increased by 20 percent, with customers based in Japan and Thailand accounting for 95 percent of the total. “The demand is from business, personal, and charter uses of the aircraft,” Kelkar said. “Additionally, purchasers of light jets may be looking to lessen their impact on the environment while also enjoying the benefits of private air travel.”
Since its introduction in 2015, the HondaJet has undergone a series of updates, boosting the original range of about 1,200 nm to the latest Elite II’s 1,547 nm. While cruising at a speed of 422 knots and a maximum altitude of FL430, it can accommodate up to eight passengers. An example of the current HA-420 model is on display at the Singapore Airshow.
Honda now is working on the larger and longer-range HondaJet Echelon model it aims to bring to market in 2028. It will retain the original aircraft’s distinctive over-the-wing engine mount, which made the cabin quieter and created space for an enclosed lavatory in the aft section of the cabin, as well as reducing drag. The company’s engineering team expects to complete the design review this summer as they prepare to roll out the aircraft and start flight testing in 2026.
The Echelon will be somewhat larger than the current Elite II model, with a fuselage that is 4.5 inches taller and 1 inch wider to allow more space for up to 11 passengers. Customers will have a choice of executive, dual club, or divan cabin interiors, each offering 5.5 inches more room at shoulder height and 7 inches at the bottom of the seats.
A pair of Williams International FJ44-4C turbofans will power the new HondaJet, in place of the current model's GE Honda Aero HF120 engines. The Williams powerplant will support a range of up to 2,625 nm with a single pilot and four passengers on board, along with speeds of up to 450 knots at a maximum altitude of FL470. The flight deck will feature the same Garmin G3000 avionics suite.
The Echelon resembles the original HondaJet enough to be certified under an amendment to the original FAA Part 23 type certificate. According to the manufacturer, it will be 20 percent more efficient on typical missions compared with light business jets and 40 percent more efficient than midsize jets.