Honda Aircraft received FAA approval for autothrottles on the HondaJet Elite II, the Greensboro, North Carolina-based aircraft manufacturer announced yesterday. This move authorizes the company to enable autothrottle functionality on production aircraft.
Once flight parameters have been set and the autothrottle is engaged, the HondaJet's Garmin G3000 avionics system takes over the throttle controls, using sensor input to monitor and adjust engine output. This keeps the aircraft flying at the desired speed while reducing pilot workload and improving passenger comfort. Autothrottles on the Elite II can be used on takeoff and until the landing flare.
“The HondaJet is a design that has consistently pushed the bounds of what is possible,” said Honda Aircraft president and CEO Hideto Yamasaki. “We anticipate that the addition of this functionality to the HondaJet Elite II will offer customers a new way to experience the joy of flight, in accordance with Honda’s principles as a developer of mobility solutions. We are very appreciative of our customers, who have not only shared their excitement but also waited patiently for this development.”