Story ID: 409
HondaJet Elite II Adds Range and Automation
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The newest version of the HondaJet flies 110 nm farther and will be equipped with an autothrottle and Autoland system.
Word Count: 465
Honda Aircraft has unveiled upgrades to the HondaJet that add range, new cabin designs, ground spoilers, and a stabilized approach feature. Dubbed HondaJet Elite II, deliveries of the upgraded jet are expected later this year, following FAA certification in the next few weeks. The company will also add an autothrottle system to the twinjet in the first half of next year, along with Garmin Autoland in the second half.

The new NBAA IFR range of the Elite II is 1,547 nm (four passengers, 100-nm alternate), 110 nm further than the Elite S. To accommodate the added fuel, the mtow has been raised 200 pounds to 11,100 pounds without changing the empty weight “significantly,” according to Honda Aircraft v-p of sales Pete Kriegler.

Other upgrades include a new ground spoiler system that optimizes takeoff and landing performance at the new mtow. The stabilized approach upgrade “assists the pilot with aural and visual alerts to maintain a stable aircraft state on approach,” according to Honda Aircraft (Static AD_109).

For outfitting, buyers will be able to choose a new black sable exterior paint scheme as well as cabin interiors in onyx and steel styles. The onyx option includes “a rich and warm neutral beige cabin theme with mid-tone wood accents,” while steel is “a modern light cool grey theme with high-contrast marble accents.”

Other interior changes include new aisle flooring available in hardwood herringbone and plank patterns, new full-cabin acoustic treatments to reduce noise, swiveling seats, sheepskin covers for pilot seats, and a ground-track extension that adds three inches of legroom in the flight deck.

The lighting system is also getting an upgrade, with multi-color LEDs inside the cabin and a soft indigo night setting, ground illumination added to the main entry door, and integrated exterior lights.

With the addition of the autothrottle system and Garmin’s Autoland technology, the HondaJet will be the first new-production twin-engine airplane to offer the capability for a completely automatic emergency landing in case the pilot becomes incapacitated, without any human intervention.

“Our goal is to optimize every aspect of the product,” said Honda Aircraft president and CEO Hideto Yamasaki.

The Elite II price is $6.95 million, and cutover of production of the Elite S to the II configuration “is occurring as we speak,” according to Kriegler. At this time, Honda Aircraft is not offering an upgrade from the Elite S to the II configuration.

Meanwhile, following introduction of the larger HondaJet 2600 concept jet at last year’s NBAA-BACE, the company has evaluated response to a survey done at the show. “We received overwhelming positive feedback,” Yamasaki said. “We have continued to make exciting progress on this aircraft and plan to share more details early next year.”