ATLANTA - Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., today announced a series of major advancements to HondaJet design and to the HondaJet sales and service network at the annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. The company showcased a completely new interior design concept for the advanced light jet, along with new exterior color scheme studies, and an animated tour of the exclusive HondaJet sales and service facilities. 

Honda Aircraft Company also announced a partnership with Flight Safety International to create a new flight simulator and pilot training program for HondaJet.

HondaJet's new interior concept was introduced with a special focus on human fit, ergonomic efficiency and safety for the customer. Honda has created a cabin environment befitting the company's reputation for world-class engineering and attention to detail in the quality of materials, design and construction.

HondaJet's new cockpit design incorporated learning from extensive study on the human factors of pilots and pays special attention to the layout. The production version of HondaJet will also incorporate an all-glass avionics package developed for HondaJet by Garmin®. 

Honda also provided a glimpse into potential additional production colors, with colors on display including a brilliant HondaJet Silver Metallic; a rich HondaJet Red; as well as versions in HondaJet Green and HondaJet Yellow.

“From the beginning, it has been our goal to bring new value to the field of aviation,” said Michimasa Fujino, president & CEO, Honda Aircraft Company. “With a focus on innovation we will continue our efforts to deliver a product of outstanding performance, quality and comfort with the best sales and service operation to exceed customer expectations.”

For the first time, Honda Aircraft Company showed its proposed design specifications for standalone HondaJet sales and service dealer facilities that will bestablished throughout the United States over the next several years. The facilities will feature a large hangar for service operations and will be designed to provide a new level of customer sales and service support in the light jet class.

As part of its continuing commitment to safety, Honda Aircraft Company announced that it has established a partnership with Flight Safety International (FSI) to conduct the HondaJet pilot training program, including the development of a Level-D full motion flight simulator for HondaJet. The first simulator will be installed at HondaAircraft Company’s new headquarters facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. Additional training facilities will be established in the future as HondaJet sales grow.

The company also provided an update on FAA type certification for HondaJet. Working closely with the FAA, Honda Aircraft Company anticipates its first test flight of a conforming model in early 2009, with the overall timetable calling for the on schedule achievement of type certification in 2010.

In May 2010, Honda Aircraft Company issued a HondaJet program update that included a revised first flight target of late 2010 and anticipated first deliveries scheduled in 2012 following type certification.

HondaJet, Honda's first-ever commercial aircraft, lives up to the company's reputation for dynamic performance together with superior efficiency, delivering classtopping cruise speed and fuel efficiency, greater luggage capacity and a more spacious cabin with seating for up to eight people, compared to other products in the very light jet (VLJ) class. All major assembly and testing of the prototype HondaJet has been conducted at the company's existing Greensboro, North Carolina facility, which openedin 2001 as an extension of Honda's global R&D operations.

In late June, Honda broke ground for a new facility in Greensboro that will replace the company's existing complex. Phase one of construction will be completed in spring 2008, and will consist of offices, research facilities and an airplane hangar. The HondaJetproduction facility is currently in the design phase, with construction planned to begin following the completion of the headquarters. The company is on target to begin deliveries of HondaJet to customers in 2010.

Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Founded in Japan in 1948, Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary.