May 17, 2024
Michimasa Fujino, the former Managing Officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., who led the development of the HondaJet, was honored with the Daniel Guggenheim Medal from The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), becoming the first Japanese to receive the international recognition. The award ceremony was held on May 15, 2024, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Michimasa Fujino at the award ceremony
Fujino has been recognized for technical innovation and leadership in conceiving, designing and steering HondaJet to a leading position in the business aviation sector. His notable achievements include leading a team acquiring the type certification for the HondaJet HA-420, founding a company to design and develop, certify, and manufacture the aircraft, and establishing a global sales and service network.
The fastest, farthest, and highest-flying aircraft in its class, the HondaJet incorporates Honda Aircraft’s many technological innovations, including the unique Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration, Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) nose and wing and composite fuselage. Since its first delivery in 2015, the HondaJet has undergone a number of updates that feature a host of key advancements in performance and comfort. As of May 2024, the global HondaJet fleet has surpassed 220,000 flight hours and has grown to over 250 aircraft worldwide.
[Michimasa Fujino’s comment]
“I am delighted that the long-standing dream of the company founder Soichiro Honda, has been realized through HondaJet and has been recognized as an outstanding achievement in the aerospace industry. Furthermore, this is an acknowledgement of Honda’s status as a leading aircraft manufacturer in the world.
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to everyone who helped make the HondaJet a reality, including Honda associates, our partner manufacturers and aviation authorities around the world, and the government of the state of North Carolina.”
[About the Daniel Guggenheim Medal]
The Daniel Guggenheim Medal was established in 1929 as an international award to honor innovators who make notable achievements in the advancement of aeronautics. The award has been presented in the past to individuals who have made significant contributions to aeronautical research and education, including Orville Wright, William Boeing, and Igor Sikorsky.