Honda Announces Development of HF118 Turbofan Aircraft Engine

December 16, 2003, Japan

Corporate

December 16, 2003--Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced today the development of its compact, lightweight, fuel-efficient, low-emission HF118 Turbofan Engine for the HondaJet- Honda's experimental business jet. 

Honda used its proprietary computational fluid dynamics software to optimize airflow within the compact engine, maximizing performance. The engine's simple, high-performance combustion chamber keeps emission levels low enough to meet the requirements of anticipated standards for compact jets. 

On the basis of electronic control technology originally developed for automotive applications, Honda has created the first ultra-compact Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) system for this class of engine, which provides superior engine operation and reliability without variable mechanisms. 

Development of this engine began in 1999, and it has been submitted to comprehensive testing, including required tests such as the 150-hour endurance test . The engine has now logged more than 110 hours of flight-testing on other manufacturers' aircraft, confirming its reliability.

HF118 Turbofan Engine

HF118 Turbofan Engine

HF118 mounted on the HondaJet

HF118 mounted on the HondaJet

Key Specifications

Engine Type 2-Spool Turbofan
One-Stage Fan, Two-Stage Compressor, Two-Stage Turbine
Take-off thrust 757 kgf (1,670 lbf) Take-off fuel consumption 0.49 kg/hr/kgf (0.49 lb/hr/lbf)
Cruise thrust 191 kgf (420 lbf) Cruising fuel consumption 0.75 kg/hr/kgf (0.75 lb/hr/lbf)
Dry weight 178 kg (392 lb) Bypass ratio 2.9
Fan diameter 441 mm (17.4 inches) Total length 1,384 mm (54.5 inches)