HondaJet

Want a flying sports car? Just bring a few million dollars and a little bit of patience.

By Edward Schmidt Jr.

It has the ride of a comfortable, luxury sports car that is responsive, yet stable,” gushes 44-year-old designer Michimasa Fujino about the Honda he has spent more than two decades designing and testing. But before you head to the car dealership in search of the latest Acura or Accord, be aware: Fujino is describing a jet, not an automobile.

Further confounding your search is the fact that you won’t find the HondaJet at an airport until 2010, when its first buyers take delivery—which makes this a new product story without a new product, at least not for three years. So even if you have $3.65 million burning a hole in your pocket, you’ll just have to cool your heels and wait.

A cursory glance at the sleek craft—which was on display at last year’s National Business Aviation Association Show in Orlando, Florida—and you’ll understand why many pilots and passengers believe it will be well worth the wait. With its protruding nose, innovative over-the-wing engine design, and brilliant blue highlights, the HondaJet is radically different from most of its very light jet (VLJ) competitors. Similar to Honda automobile engineers, the HondaJet engineers were over-the-top quality-conscious about the engine, steering, and braking systems, says Fujino, who has flown on several test flights. The shape of the wing (called natural laminar flow) and advanced all-composite fuselage contribute to a smoother ride. The two GE-Honda HF 120 turbo fan engines generate a top speed of 420 knots.

“The in-cabin experience is unparalleled in a jet this size,” says Fujino in the analytical tone of an aeronautical engineer and without a hint of arrogance. “The HondaJet has six more inches of legroom than our competitors, soft European-style seats similar in comfort to those in our luxury automobiles, and a lavatory with a hard privacy door, which you typically never see in smaller jets.” It will be available in standard two-pilot/five-passenger and two-pilot/six-passenger air taxi configurations.

By definition, VLJs (also known as microjets or personal jets) are high-performance aircraft weighing 10,000 pounds or less. Just starting to come to market, they’re generally flown by professional or trained small-jet pilots and are expected to revolutionize business travel, especially with smaller businesses and point-to-point air taxi services, which allow passengers to bypass the delays and frustrations of major airline hubs.

According to a study by U.K.-based consultant PMI Media Ltd., the VLJ market will be worth $2.52 billion and more than 1,400 aircraft will be delivered between 2007 and 2011. Besides Honda, the other major manufacturers are Cessna, Adam Aircraft, Piper Aircraft, Eclipse Aviation, and Embraer.