JAPAN NEWS


 

Honda Aircraft Co. plans to soon roll out the HondaJet Elite II, the latest upgrade to the company’s small business jet, with a 10% greater flight range.

The airplane seats eight people, including passengers and crew, and is capable of flying 2,865 kilometers with four people aboard. An expanded fuel tank contributes to the new plane’s ability to fly 204 kilometers further than the conventional HondaJet Elite S model.

The company will add safety-enhancing features to the jets by the end of 2023, including an autothrottle function that automatically controls flight speed and technology that can automatically land the plane if the pilot suddenly becomes sick or is unable to fly the aircraft.

There is also a greater variety of aircraft colors and interior designs for customers to choose from when purchasing the jet.

The company hopes to get the new model certified in the United States and begin shipping them around November.

Priced at $6.95 million (¥1.028 billion), the plane will first be sold in the United States, followed by Europe and Japan.

“We’ll research, develop, and introduce new automation technologies in the future,” Honda Aircraft Co. President Hideto Yamasaki said at an announcement event on Tuesday.