Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Michael Ross

According to an article in the September 26 issue of General Aviation Magazine, Honda Motor Corp. is ready to unveil an innovative business jet. Chief Project Engineer Michimasa Fujino revealed details of the eight-to-12-passenger twin jet in a 17-page paper presented to the American Institute of Aerodynamics and Astronautics on July 14 in Dayton, Ohio.

After extensive customer surveys, Honda found that chief among desirable attributes in a business jet was cabin comfort. To that end Honda engineers dispensed with the usual design of mounting the engines at the rear of the cabin which requires a space-robbing carry through structure to support them and instead devised an innovative over-the-wing engine pylon to support the Honda designed turbofans.

Typically over-the-wing engine pylons have suffered from flutter and drag problems but Fujino’s paper says that the Honda wing design is stiff enough to eliminate flutter and clever enough to provide the necessary lift while providing the efficiency of a clean wing. This is apparently achieved through pylon sweep and an angle that directs boundary layer airflow toward the wing root.

Specifications for the Honda jet include a T-tail attached to a 41-foot graphite composite fuselage with a cabin height of 4′ 11″ with a flat floor. Max takeoff weight is reported to be 9200 pounds with a range of 1100 miles at 482 mph. Flight testing is expected to begin this year