New generation business jet. HondaJet 2600 Concept

Honda Aircraft unveils HondaJet 2600 10-seater passenger concept

Honda Aircraft has unveiled a new business jet concept designed for the upper segment of light jet aircraft, but with sufficient range and size to compete in the mid-sized aircraft market.

On October 12, at the annual NBAA show in Las Vegas, the aircraft manufacturer unveiled a mockup for the HondaJet 2600 concept.

“This aircraft is the first transcontinental light jet. It can fly from New York to Los Angeles, ”says Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino.

Range, efficiency, comfort and lower cockpit pressure will "rethink" the light jet segment, he said.

The aircraft will carry up to 11 people and will be operated by one pilot. It will have a range of 2,625 nautical miles (4,862 km) with five passengers, a maximum cruising speed of 450 knots (834 km / h) and a maximum cruising altitude of 47,000 feet.

These capabilities will allow the 2600 to compete in the “mid-sized aircraft market,” Fujino says.

Honda Aircraft has not yet officially launched the 2600 development program and has not set a timeline for development. Rather, they showed a concept that they hope will generate enough customer interest for further development and certification.

“We are still collecting customer and market feedback before we decide on dates,” says Peter Krigler, Sales Director for Honda Aircraft.

The aircraft will be powered by top wing-mounted engines similar to the HA-420 HondaJet Elite S. from Honda Aircraft. This jet, conceived in the early 2000s, can carry up to eight people (including the pilot) and has a range of 1,437 nautical miles.

Honda Aircraft will build the 2600 at its Greensboro, North Carolina plant.

The 2600 will have a composite fuselage and a new 17.3 m (56.7 ft) wing span. The cockpit will be several inches wider than the HA-420, wider at shoulder and leg height, and the center of the cockpit will be slightly higher, says Krigler. The 2600's cockpit will also be larger than the HA-420.

Crigler says the 2600 will be 20% more fuel efficient than other light jets on the market, thanks to an overhead-wing engine configuration and ground-up design that maximizes "orderly flow" - a condition in which air flows around aircraft without interference.

These qualities will make the aircraft 40% more efficient than midsize business jets, according to Honda Aircraft.

According to the company, it is the world's first light jet aircraft capable of non-stop transcontinental flights via the United States. The flight range is 2625 nautical miles, or 4860 km.

The aircraft also boasts a high cruising speed of 844 km / h and a class-leading maximum altitude of 14.33 km.

The company intends to equip the aircraft with advanced technologies, including automatic throttling and automatic braking systems. At 47,000 feet, the 2600 cab can withstand pressures similar to those at 6,300 feet.