Honda Aircraft Co. unveils HondaJet 2600 concept

Honda Aircraft Co. (Greensboro, N.C., U.S.) recently unveiled its HondaJet 2600 concept business jet at a special event the company hosted at the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, Nev., U.S. The concept aircraft is said to feature a carbon fiber composite fuselage, Honda Aircraft’s over-the-wing engine mount (OTWEM) configuration and natural laminar flow (NLF) technology on the wings and fuselage nose.

According to the company, the HondaJet 2600 concept boasts a range of 2,625 nautical miles and will be the world’s first light jet capable of nonstop transcontinental flight across the U.S. The company says the aircraft is also the first transcontinental jet designed for single-pilot operation, with an advanced cockpit incorporating electrification and automated systems like autothrottle and autobrake. An intuitive, high-tech interface is designed to reduce pilot workload for maximum operational safety. The aircraft also features a high-speed cruise of 450 knots and a class-leading ceiling of 47,000 feet. 

Further specifications include seating for up to 11 occupants, a spacious cabin with greatly reduced vibration due to its OTWEM configuration, a tall cabin height and class-leading pressurization with a cabin altitude of 6,363 feet at its maximum operating altitude of 47,000 feet. Three types of modular and customizable cabin configurations will be available.

The HondaJet 2600 concept is said to have up to 20% better fuel efficiency than typical light jets, and is more than 40% more fuel-efficient than a mid-size jet during a typical mission.

“Over the past five years, we introduced the HondaJet Elite, then the Elite S, to further enhance the original HondaJet design. Now, we are validating market demand as we unveil a new aircraft concept in a different segment from the original HondaJet,” Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft Co. president and CEO, said at the NBAA-BACE event. “With the HondaJet 2600 concept, which enables efficient transcontinental flight, offers new level of cabin comfort and capacity and dramatically reduces CO₂ emissions, we are introducing a new generation of business jets.”