December 16, 2021 GREENSBORO, N.C. Today, Honda Aircraft Company announced that it had delivered the 200th HondaJet, marking a significant milestone.
The HondaJet’s initial deliveries started soon after Honda Aircraft Company acquired Type Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the brand-new aircraft in December 2015. The business unveiled the HondaJet Elite in May 2018 with a 1,437 nm range extension, additional avionics features, and updated design. The HondaJet Elite S, which was introduced in May 2021, featured new avionics features that significantly expanded operational capabilities and decreased pilot strain to optimize safety. The aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight was also increased by 200 lbs.
The HondaJet Elite S was recently recognized with the 2021 Top Flight Award granted by Aviation International News (AIN) in the area of New Business Jet, the company added. The Top Flight Awards in business aviation and its connected fields honor people, groups, and technologies for achievement, innovation, and service in 2021.
The HondaJet has received certification in more than 13 nations and has logged over 98,000 flight hours.
Thanks to its unrivaled performance, comfort, efficiency, and cutting-edge design, the HondaJet has been the most delivered aircraft in its class since 2017, and we continue to observe a high demand for the aircraft, said Michimasa Fujino, president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company. Delivery of the 200th HondaJet is a testament to both our team’s exceptional customer service and the HondaJet’s excellent capabilities and dependability. We will continue to uphold our commitment to our clients by making sure that the HondaJet Elite S continues to redefine business aviation.
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About the HondaJet Elite S
The HondaJet Elite S is the class’s fastest, highest, and most maneuverable aircraft. Many of Honda Aircraft’s technology advancements are included in the HondaJet Elite S, such as the unusual Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) arrangement, Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) nose and wing, and composite fuselage. The GE Honda Aero Engines HF120 are used to power the aircraft as well. The aircraft’s better performance, unequalled efficiency, and enhanced fuselage capacity all result from these developments, and the result is a cabin that is the largest in its class. A full service galley, a private restroom with an optional belted seat, and an industry-first Bongiovi sound system are all included in the HondaJet Elite S cabin. The aircraft’s ergonomic cockpit and highly tailored Garmin G3000 avionics suite raised the bar for safety and human-machine interface technology.
Honda Aircraft is still dedicated to enhancing people’s lives through personal mobility and contributing to a sustainable society. Compared to all other twin-engine business jets of comparable size, the HondaJet Elite S continues to be much more fuel efficient and produces fewer greenhouse gases. The HondaJet Elite S continues to uphold the brand’s reputation for exceptional performance, efficiency, quality, and value by being certified for single pilot operations.
Are two pilots required for HondaJet?
The passenger compartment has room for four seats, an enclosed restroom, and a seat for the co-pilot when there is just one pilot operating the aircraft. The HondaJet’s engines are positioned over the wing and away from the fuselage, which the manufacturer claims increases efficiency. This is one of the aircraft’s distinctive features.
With four passengers on board, the HondaJet has a range of about 1,200 nautical miles, making one-stop transcontinental flights possible. A “speaker-less stereo” that uses transducers to vibrate the cabin walls to provide an immersive listening experience is a great feature for travelers.
Which private aircraft are licensed for a single pilot?
However, a number of private aircraft can be flown by a single pilot.
The Pilatus PC-24 is the largest private jet that can be flown by a single pilot. The PC-24 is a superb piece of equipment. It is not only the largest business jet available and single pilot certified.
The PC-24 can land on regular tarmac runways as well as those made of grass and dirt. The Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service enjoys flying the aircraft. The PC-24 is a single pilot certified, go-anywhere midsize business aircraft.
Very Light Jets (VLJs) and Light Jets are often approved for single pilot operation. These planes have a 2,000 nautical mile range and can carry up to about eight people. The Pilatus PC-24 is an exception to this criterion, as was previously stated.
Do Learjets need two pilots?
Some types of light and very light jets, which weigh less than 12,500 pounds and can only be operated by one pilot, fall into this category. However, if an individual owned the aircraft, they would have the option to operate under FAR Part 91 like any other private trip. Many are still flown by charter firms with two pilots.
Note that just because something is legal does not necessarily mean that it is a good idea, or even that it is simple to implement. The FAA is there to safeguard the general public, not pilots or their close relatives.
Additionally, if you were to purchase one of these aircraft and apply for insurance, it is highly possible that your insurance underwriter would insist on a copilot. The cost of hiring a competent copilot may outweigh the rise in premiums, assuming they don’t outright require it.
The list of single-pilot jets frequently includes aircraft that producers wish to promote to owner/operators. The owners of these jets can take off and fly whenever they want, just like some people who own Cessna 172s or Piper Cherokees can.
Years of work were put into demonstrating to the FAA that owner/operators could safely fly small aircraft alone by Learjet and Cessna. Despite the Lear 23’s 12,500-pound certification, the FAA decided that two pilots would still be required. When it was approved in the early 1970s, the 11,850-pound Cessna Citation 500 also ended up needing two pilots.
The Citation I-SP and II-SP were the first approved aircraft for a single pilot. The FAA was persuaded by Cessna over a protracted period of time that one pilot could safely fly the aircraft. With minor modifications like requiring a fully-functional autopilot and a hands-free boom microphone, they built the cockpits to make flying easier.
Which jet is the simplest to fly? Manufacturers have discovered new ways to automate flight tasks as airplanes have become more technologically and computerizedly sophisticated. As a result, the controls on the upcoming generation of very light jets (VLJs) are incredibly clear and simple to use. Some of their cockpits resemble sports cars more than they do flying machines.
What qualifies as a single pilot aircraft?
Have a minimum of 2,000 cumulative flight hours, with 500 of those hours being spent in multiengine turboprop or jet aircraft. possess a multiengine jet pilot licence from the American military have flown the aircraft for which they are pursuing the type rating for 500 hours.
What jet is the simplest for a single pilot to fly?
The Cirrus Vision is a fantastic option for shorter journeys and flight times. With a maximum range of 1,275 nautical miles and a top speed of only 345 miles per hour, the Vision is a relatively affordable option for private jet tourists who do not intend to travel very far. The Vision continues to provide excellent head and shoulder room in a roomy cabin with several windows and high-end furnishings for comfort.
What is the biggest certified jet with a single pilot?
The updated, long-range Phenom 300E business aircraft was created by Embraer to provide better flying performance and increased passenger comfort.
The Phenom 300 series, which debuted in the light jet market in 2009, has several iterations, with the business jet being the most advanced. Additionally, it takes on the Embraer DNA Design, which was first introduced in larger aircraft like the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500.
The aircraft is the business aircraft category’s fastest and most-distance-capable single-pilot jet. The maximum speed it can fly at is Mach 0.80.
In October 2017, the Phenom 300E jet was unveiled at the Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) of the National Business Aviation Association in Las Vegas, United States. The plane went into operation in March 2018.
In March 2020, the business jet obtained triple certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC).
In January 2020, a Mach 0.80-capable Phenom 300E with other improvements was unveiled.
What is the biggest jet that a single pilot can fly?
The Phenom 300 from Embraer was the most often supplied business aircraft in 2013 and 2014 for a good reason. According to Flying Mag, “it is, in essence, Embraer’s attempt to stretch the boundaries of the light jet segment by creating an airplane with best-in-class performance, comfort, and utility while keeping operating costs at turboprop levels. The Phenom 300 was created after Embraer realized that fans of their successful Phenom 100 would like a larger aircraft.
Its top qualities—cabin comfort, speed, dependability, and low running costs—are comparable to those of the Phenom 100. With a range extension of more than 1,900 miles due to the expanded size, Embraer’s aircraft is the ideal choice for a flight from Austin to New York City. The increased size allowed Embraer to almost double the maximum fuel weight. What makes it stand out from the competitors is its range, which is among the best in the light jet class. Operators like NetJets find the reliability to be superb, and Embraer, which started as a minor airline supplier, provides excellent fleet support.
The largest business jet that can be flown by a single pilot is the Cessna Citation Encore+. One of the most adaptable private aircraft in its class, the Encore’s successor raises the bar even higher. The payload of Cessna’s Citation Encore+ was greatly increased above that of the Encore, and the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system was added to modernize the avionics system. To lessen the stress on the pilot, Cessna also added a FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control).
These upgrades enable the Encore+ to travel farther with larger loads while maintaining cost-effective operation. More specifically, the Encore+ can go coast to coast with five passengers, making just one stop. The Encore+ is one of the most adaptable private jets in its class because to its distinctive mix of range, speed, and comfort.
Do you want to learn more about single-pilot aircraft? Click the link below to view our in-depth Buyers’ Guide for Single-Pilot Aircraft.
What single-pilot jet has the longest range?
With a high-speed cruise of 464 knots and a range for five passengers of 2,010 nautical miles (3,724 km), the Phenom 300E is the fastest and most versatile single pilot jet. The Phenom 300E is more affordable to operate and maintain than its competitors and offers the best climb and field performance in its class.