GREENSBORO, N.C. - Honda Aircraft Company has announced that its fifth Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conforming HondaJet, equipped with a production interior matching the final customer aircraft, successfully completed its first flight on May 16, 2013, at the company's world headquarters in Greensboro. With this achievement, the HondaJet program approaches the final phase of flight testing as the company advances toward FAA aircraft certification of the light jet.
The GE Honda HF120 turbofan is nearing its final certification test and in the last six months has completed a 150-hour block endurance test. A total of 13 HF120 engines have accumulated more than 7,300 hours and more than 9,700 cycles during development and certification testing at nine different test locations. This included accumulation of 3,000 cycles on one engine as part of its endurance validation program. The company expects testing to be complete in July 2013, with type certification coming from the FAA in the fourth quarter.
