14 Dec 06
Honda
Soichiro Honda started out making pistons for engines, and after WWII, he created a cheap and efficient motorcycle. Moving into car manufacture in 1960, Honda's first cars were small fuel-efficient motors, but it was the launch of the Civic (1972) which really put the firm on the map as a car-maker, and heralded the company's expansion into other sectors. Honda has long enjoyed the title of the world's largest engine-maker, powering ships, racing boats, lawnmowers, power tools, generators and many more devices, as well as its cars, motorbikes and even Formula One racers. There was just another dimension to explore: the air.
Hondajet
Honda began research into aircraft engines in earnest in the mid-1980s, though its HF118 turbofan engine did not enter production until 1999. Since then, this low-emissions, lightweight and compact unit has completed many hours of testing in other manufacturers' aircraft, and in 2003 it took its first test flight in Honda's own prototype HondaJet. This six- or seven-seater executive jet has a unique positioning of its engines on the upper surface of the main wing, aiding aerodynamics and noise/vibration intrusion, and features a carbon composite structure with aluminium wing panels. It is claimed to be more fuel-efficient, roomier and faster than similarly sized aircraft already on the market, and Honda is now aiming for full FAA type certification. Partnering with Piper Aircraft for sales, marketing and servicing, Honda is now taking orders and plans to start deliveries to customers in 2010. It has set up a new subsidiary company, Honda Aircraft Co, which is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, as well as a joint venture with General Electric to produce the HF118 engine for other manufacturers' executive jets.
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