| The sky is the limit! And Honda Motors has already | | | | Motors said: "Aviation has been an important dream |
| announced its plans to accept sales orders in the U.S. | | | | of Honda for more than four decades. Our goal is |
| for their very first jet, the HondaJet. Honda made | | | | consistent with the philosophy of other Honda |
| the announcement at the Experimental Aircraft | | | | products -- to provide convenient and efficient |
| Association AirVenture 2006. | | | | transportation that will make people's lives better. We |
| Honda also announced that they have plans to enter | | | | are excited now to enter a new dimension of |
| the aviation industry and to build a business alliance | | | | mobility. In Piper we believe we have a partner we |
| with the co-developer of the HondaJet, Piper Aircraft | | | | can collaborate with in our effort to bring new value |
| Inc. Honda Motors and Piper Aircraft will work | | | | to customers in the very light jet market." |
| together and collaborate on sales, services, and | | | | "Honda is a company with a rich heritage of bringing |
| development in the general aviation business. | | | | high quality, innovative products to market. This |
| Complete details on the collaboration of Honda and | | | | business alliance is a perfect fit given the |
| Piper Aircraft were, however, not included in the | | | | commitment both Piper and Honda have to providing |
| announcement. | | | | our respective customers with world-class products |
| The first public world debut of the HondaJet took | | | | and services. Piper is very excited about this alliance |
| place at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) | | | | and the way it complements our vision for the |
| AirVenture 2005 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The EEA | | | | future," said James K. Bass, President and CEO of |
| AirVenture is the largest annual aviation gathering. | | | | Piper Aircraft, Inc. The HondaJet's main specifications |
| The HondaJet was built using the latest technology in | | | | include a 7-seater capacity, two GE-Honda HF118 |
| the aviation development industry, the patented | | | | TurboFan engine, and maximum speed of 778 km |
| over-the-wing engine-mount configuration, a | | | | hour (420 knots), 12,497 operational ceiling, and a |
| natural-laminar flow (NLF) wing, fuselage nose, and | | | | range of 2,037 km. As of the moment, the |
| the advanced all-composite fuselage structure. The | | | | development of HondaJet by Honda Motors and Piper |
| said features were the innovative output of a | | | | Aircraft is still ongoing. Moreover, Honda is currently |
| 20-year aviation research of Honda Motors. Some | | | | building automotive products such as Honda |
| say that the HondaJet was an aircraft version of the | | | | motorcycles, cars, and other Honda Civic parts in 13 |
| Honda Civic. | | | | manufacturing plants in the U.S. and other regional |
| Satoshi Toshida, Senior Managing Director of Honda | | | | subsidiaries. |