Honda Aircraft Unveils the HondaJet 2600 Concept

Honda Aircraft lifted the curtain and unveiled a “concept” of its next aircraft—a larger light jet with a transcontinental range of 2,625 nm and with a midsize-jet cabin that seats up to 11 occupants—on Tuesday morning at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas.

The configuration of the HondaJet 2600 is similar to the original HondaJet HA-420, with Honda Aircraft’s patented over-the-wing-engine-mount design, in which the two engines are attached to pylons mounted on top of the wings. This allows for additional space in the cabin because many engine systems do not need to be installed inside the aft fuselage, while also lowering vibration and noise for passengers.

The HondaJet 2600 will have a maximum cruise speed of 450 knots and a maximum altitude of FL470. At that altitude, cabin altitude is 6,363 feet thanks to the composite fuselage, similar to the HA-420 fuselage construction. At FL450, cabin altitude is 6,124 feet. For the HondaJet 2600, the fuselage will be more oval-shaped, increasing headroom and shoulder space at each seat. The cabin interior measures 62.5 inches high from the dropped aisle to the ceiling, and 61 inches wide, 4.5 inches taller and one inch wider than the HA-420’s cabin.

The cabin features a modular design, with options for seats such as two double clubs or a single club seating area and a divan across from two seats. There is a full-height galley, an enclosed lavatory larger than the HA-420’s, and four round skylights (two in the main cabin and two in the lavatory). Distance from seatback to seatback is seven feet. Honda Aircraft engineers have designed a special mattress that lies across two seats for a lie-flat bed, eliminating the need to fold seats down to create a sleep surface.

Honda Aircraft is testing the market to assess demand for a jet like the HondaJet 2600, and that is in part why it unveiled the concept airplane at NBAA-BACE 2021. No decision on launching the jet program has been made. If the 2600 does get the go-ahead, it will be certified in the Part 23 commuter category and will be a single-pilot airplane.

To learn more, visit: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-10-12/hondajet-unveils-2600-concept-jet