The company, which operates primarily HondaJets, took delivery of eight aircraft this year, three of which came on board this month. According to Volato, its growth strategy involves both acquiring new aircraft from Honda Aircraft Company and contracting with owners to manage their airplanes. Between new deliveries and management contracts, the company’s fleet now totals 24 aircraft.

“Volato’s measured and thoughtful approach to fleet expansion is critical to achieving our long-term plan for sustainable growth,” said Volato co-founder and CEO Matt Liotta. “We have been creative and judicious in acquiring HondaJets through the open market while continuing to receive new aircraft from our HondaJet factory order. The recent deliveries allow us to expand our capacity at a pivotal time in Volato’s growth and increase our capacity to support our growing customer base.”

Volato currently has orders for 22 additional HondaJet Elite IIs with 10 scheduled for delivery in 2024. The company noted that it has also signed a letter of intent with HondaJet for its new Echelon transcontinental light jet design. Currently in development, the HondaJet Echelon was introduced as the HondaJet 2600 at the 2021 National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Conference & Expo with its official name announced at this year’s show.

• READ MORE: Volato Closes Deal for 25 HondaJets

About Volato

Volato offers fractional ownership, aircraft management, jet card, deposit, and charter programs. The company recently went public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger with Proof Acquisition Corp I (PACI). Volato’s stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on December 4.

The post Volato HondaJet Fleet Expands by 50 Percent in 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The promise? To take the light jet category up a notch, and attempt to translate a “midsize jet experience” to a smaller platform—one capable of transcontinental U.S. trips. In doing so, Honda Aircraft anticipates an increase in mission flexibility for owner-pilots while keeping operating costs—and fuel burn—in check. The proposed design may attain up to 20 percent increased fuel efficiency over other light jets and up to 40 percent over midsize jets with which it expects to compete.

In the cabin, the midsize feel would continue, with “a holistic focus on the cabin experience encompassing space, comfort, and productivity,” according to the company. 

“The HondaJet Echelon was born to create a new category that transcends the travel experience on conventional light jets,” said Hideto Yamasaki, president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, in a preview statement. “Expanding mobility skyward has been Honda’s long-lasting dream, and the HondaJet Echelon marks the exciting next chapter while showcasing a classic Honda story of a product that creates new value for people.” 

Common Type Pursuit

One key element to the new model, designated the HA-480 within the HondaJet family, is Honda Aircraft’s pursuit of a common type rating to the Elite II’s basis, the HA-420. The bid will be made possible by the use of the Garmin G3000 flight deck architecture, along with flight control response and feel, and single-pilot operation in parallel. On the production line, which will run alongside that of the Elite II, Honda Aircraft is targeting as much parts commonality as possible given the change in fuselage and cross section.

Yes, the Echelon will be a bigger jet, however, with an estimated wingspan of 56 feet, length of 57 feet, and tail height of 16 feet, plus a maximum takeoff weight of 17,500 pounds.

Amod Kelkar, chief commercial officer for Honda Aircraft, has been named the program manager on the HondaJet Echelon, a project he has been deeply involved with since joining the company as vice president of customer support in 2021. In an interview with FLYING, Kelkar indicated that the Echelon makes a play for changing the blend of customers for the HondaJet series. “We have, effectively, three types of customers,” said Kelkar.

“The first one is the owner-operator who are also pilots, so they have their own aircraft, they fly their own aircraft, using it for personal [trips] or for business. Their utilization is in the zone of 150 hours per year. Then we have…corporate customers, not necessarily corporations. Those have a bit higher utilization, I would say, around 250 to 400 hours a year per aircraft, and they fly strictly for B2B type of visits. And then the third segment is in terms of utilization is the highest, but in terms of numbers is the smallest, is the charter and fractional ownership,” which files roughly 1,400 to 1,500 hours per year.

While 85 percent of current customers are in the first two segments, the Echelon is deemed likely to appeal to the Part 135 and Part 91K operators that can leverage its range to suit New York to Florida or Caribbean destinations with seats full.

HondaJet Echelon Milestones

While the name marks an important step in the process to bringing a new aircraft into the product line, other key milestones have recently been achieved by the OEM.

First, the company installed the first structural test rig in the fourth quarter of 2021, not long after the program was officially announced. Since then, the manufacturer has exited the concept phase and competed its preliminary design review, which fixes in place critical markers within the program. 

Also, Honda Aircraft celebrated the official power-on ceremony for the Echelon’s advanced systems integration test facility (ASITF) at the company’s Greensboro, North Carolina, headquarters on August 30, 2023. 

Honda Aircraft targets the next aircraft level critical design review in the summer of 2024, with “select long lead fabrication already in progress,” according to a statement from the company. The OEM will produce the Echelon within the company’s current footprint at Greensboro, with early build processes to begin in 2024. 

First flight is projected for 2026, with type certification targeted for 2028.

Sustainability Efforts

Honda Aircraft also has taken its place in the race to more efficiency with its participation in the 2023 NBAA-BACE Sustainability Pledge, “demonstrating a commitment to make NBAA-BACE a more eco-friendly event,” according to the company. “In addition, Honda Aircraft Company is utilizing the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Book and Claim [SAFC] Program for its ferry flights to and from NBAA-BACE to promote the deployment of SAF and support the industry’s commitment to carbon neutrality.”

HondaJet Specs

Engines: Williams International FJ44-4C
Avionics: Garmin G3000
Configuration: 1 crew + 10 pax or 2 crew + 9 pax
NBAA IFR Range: (1 crew + 4 pax)* 2,625 nm
Maximum Cruise Speed*: 450 ktas
Maximum Cruise Altitude*: FL470

The post Honda Reveals Next Expression of the HondaJet Series with Echelon appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

When Jet It ceased operations, aircraft were stranded all over the country. Owners, who at one time relied on the company to manage the airplane, suddenly found themselves learning the logistics of maintaining a HondaJet HA-420, along with the potential pitfalls.

Mechanics Lien

Unpaid vendors are often the first sign a company is in financial distress. In the world of aircraft maintenance, unpaid vendors have options. A maintenance shop, for example, can attach a mechanic’s lien to an aircraft for an unpaid bill.

• READ MORE: Why Jet It Failed

Owners of an aircraft with a lien against it should consult an attorney in the state where it is located and reach out to the maintenance facility to either make a payment or try to negotiate a lower amount.

Putting the Pieces Together

In the case of Jet It owners, they are now thrust into a new position of managing the maintenance of an aircraft that had been the company’s responsibility. 

Former Jet It owners likely are confronting numerous questions, according to Mark Thibault, founder and chief technical officer of Crew Chiefs Corp., which represents clients during inspections for aircraft purchases and sales. Those questions include:

• What is the status of the aircraft? Is it properly hangared? What is the flying/airworthiness status?
• Are the aircraft programs, warranties, subscriptions, and insurances maintained and current?
• Are the logs and records secure, co-located with aircraft, and complete?
• What funds are needed to get each aircraft back online, including any unpaid ramp, MRO, and handling fees, as well as those for pilot recruiting?

In order to quickly get their aircraft back online, according to Thibault, owners will need:

• Permissions for all electronic maintenance tracking systems.
• Comprehensive records review, both physical and electronic.
• A review of the Jet It agreement to assess if compliance was satisfied.
• An assessment, such as a condition survey, or pre-buy inspection of the exterior and interior of the aircraft.
• A pending inspection timeline, with associated due lists, and service bulletin and airworthiness directive compliance.
• An observation flight.

Honda Aircraft Co. has also offered resources for former Jet It owners who have questions or need assistance.

HondaJet Maintenance Cadence

One of the questions circulating in the industry is, “I thought HondaJets were new; there cannot be much maintenance to perform.” Well, yes and no. Like everything else with aircraft maintenance, the answer is “it depends.”

• READ MORE: Honda Aircraft Offers Free Logistics Help to Jet It Customers

The HondaJet is on a phase maintenance program, which means maintenance is not scheduled by the calendar month but instead by the Hobbs meter, according to Anthony Agosta, the HondaJet maintenance manager at Florida-based Banyan Air Service . Banyan serves as the Southeast Service Center for the HondaJet.

Banyan currently has two former Jet It aircraft—one at its Naples location and the other at its main facility in Fort Lauderdale. 

One of the key components of the HondaJet maintenance program is managing the Life Limited Parts (LLP). It is critical that whichever unit of measure is used to calculate life is documented, recorded, and reviewed. LLPs typically include powerplants and landing gear but could be other parts on other aircraft models.

• READ MORE: Jet It Tells Owners To Find New Home for Aircraft

Honda Aircraft establishes 150 flight hours as the increment of measure for maintenance. The cadence is 150-, 300-, 600-hour inspections, and so on. The first major maintenance comes at the 600-hour mark, takes five weeks, and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In the scenario facing the former Jet It fractional owners, the group of eight or nine would typically elect a spokesperson and give them power of attorney, allowing them to negotiate with maintenance providers, among others.

Owners have options when choosing maintenance programs for their HondaJets. The P3 Precision FlightReady airframe service program represents the highest level of service, covering standard replacement parts and labor. The P2 Performance program serves as the middle tier of service and covers parts only. Each plan excludes damage, so you are on your own if you suffer a bird strike or taxi into the hangar. Of course, owners can always maintain their aircraft and pay the maintenance facility for the time and material as they go.

Because General Electric is a first-tier OEM on the HondaJet, it has a separate engine program—the Engine Maintenance Care program (EMC) covers parts, while the EMC2 program covers parts and labor. Again, this excludes damage, so be careful flying through asteroid fields.

• READ MORE: What’s Next for Jet It Fractional Owners

Back to Birth

Aircraft maintenance begins on day one. Flight crew, maintainers, and management companies begin logging flights, incidents, and maintenance actions for the airframe and each engine. These records are part of the aircraft logs, and for LLPs, you need “back to birth,” or everything that happened since it left the factory. 

One of the first actions displaced Jet It members need to do is consult their logbooks. 

Bluetail, a company that specializes in back-to-birth aircraft records for business and general aviation and also a Jet It vendor, has stepped up as a potential resource.

On June 7, Scottsdale, Arizona-based Bluetail offered former Jet It HondaJet owners free and secure access to their aircraft’s digital logbooks and related records in the Bluetail app for a period of 60 days, according to company cofounder Stuart Illian. 

This offer will allow the owners to protect their aircraft’s value while continuing to operate, which may include additional scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events, Illian said. Bluetail’s service is free for those providing proof of ownership.

The company will also provide the owners (or designated users) with any necessary training or product support. Additionally, should the owners decide to continue their Bluetail subscription, the software firm will waive the onboarding fees typically charged for the transition, according to Illian.

Situations like this highlight the value of having an aircraft’s operational and maintenance records digitized and hosted in a cloud-based network, and how especially critical it is for aircraft managed and maintained by a third-party provider.

The post Jet It Fallout Leaves Owners Shouldering Aircraft Maintenance appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Volato said it has developed a strong relationship with Honda since acquiring its first HondaJet in 2021. The company currently has 17 of the Honda aircraft in its fleet and said it has worked with Honda to improve customer satisfaction with upgrades to the aircrafts’ galley and improvements to its maintenance programs.

“We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Honda Aircraft Company, and we thank them for their continued support of Volato,” said Volato CEO Matt Liotta. “This new order will allow us to meet the growing demand for private air travel customers who are looking for the most efficient and most luxurious cabin in the very light jet class.”

• READ MORE: Volato Bumps First-Year Captains’ Pay to $150,000

Volato, which touts itself as the world’s largest operator of HondaJets, also said it is experiencing strong demand for its fractional program, the Stretch Jet Card, Insider Deposit Program, and its charter services.

Volato said it also plans to add four Gulfstream G280s to its fleet next year to give its members a greater range of flight options.

The post Volato Closes Deal for 25 HondaJets appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The baseline TC on the Elite II includes the maximum takeoff weight increase to 11,100 pounds, which enables a fuel capacity increase, driving the range out to 1,547 nm under NBAA IFR parameters and four occupants. The addition of a ground spoiler will optimize takeoff and landing performance at the increased weight. A palette of new color options and interior enhancements come with the new model as well.

Further updates to come for the latest of the HA-420 type in 2023—and not yet part of the TC—add an autothrottle and autoland functionality to the Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck and airframe. The addition of autoland will make for the first instance of the safety protocol in a light twin jet.

Focus on Customer Requirements

The improvements to make the Elite II from its predecessor, the Elite S, have been drawn very precisely and deliberately from customer feedback, according to the company’s president and CEO, Hideto Yamasaki, who took the reins from Michimasa Fujino upon his retirement in April.

“We want to make more focus on the current Elite II, which is, for me, the state of the art,” said Yamasaki in an interview with FLYING at NBAA-BACE. “That’s the completion of the [HondaJet] 420 [series] itself—beyond that I don’t see a good picture yet of how we can enable that aircraft. It’s more updating some of the little things [to keep the model current] that we might have to do.

• READ MORE: Honda to Add Autoland to Its New Model

“If you exceed [the customer’s expectations] by a little tiny bit, that’s okay,” said Yamasaki. “If you overstretch or overdo it, those values will not be appreciated by the customer. In a way, we are sacrificing what we are going to do, all the investment, all of the hours of work [that] is going to be lost, because those [efforts] are not going to be valued by those customers.”

The next time the industry comes together, Yamasaki foresees that the company will update on its plans for the Hondajet 2600 Concept, which debuted at NBAA-BACE 2021. “I’m trying to meet the customer’s voice…looking into what they are saying on the 2600,” said Yamasaki. He wants to understand more before making further decisions on the model—and since much development has already been accomplished on the larger concept, to confirm if its direction is correct.

The post Honda Aircraft Secures FAA Type Certification on HondaJet Elite II appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Since 2017, the HondaJet has been the most delivered aircraft in its class, and we continue to see high demand for the aircraft, thanks to its unmatched performance, comfort, efficiency, and innovative design,” Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO Michimasa Fujino said in a statement. 

With a total time of 98,000 hours logged across the fleet, the model has reached a level of maturity—and certifications in at least 13 countries as of this posting.

Powered by the GE Honda Aero Engines HF120s, in the over-the-wing-engine-mount configuration, the latest edition of the HondaJet, the Elite S, has a range of 1,437 nm and a 200-pound maximum takeoff weight increase. The Elite S was announced in May 2021.

New features were also added to the Garmin G3000 avionics suite on the flight deck, including data comm capability, and an Advanced Steering Augmentation System.

“The delivery of the 200th HondaJet is a reflection of its superior capabilities and reliability, as well as the extraordinary customer support of our team members. We will remain committed to our customers by ensuring that the HondaJet Elite S continues to set a new standard in business aviation.”

The post Honda Delivers 200 HondaJets in Six Years appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Fujino was honored on Thursday by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics during its Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala, which was held virtually this year as a result of the ongoing pandemic. This annual event recognizes the most influential and inspiring individuals in aerospace, whose outstanding contributions merit top accolades.

The Reed Award is the highest honor for a notable achievement in aeronautics that represents a significant milestone in engineering advancement.

In a statement, the AIAA said, “The clean-sheet aircraft design conceived by Fujino introduced innovations in aviation technology, including the over-the-wing engine mount and natural laminar flow wing and fuselage.

“The HondaJet is the first, and only, business jet to include these technologies.”

“I was very surprised, honored, and very grateful to be recognized with the 2021 Reed Aeronautics Award,” Fujino said in a statement. “I’ve worked on airplane design for the past 35 years. It has been challenging, but also very exciting.

“On behalf of Honda Aircraft Company, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who supported the HondaJet project.”

In 2012, the institute awarded Fujino the AIAA Aircraft Design Award for the HondaJet’s over-the-wing engine configuration.

The Reed Aeronautics Award is named after Dr. Sylvanus A. Reed, an aeronautical engineer, designer, and founding member of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences in 1932. Reed was the first to develop a propeller system composed of metal rather than wood. His aluminum alloy propeller gave Jimmy Doolittle’s plane the speed it needed to win the 1925 Schneider Cup race and brought the inventor much credit and many rewards.

Past recipients of the award include:

• Clarence L. Johnson for the SR-71
• Ben R. Rich for the F-117
• Preston A. Henne for the MD-80 and Gulfstream aircraft
• Burt L. Rutan for the Voyager

The Honda Aircraft Company took home Flying’s 2017 Innovation Award for the HondaJet HA-420 design.

The post HondaJet Designer Michimasa Fujino Receives AIAA Top Honor appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The pair won the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Southeast Award.

“An amazing recognition for the entire Jet It and JetClub teams,” Gonzales said of the award. “Vishal and I are so proud of the endless achievements that each team member has made happen.”

What is Hybrid Ownership?

Jet It and European sister company JetClub offer what they call “hybrid ownership.” Owners can choose to purchase one of six plans, from 10- to 50-percent ownership of the $5.4 million HondaJet Elite S, providing anywhere from 25 to 130 days of use.

Unlike other fractional ownership models, Jet It/JetClub allows owners to book the airplanes for an entire day rather than strictly by the hour. Customers won’t necessarily fly on the exact airplane they own. It could be any tail number in the fleet.

Another unique offering that Jet It provides is the ability for owners to acquire a HondaJet HA-420 type rating and fly the jet themselves as part of the Red Jet Squadron.

Where They Came From

Jet It opened for business in 2018 and has already placed 10 HondaJets into operation. The company has an additional 10 HondaJets on order and Gonzales said he expects the next delivery of a HondaJet Elilte S this month.

Both Gonzales and Hiremath previously worked for Honda Aircraft Company and Gulfstream Corporation. Gonzales holds an MBA from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and he said he spent several years studying the market viability for the Jet It concept prior to starting the company.

With this achievement, Gonzales and Hiremath are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 National Award. This year’s winners will be announced at the Strategic Growth Forum on November 13.

Ernest and Young has recognized successful entrepreneurs in more than 60 countries for the past 35 years and the winners of the awards become members of an exclusive network of industry leaders to whom they can reach out for insight and advise.

Previous winners include:

• Howard Schultz of Starbucks Corporation
• Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
• Sara Blakely of SPANX, Inc.

Gonazles and Hiremath recognize that continued success won’t come without hard work.

“On the way to our goal of changing how people travel around the world there will be many more problems to solve, challenges to overcome, and long nights to endure,” Hiremath said.

The post Jet It Cofounders Win Award for HondaJet Ownership Solution appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Honda Aircraft Company announced on May 26 the new Elite S model, with a 200-pound payload increase, upgraded avionics capabilities, and new color schemes. In a virtual launch, Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO Michimasa Fujino called the model “the next iteration of the HondaJet to expand operational capability. As a result of the innovation, design and engineering on the new Elite S, we are once again setting a new standard in business aviation.”

The payload improvement stems from an increased maximum takeoff weight by 200 pounds. Fujino noted that a single pilot with 5 passengers would fly 120 nm farther or could choose to take an additional passenger.

Upgrades to the flight deck include improvements to the “pilot-machine interface,” according to Fujino, with new features in the Garmin G3000 suite to reduce pilot workload and enhance safety. First among these is the addition of FAA Data Comm capability—usable where it’s available in the US—which replaces voice communications with text commands. The system can also utilize ACARS text-based messaging, to air traffic control and ATS centers. From ACARS, pilots can access terminal weather and departure clearances from select airports and communicate with operations centers, with the ability to upload flight plans, facilitate position reporting, and gather weather. The system can be used as third VHF radio if the Data Comm function is turned off. Another upgrade: the Advanced Steering Augmentation System—implemented through enhanced nosewheel steering—which increases operational limits and reduces pilot workload in specific weather conditions.

Three new colors are now available with the Elite S in a “unique paint scheme” deemed to represent the “spirit of Honda”— expanding the horizon of the business jet. Gunmetal, Deep Sea Blue, and Luxe Gold can be selected along with a new logo announcing the model with a bold red “S.” Honda would not disclose the serial number at which the model change would occur, but indicated June 2021 availability. Honda delivered 5 HondaJets in the first quarter of 2021, according to GAMA.

The post Honda Aircraft Company Unveils HondaJet Elite S appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Since the day Kenny G wowed a large gathering of ­people with his mastery of the soprano sax at the certification ceremony at the factory in December 2016, the HondaJet has seen great success, becoming the most delivered airplane in its class in 2018, according to numbers from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. It also became one of FLYING‘s Editors’ Choice Award winners for 2016 and went on to win the inaugural FLYING Innovation Award, which then-Editor-in-Chief Stephen Pope handed over at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 2017.

HondaJet Elite at a Glance

With a quest for continuous improvement, Honda Aircraft set out almost immediately to tweak the design to make its customers ever happier with their airplanes. The changes started with serial number 11, which ended up ­serving as the test platform for a new model—the HondaJet Elite. The first true Elite is serial number 126, and the ­airplanes that came before can be upgraded with what has been named the Advanced Performance Modification Group, APMG for short, which adds all the key Elite changes for $250,000. Before the end of 2018, Honda Aircraft delivered the first HondaJet Elite to a customer in Japan. The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau approved the certification on December 7, and it has also been signed off by authorities in a long list of other countries, including our FAA.

Reaching this level of success was neither easy nor quick. The first trace of the HondaJet emerged in the early 1990s, when Honda Aircraft’s president and CEO, Michimasa Fujino, started drawing up the design. The road from that day to the cold ­winter evening in December 2016 when he received the ­certification documents from the FAA required enough dedication that Fujino has referred to the airplane as his third daughter.

The HondaJet is easily recognizable for its over-the-wing mounting of two GE Honda Aero Engines’ HF120s. Fujino claimed that one of the benefits of the unusual design is a quieter cabin. As someone who has flown the airplane a few times now, I can attest that the claim is no hogwash. On the ground, you can’t hear the engines at all up front even ­without a headset on, and in the air there’s just a quiet buzz.

The general dimensions of the HondaJet Elite are ­identical to the original’s, with the exception of the tail. The ­horizontal section has been stretched, resulting in reduced rotation forces that are easier to control, Johansson says. This allows for rotation at slower speeds, which in turn makes the airplane capable of taking off from runways 500 feet shorter than before, bringing the shortest takeoff distance to 3,491 feet.

With only one flight in the airplane after more than two years, it was hard for me to really feel the differences. However, while in Greensboro I had a chance to go through FlightSafety’s recurrent course. Unfortunately, the simulator had not been updated to Elite status, so I couldn’t experience the differences. I did, however, have a chance to talk to experienced HondaJet operators about their experiences.

One pilot who had just flown an original HondaJet from Europe to replace it with an Elite version walked into the classroom wide-eyed with excitement after testing out the new version for the first time. He was particularly excited about the changes that have been made to the brakes. With the original system, the hydraulics would grab the brakes, making it challenging to control the airplane on the ground. But with a few tweaks, the brakes are now smoother, and the British pilot felt they were more effective too. However, Johansson says the modification had no effect on braking power.

Mark Leavitt, who took delivery of the very first customer airplane, didn’t experience a dramatic difference when his system was upgraded. “Some ­people have come out and said it’s remarkably different,” Leavitt says. “Our brakes were a real problem when we first got the airplane, but then they balanced them so well that I wonder if ours were so well balanced that the change was not as dramatic as it would have been for others.”

HondaJet Elite versions are ­easily ­distinguished from the original airplanes. While Honda Aircraft only offered base colors—green, yellow, blue, red and silver—the new models come in Ruby Red, Ice Blue and Monarch Orange.

When digging beneath the ­surface, other differences can be observed even before the preflight inspection. A gross-weight increase, along with some weight reductions, have resulted in a total increase in the useful load of 226 pounds. Most weights for the airplane (max ramp, max takeoff, max landing, max zero-fuel weight, for example) have been increased by 100 pounds. The total baggage capacity has also increased by 100 pounds. The aft baggage compartment is still limited to 400 pounds, so all the extra weight must be added to the nose compartment, which is a good thing because the space between the engine and aft ­compartment is not huge, so it’s easier to load things up front. However, really bulky items won’t fit. Adding more weight up front also helps keep the airplane inside the CG envelope, which could be an issue with too much gear in the back.

During our walkaround, I noticed that the airplane is aerodynamically a lot cleaner than I remembered. While pilots were previously forced to count dozens of vortex generators, T-strips and triangles on the bottom of the horizontal stabilizer, winglets and upper surfaces of the wings, most of these are now gone. One of the stall fences on each wing was also eliminated. The cleaner surfaces reduced drag and resulted in a slight range increase.

However, the bulk of the range increase is due to the increased fuel capacity. The capacity was upped by more than 100 pounds by adding a tank in the fuselage, stretching the legs of the jet by more than 200 nm to 1,437 nm. There is no additional work for the pilot to worry about as far as fuel management goes.

Some ramp workers have not been thrilled with the HondaJet. While there is only one fuel port to fill the tanks, which makes it quick and efficient to fill the ­airplane, there was a tendency for an air bubble to form, causing fuel to rush out of the port onto the person servicing the airplane. Ramp workers will be happy to know that Honda Aircraft has added a switch-light button that annunciates “fuel slowly” when the tank is near capacity to prevent a jet-A shower. The fuel port was also moved higher up on the ­fuselage due to the additional tank.

The flight-plan display on the MFD shows the ­destination including the amount of fuel that will remain when you arrive, based on conditions within the system and entered figures. We decided to see if we could get to Denver. The FOD feature—not foreign object debris, but Fuel Over Destination—in the G3000 has been modified to take entered data into consideration as well as current conditions. This is extremely useful since you can play around with values at different altitudes. You also have the ability to add a standby flight plan as an initial planning tool or to check different scenarios in flight if you need to divert. Another fabulous change is that the flight plan doesn’t get purged when the master switch is shut off.

Our Denver plan proved slightly overambitious. With our conditions, we saw that we would have needed full tanks and a decent tailwind to make the trip. Regardless, a ­cross-country trip with one stop is certainly possible in the HondaJet Elite on most days. A two-leg coast-to-coast trip would have been more difficult with the original HondaJet.

Pushing the thrust levers forward, the GE Honda engines spooled up to give us more than 4,000 pounds of thrust. I felt a noticeable push in the backside and saw a consistent climb rate of well over 3,000 fpm through 28,000 feet. We climbed all the way up to the service ceiling—FL 430—in about 23 minutes, not including a forced level off. While the HondaJet gets the best range at its 43,000-foot ­service ceiling, the best speed can be found at around 31,000 feet.

Though our flight was only a bit more than an hour, I had reason to visit the lavatory in flight. I was happy to see that the Elite version kept the skylights in the bathroom. The lav now also has as an option for a belted seat. To get this option, the cabin had to be configured with galley rather than the ­side-facing seat initially, but now owners can choose to add both belted seat options.

While most Elite upgrades are pretty well-hidden, others are quite evident. The cabin got not only a face-lift but also an improved sound system. While Stefan and I were playing with the toys in the cockpit, Jessica Ketner, Honda’s ­corporate communications lead, and photographer Chris Carter rocked out in the back. It’s no wonder I thought the system was named after the infamous rocker Jon Bon Jovi. It is actually designed by the Bongiovi Acoustics Lab. A number of powerful transducers are incorporated into the sidewalls of the cabin, creating a smooth, sophisticated look.

Like many electronics these days, the sound system can be managed through an app that also gives passengers the ability to darken the cabin through electronically dimmable windows, and to change the lights and temperature. You can manage SiriusXM channels on the tablet too.

Passengers will also enjoy new seats with dual-toned leather. New storage compartments and coat hooks come standard. I have only experienced the cabin in cruise, and I find it very quiet; however, some passengers were bothered by a high-pitched sound during the climb phase. This has been addressed by adding an acoustic engine inlet liner.

USB power outlets, something that customers have come to expect during all forms of traveling, have become standard both in the cockpit and the cabin so that pilots and passengers can satisfy their addictions to screens. Previously only the pilot had power, and only through a standard power outlet.

Satellite connectivity is available through Iridium and Gogo Business Aviation’s Gogo Biz, providing internet service, the ability to make phone calls, and send and receive text messages within the Continental U.S. and some portions of Canada and Alaska. These services require additional equipment and a subscription plan.

It’s not just the passengers who will experience more tech while flying the Elite-upgraded HondaJet. Several improvements have been made to the Garmin G3000 flight deck, in addition to those already mentioned. Just like the new NXi version of G1000, the graphics processor is crisper and a lot quicker than its previous version. For preflight purposes, the weight-and-balance page now includes a graph that gives a quick indication of whether the airplane will be within the safe CG envelope. It also projects a CG curve for the entire flight, so you can see whether the weight and balance will remain inside the envelope for landing. The weight changes with the Elite also expanded the CG envelope by a full 1.5 percent MAC, and the ability to put an extra 100 pounds up front has made it easier to stay in the envelope too, Johansson says.

There are a host of standard features for the G3000 suite that were not even optional in the original HondaJet, such as plain-language TAFs and metars; takeoff- and landing-distance management; VNAV during the climb, cruise and descent; CCD VNAV on the vertical situation display; visual approaches; ADS-B In and the enhanced HSI map that Garmin users have grown to love.

Unlike most systems, ADS-B In in the HondaJet Elite does not provide subscription-free weather. It only provides the additional benefits of trend vectors to the traffic targets. For the G3000, weather will still have to come from SiriusXM.

However, you get the full benefits of ADS-B In on the iPad. Garmin’s Flightstream 510 enables wireless communication between the panel- mounted screens and an iPad through Garmin’s Pilot app. ADS-B traffic targets and weather can be shown on the moving map, and flight planning can be done on the iPad app and streamed directly into the panel-mounted ­system along with database updates.

Part of my HondaJet type rating ­training included learning the painstaking process of determining the V speeds for takeoff and landing by using paper booklets. Elite streamlines the process by calculating the takeoff-and-landing-data numbers for you, including distances and climb gradients, based on ­database ­information and pilot inputs on the touchscreen controllers.

During the descent, Johansson and I played around with the edge of the envelope. Stalls are a nonevent in the HondaJet. But what’s new with the Elite version is an angle of attack indicator that pops up beneath the speed tape of the PFD if the airplane gets near a stalled condition, serving as a reminder to reduce the angle of attack. The approach to stall, where the stick shaker activates, is indicated by a red-and-white barber pole, and the stall pusher activates at the red line.

Pilots who prefer to have the AOA gauge on all the time can select the feature in the PFD settings on the bottom of the PFD. Additionally, at the top of the PFD, there is a new icon that looks like a comb that has been bent at an angle. It is called the pitch-limit indicator, and it shows the pitch angle for which the stall shaker will engage in the current configuration. Johansson says it is also helpful to use as a guide for the pitch attitude in case you get into wind shear.

Another helpful new feature is the automatic speed-bug feature. The speed bug is at the top of the speed tape and can be manually set as well. The auto-speed bugs are driven by the speed schedule in the performance section, including the climb, cruise and descent schedule, waypoint speed constraints, and aircraft configuration. There is an aural alert when the speed target changes, unless it is a direct result of a pilot action, such as putting the gear or flaps down.

A. An AOA gauge will pop up at the bottom of the speed tape when the airplane starts getting too slow. B. The weight-and-balance page has been revamped to include a CG graph that shows the CG for the entire flight. All you have to do is to fill out the weights for each station. C. Rather than determine V speeds from paper documents, the system calculates them for you based on data entered in the touchscreen controllers. D. Like all of Garmin’s ­latest flight decks, the HondaJet Elite’s updated G3000 system has crisper screens and faster processors. E. Garmin’s Flight Stream 510 can be added to connect the system with an iPad, ­allowing for flight-plan transfers, ­wireless database updates and more.

Because there are no autothrottles in the HondaJet, there is a possibility of under-speeding the airplane if you forget to apply power when leveling off during a descent. The software in the Elite eliminates the chances of a stall by announcing an audible “airspeed” alert and showing a yellow “MINSPD” ­caution in the speed-bug box and nudges the nose down to a safer speed. This Under-Speed Protection mode activates at the pitch limit indicator and only if the flight director or autopilot is engaged; USP is an optional feature.

Another feature that reduces the chances of loss of control is CCD VNAV, which calculates a smooth path for climbs and descents that require multiple level offs. Rather than making stepdowns during a descent, the G3000 calculates a smooth path that the automatic flight control system can follow, taking all altitude constraints into consideration. This can be particularly useful in busy environments where STARs and approaches can command multiple stepdowns and altitude restrictions.

There is also a new visual-approach feature, which provides vertical and horizontal guidance. The visual approaches behave identically to an RNAV instrument approach as far as guidance on the PFD and MFD, and they will couple to the AFCS.

I also had a chance to test out the Electronic Stability and Protection system, which automatically nudges the nose down without the AFCS system engaged when the airplane gets slow and rolls the wings back toward level when exceeding 45 degrees. Two solid-white lines, which are normally at the 45-degree line, move to the 30-degree mark when the system engages and roll mode disengages automatically below 30 degrees of bank.

The roll mode can be disengaged by pushing and holding the red autopilot/trim disconnect button and, while it took a little force, I was able to overpower it without disabling it—which is the way the system is intended to work. Unless disengaged, the roll force required to remain in a steep bank get stronger the steeper the bank gets.

The HondaJet Elite is a speedy airplane with a clean ­airframe, and the speed brake comes in very handy during descents. However, it remains an option. If you can’t quite afford to take all of the options you desire, this is not one you should skimp out on.

The last new optional feature in the G3000 that I had a chance to check out in the airplane is the coupled takeoff/go-around feature. This means that I no longer had to hand-fly the airplane during our simulated missed approach. Instead, I pushed the TOGA button, and the autopilot ­automatically pitched for the flight director. All I had to do was to push the throttles forward, come around the pattern and bring the airplane back to land, easy as can be.

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