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364781
Fri, 04/24/2015 - 01:38
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HondaJet Flies over Japan for 1st Time

Tokyo, April 23 (Jiji Press)--The HondaJet, an advanced light jet plane developed by Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. <7267> in the United States, flew over Japan for the first time on Thursday. After the flight, the plane landed at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda. It took a little over half a century for Honda to achieve the milestone of flying its original aircraft over Japan after its founder Soichiro Honda declared in 1962 that the automaker would enter the aviation business. The flight to Japan marks the beginning of the small business jet's world tour, during which it is scheduled to travel 26,000 miles and stop in more than 13 countries, Honda said. In Japan, it will make appearances in special events at Sendai Airport in Miyagi Prefecture on Saturday, Kobe Airport in Hyogo Prefecture on Sunday, Kumamoto Airport in Kumamoto Prefecture on Wednesday, Konan Airport in Okayama Prefecture on May 2-3 and Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture on May 4. These events will include static displays of the jet and flight demonstrations. The HondaJet features engines mounted on the top of the wings, while conventional business jets have engines on the rear end of the fuselage. The engines were jointly developed with General Electric Co. With the unique over-the-wing-engine-mount configuration to reduce aerodynamic drag, the plane's fuel economy is some 17 pct better than its rivals, Honda officials said. The design also has made the cabin roomier, they noted. Honda plans to sell the aircraft with a seating capacity of seven for 4.5 million dollars. The company already has received purchase orders for more than 100 units, chiefly from European and U.S. business owners. Delivery of the HondaJet will start after a final-type certification is issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Honda said, adding it expects to receive the certification shortly. END

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