At General Electric, the official corporate slogan is “Imagination at work.” At Honda, it’s “The power of dreams.” The two companies announced last month they have merged them in an alliance to develop, certify, market and support Honda’s 1,670-pound-thrust HF118 turbofan. The result could be one of the most innovative global alliances in business-aviation history.
Over the past several months, many within the industry have been speculating wildly on what Honda had in mind for its little turbofan and the unique HondaJet airframe on which a pair of them are mounted. Developed over many years with millions spent on research and development, both engine and airframe were kept under wraps and consistently downplayed by the Japanese carmaker. Honda insisted it had “no commercial plans” for the HondaJet, and the crystal ball remained foggy on its hopes for the small turbofan–until now.
More In Engines
