Honda added another element to the business plan for its aviation ventures last month, when the Japanese carmaker announced the formation of Honda Aero Inc., a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. Led by Junichi Araki, the new business unit will employ only about 10 people and is scheduled to begin operations by year-end at a U.S. location to be determined. On the other side of the Pacific, Honda has consolidated its turbofan- and piston-engine research at the Wako Nishi R&D Center in Japan, combining the former Wako Research Center (turbofans) and the Asaka R& D Center (piston engines).
According to the company, Honda Aero will assume responsibility for commercialization, contract negotiations, procurement and preparation for production of the Honda HF118 turbofan engine. The new subsidiary “will take the lead in accelerating the development of business activities,” according to the company. Concurrently, the Wako Nishi facility will “accelerate research and development efforts in anticipation of mass production of the HF118 engine.”
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