Honda Motor Co. began manufacturing engines Wednesday for its HondaJet small aircraft at a subsidiary in Burlington, North Carolina, and expects certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in the first quarter of next year.
The HF120 turbofan engine, developed jointly with U.S. electric equipment giant General Electric Co., is touted as being roughly 10 percent more fuel-efficient than competing engines of the same class and represents a major enhancement of the HondaJet's capability.
With capacity to build 500 engines per year, Honda also wants to supply some units to Sierra Industries Ltd., a U.S. aircraft maintenance company, in the hope of taking advantage of economies of scale.