HondaJet, which recently announced its first delivery in Europe at Germany’s Aero event, today said at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva it has officially received European certification from EASA. The HondaJet was certified by the FAA in December, and deliveries have already begun in the U.S. and Mexico as well as in Europe. EBACE, which opens officially tomorrow, has a sold-out static display with 60 aircraft, NBAA President Ed Bolen said. More than 450 exhibitors fill the exhibit hall, with the biggest footprint ever, and more than 13,000 people are expected to attend. Textron also released an update on its new turboprop design today.
Textron announced last August it would develop a new, clean-sheet single-engine turboprop design. Today, the company revealed further details, including performance specification targets, cabin features and the program’s timeline. The airplane will cruise at speeds up to 285 knots and fly up to 1,600 nm, Textron said. The cabin, which will be the widest for its segment, will seat up to eight passengers and feature a flat floor and a 53-inch-wide aft cargo door. The single-pilot cockpit will be equipped with Garmin’s G3000 touchscreen avionics suite.
The company has previously announced the airplane will be powered by a new engine by GE, with a five-blade McCauley prop. The company also said at EBACE it is accepting letters of intent from buyers. Textron said it has developed a cabin prototype, which it is showing to customers in Wichita, and plans to have it on display at this summer’s EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. First flight is targeted for 2018, and the price will about $4.5 million.
