At this week’s European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, in Geneva, Switzerland, representatives from leading business-jet companies provided updates on their newest airplanes. Honda Aircraft Co. CEO Michimasa Fujino said the HondaJet is nearly ready for the final phase of flight testing, and the production line is ready to build customer aircraft. Construction is underway on a customer-service center in Greensboro, N.C., to provide aftermarket support. “Our team is working very hard to bring the HondaJet to market as quickly as possible,” Fujino said. The company said recently it expects certification in 2014. Officials from Embraer and Bombardier also provided updates.
Bombardier introduced a new model, the Challenger 350, an upgraded version of the 300, with new engines, avionics, and cabin-management features. The super-midsize jet is scheduled to start deliveries next year and will sell for about $26 million. Embraer officials said the Lineage 1000 jet has achieved steep-approach certification enabling it to land at airports like London City. The company also now has a Legacy 650 simulator available for training, and is expanding its customer support facilities in Europe.
