Aircraft overview

The Honda HondaJet HA-420 is a twin engine very light jet developed by Honda Aircraft Company in Greensboro, North Carolina. The conforming aircraft first flew in 2010, following an earlier proof of concept HondaJet first flown in 2003, and customer deliveries began in 2015. It is used primarily for owner flown business travel, corporate transport and light charter. The HA-420 is notable for its over the wing engine mount configuration, natural laminar flow wing and nose, and composite fuselage, all of which distinguish it from conventional light jet designs.

Performance & specifications

Typical published figures for the original Honda HondaJet HA-420 include a maximum cruise speed of about 422 knots, a service ceiling of 43,000 feet and an NBAA IFR range of approximately 1,223 nautical miles. Power comes from two GE Honda Aero Engines HF120 turbofans, each rated at about 2,050 pounds of thrust. Maximum takeoff weight is 10,600 pounds. Useful load and full fuel payload vary by equipment, interior and modifications, so buyers should review the current weight and balance report for each aircraft rather than relying on brochure figures.

Cabin & avionics

The HA-420 is commonly configured for one or two pilots and up to five passengers, with four club seats in the main cabin and an additional belted seat depending on layout. The cabin has a flat floor, large windows for the class and an aft private lavatory on many aircraft. Baggage capacity is divided between external and internal areas, which is useful for short business trips but should be checked against mission baggage needs. The flight deck is based on the Garmin G3000 suite, branded for the HondaJet, with touchscreen controllers, integrated flight management, synthetic vision capability and weather, traffic and terrain functions depending on subscription and installed options.

Buying & value

Used Honda HondaJet HA-420 aircraft compete with late model very light jets and entry level light jets, especially where speed, modern avionics and efficient short to mid range missions matter. Buyers should examine engine program status, HF120 time and cycles, avionics software level, service bulletin compliance, paint and composite condition, landing gear history and any damage repairs. Important distinctions include early production HA-420 aircraft, aircraft modified with the APMG performance package, and later HondaJet Elite, Elite S and Elite II versions, which add range, payload or equipment changes. Pricing is strongly influenced by variant, total time, program coverage and upgrade status.