Honda Aircraft has launched an upgrade for older HA-420 HondaJets that includes features until now only available on recent iterations of the aircraft, such as the Elite S.
The Advanced Performance Modification Group S (APMG S) package is being offered to owners of classic versions of the light jet produced from service entry in 2015 and those with the original APMG reboot, introduced in 2018.
Enhancements include new avionics software and hardware including the Elite S’s advanced steering augmentation system, as well as a 136kg (300lb) increase in maximum take-off weight (MTOW) over the legacy HondaJet. There are also new graphical weight and balance features, enabling pilots to input loading and fuel data to estimate take-off and landing weights.
Honda Aircraft will install the modification at its Greensboro service centre in North Carolina and 21 authorised service facilities worldwide. It is currently only available on US-registered jets, but the company says overseas certifications are “planned to follow”.
“As we approach the tenth anniversary of our first HondaJet delivery, we are excited to provide our customers the opportunity to upgrade their aircraft with the advanced technology and performance of more recent iterations of the award-winning HondaJet,” says Amod Kelkar, senior vice-president and chief commercial officer at Honda Aircraft.
Greensboro-based Honda Aircraft introduced the Elite S variant in 2021 – with an increased MTOW and range capabilities – following it with the Elite II in 2023. The latter offers 1,547nm (2,865km) range, the most on any HondaJet iteration.
The Japanese-owned airframer has also been developing the all-new HA-480 Echelon, an aircraft based on the HA-420 but substantially larger and with Williams International FJ44-4Cs rather than the HondaJet’s GE Honda Aero Engines HF120s.
While the HA-420 is often classed as a very light jet, the 10-seat Echelon will compete with larger-cabin types such as the Embraer Phenom 300 and Cessna Citation CJ4. Honda Aircraft aims to fly the Echelon next year with certification targeted for 2028.
