GKN Aerospace won the HondaJet fuselage development contract in 2009. Initial development and certification of component fabrication, fuselage assembly and production work has been completed by teams at GKN Aerospace’s Tallassee, Alabama, USA, facility.
GKN has now started manufacturing the fuselage in Alabama.
The HondaJet fuselage, designed by the Honda Aircraft Company, is constructed of composites co-cured integrally in an autoclave. Honda says that the combination of co-cured integral structure and honeycomb sandwich structures lessens manufacturing complexity and produces a lighter fuselage structure that allows greater fuel efficiency. It also contributes to a larger interior cabin space.
The HondaJet also features a natural laminar airfoil and nose design, and an over-the-wing engine configuration.
The HondaJet is designed to carry two crew and five passengers. It will be manufactured at Honda Aircraft’s headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.
