Honda Jet Corporate Flight

Honda Corporate Jet Department

Departmental Analysis: Honda Corporate Jet Department

Background of Honda Aviation Department

The department of Honda Jet bears its beginnings in Honda Aviation. The journey to the aviation industry began when engineer Michimasa Fujino, initiated the vision in 1986 of Honda's participation in research and development in advanced airborne Honda (Honda, 2012). Close to four decades later, the vision is almost a realization as Honda Jet is now in its developmental and implementation stage. Therefore, Honda Jet is an apprehension of a decade long dreams that inspired innovation in aircraft design. The main aim of the development of Honda jet is the need for a light jet that is more efficient, advanced, and elegant (Business Wire, 2012). Through experiments, research, and exploration, Honda engineers now see the Honda Jet come to realization in the next year. The company's research and development team, along with engineers for the aviation industry are working on a corporate jet innovation. This innovation is an integration of technologically advanced aircraft design.

Honda Corporate Jet Development

The department of Honda Jet is in Northern Carolina, Greensboro, built in 2006. The local government made a contribution of $1.4 million in incentives in 2006 to assist Honda develop its Jet project. In addition, Honda Jet received 70 acres of land at the Piedmont Triad International Airport to start the project. Further, 30 acres were available for the expansion of the project (Business Wire, 2012). By the end of 2007, Honda Jet project had completed the first buildings at the airport, marking the first phase of the project. However, actual production of the corporate jets began in October of 2012. The department is mainly a research and development mainly dealing with the development of executive jets. The department's research and development functions are innovation, efficiency, performance, quality, comfort, and specifications. Innovations at the department also entail the development of engines mounted over the wings; part of a 20-year project. The innovation promises to reduce the level of noise, increase fuel efficiency, and increase cabin space. The second innovation entails the use of natural laminar flow in its main wing airfoil and the fuselage nose to reduce aerodynamic drag (Honda, 2012). The advantage of this innovation is that it promises to increase in speed by providing high cruise speeds while reducing fuel consumption. The third innovation strategy is the use of lightweight carbon fiber composite that is stronger and lighter than the traditional aluminum material (Business Wire, 2012). In addition, the fuselage is from a combination of honeycomb sand co-cured materials in a sandwich structure. The cockpit is an advancement over regular corporate jets as it uses a Garmin G3000 all glass avionics touch screen technology (Business Wire, 2012). The cockpit has dual touch screen capabilities with 14-inch high-resolution displays for better navigation, control, and flight planning.

Honda Jet also has a team of engineers working on its efficiency by using less fuel and by lesser emissions of hydrogen dioxide. The need for environmental conservation and protection is the drive behind increased efficiency. This is also with the mounting of engines on wings to reduce the level of noise emitted. Efficiency also makes up Honda Jet's environmental and corporate social responsibility. The department is making an assurance to care for the environment for posterity reasons through the "Blue Skies for our Children" initiative (Honda, 2012). It is also responsible for sustainability insights in the department, in cost and fuel efficiency.

In addition, the Honda Jet department is responsible for the creation of comfort in Honda aircrafts. The building of the cabin in the corporate jet is on the classic club configuration for four executives with an optional side for the fifth seat. The cabin is to offer more space and legroom for executives for freedom of movement. The desire of Honda Jet cabin is to have executive jets with ample working space, relaxation, and quiet place, with executive fully functional lavatory.

To achieve quality and innovation, the Honda Jet headquarters in Greensboro, has a large investment in its projects. The department has an operational and advanced manufacturing facility. This is the main facility for Honda's global research and development center run by many associates and engineers from 40 nations of the world.

Current Business Strategies and Production Activities

The Honda Corporate Jet Department has several business activities in implementation following its strategic plan for 2013. The department is currently working on its executive jet in its Greensboro, North Carolina plant (Business Wire, 2012). The project's budget is an estimate of $100 million, with the company hoping to unveil its first executive, corporate jet in 2013. Honda Aircraft Company has currently created 283 jobs with this project with an average salary of $70,000. This is a significant boost for the local employment since it is twice the average wage for the state (Business Wire, 2012). Honda's corporate jet expansion plan also covers its corporate office in Piedmont Triad International Airport, where the company is making the next generation six-sitter Honda-jet. The company's business strategy entails the creation of state of the art corporate jets that target the business, presidential, and corporate sectors. The piedmont office is focusing its resources and strategies on building lightweight corporate or business aircrafts that are faster and fuel efficient than the executive jets.

Honda Jet Current State and Capacity

By the end of October 2012, Honda Jet had begun commercial mass production of its executive, corporate jet. This is after the company successfully achieved key testing milestones with the jet during the research and development stage. The department is capable to mass-produce the corporate jets, after the completion of its assembly line for jet production (Business Wire, 2012). Currently, the company has tested and produced fuselage and wings, making it easier to assemble the first corporate jet for clients. To meet the consumer demand and meet the standards of the aviation industry, Honda jet is making use of lean production activities. Lean production increases productivity, efficiency, while cutting back on waste. This production technique makes up Honda Jet's core strategy in its assembly line as it strives for standardization of production and elimination of defects (Business Wire, 2012). The lean production activity is similar to the Japanese lean production process, but Honda jet is making use of its own production process. The company is developing and implementing its unique production process to improve on device, focus on operator work instructions in the assembly floor (Business Wire, 2012). The operator work instructions are in a tablet device, giving technicians the capability to see the graphical interface of the corporate jet. This makes it easier for technicians and assembly workers to visualize the jet's blue prints in comparison to the traditional paper and ink blue prints (Business Wire, 2012). Moreover, the tablet instructions are custom made for each technician by focusing on their tasks and duties. The advantage of this production technique is it has reduced production time and increase efficiency since it allows for real-time change management on the assembly line.