Honda Aircraft has pushed the HondaJet Echelon’s first flight to 2028 and type certification and first delivery to 2031 after supplier-related delays and continuing development work. The update came as the company completed the first Echelon wing assembly, keeping the next-generation light jet programme on track for its next manufacturing phase even as the schedule slips.
Final assembly of the first aircraft is targeted to begin in early 2027, with more than 70% of the parts required for that stage already on hand. Honda Aircraft has also set aside more than 88,400 square feet for Echelon manufacturing at its Greensboro, North Carolina, base. The revised timeline replaces earlier expectations for a quicker entry into service and lengthens the path to market for Honda’s flagship business aviation project.