Honda's new luxury jet with weird engine placement

[Gibsons]

Having the engines up high is usually associated with seaplanes and floatplanes to put them as far as possible from the water. Also on rough field capable planes to keep them away from runway debris. Neither of which would apply in this case.

More interior room? Ok, if they say so....

Seems like it would make servicing the engines difficult.

Underwing might be an option, but they'd have to use longer struts for the undercarriage or mount the wings higher. Plus the debris issue. Look how low to the ground it is.

 

[BUTCH1]

Needs bigger engines.

The Wiki page on it listed it's cruise speed @483MPH, that's fairly fast plus it's fuel-efficient, what I'm wondering about is the tiny size of those landing wheels although I'm sure Honda knows what they are doing..

 

[Gibsons]

The Wiki page on it listed it's cruise speed @483MPH, that's fairly fast plus it's fuel-efficient, what I'm wondering about is the tiny size of those landing wheels although I'm sure Honda knows what they are doing..

They look like they'd fit on a scooter.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Underwing might be an option, but they'd have to use longer struts for the undercarriage or mount the wings higher. Plus the debris issue. Look how low to the ground it is.

The other thing this picture shows off is that the interior cabin is, at best, four feet high. Good thing they have all that significant additional space from moving the engines to the wing. That'll make crouching in the aisles seem much roomier.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

No way am I trading in my Gulfstream 550 for that toy.

 

[ElFenix]

Having the engines up high is usually associated with seaplanes and floatplanes to put them as far as possible from the water. Also on rough field capable planes to keep them away from runway debris. Neither of which would apply in this case.

More interior room? Ok, if they say so....

Seems like it would make servicing the engines difficult.

you don't have to have the structure back there that you would if the engines were hanging out back there. so you get a private lavatory behind the seats. and then luggage behind that. honda says it has more cabin room inside than its competitors. :shrug:


looks like there's a small galley area in the front next to the stew's seat, immediately opposite the cabin door.

 

[KeithP]

That design also helps to keep noise out of the cabin.

-KeithP

 

[TridenT]

Worth a repost based on that question.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ar...-embarrassing-private-jet-flight-of-all-time/

Man, I couldn't read that in class. Too damn funny. Face hurts from smiling so damn hard.

 

[akahoovy]

nothing but air and liquid spraying out in all directions – a Jackson Pollock masterpiece


I am in tears. Thx.

I don't laugh myself to tears often enough. Thanks for that!

 

[manimal]

elite circles are small and a cheaper to run plane makes it easier to slush fund it

 

[Red Squirrel]

That's pretty cool, but yeah, does it have a bathroom? Other than the engines, that is probably one of the most important features of an airplane. :biggrin: It's not like a bus where you can ask to stop on the side of the road so you can go pee in the bush. Or worse, explosive diarrhea like in that story. :biggrin:

 

[Zenmervolt]

pretty wild.

Wild? Yes. New? No.

The plane's first flight was in 2003. It's been stuck in testing for the last 11 years, but it's not really "new" anymore.

ZV

 

[Kaido]

When you hit 40,000 feet, does VTEC kick in? (yo)

Probably gets great fuel economy too...it is a Honda, after all

 

[rh71]

Those chairs do not really look very big. Not much space for the legs. Uncomfortable with one leg against the cabinet/wall.

yup my first thought - you'd think the seats are one of the 1st things they'd design for.

 

[Oceanas]

 

[MongGrel]

That's the way to do it. Keep the engines away from the control/lift surfaces. My guess it's only practical because of the small size of the plane and engines, and new material technologies.

Yeppers.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I think it also reduces the amount of noise/vibration felt by the passengers? Since the engine is not attached to the body directly?

 

[Dari]

Worth a repost based on that question.

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ar...-embarrassing-private-jet-flight-of-all-time/

I doubt a banker wrote that. More like that Vampire Squid guy from Rolling Stones magazine.

 

[_Rick_]

Having the engines up high is usually associated with seaplanes and floatplanes to put them as far as possible from the water. Also on rough field capable planes to keep them away from runway debris. Neither of which would apply in this case.

More interior room? Ok, if they say so....

Seems like it would make servicing the engines difficult.

I think the advantage is you can go with the wings attached to the underside of the place, which frees up space, but conventionally, in small planes, needs the engine nacelles to be placed on the fuselage, as otherwise they'd have too low and you'd need extra long landing gear.
But if you put it on the fuselage, you need to route fuel to the engines from the wings, which reduces room inside the fuselage. By putting the on the wing, without disturbing lift, they thus save that room, and can use the low-wing configuration, which is probably advantageous for aircraft performance, construction and economy.

And less than 5 ft cabin height?

Maybe they'll hire shorty to serve the drinks.

 

[LTC8K6]

They have been flying these since 2003...

First flight 3 December 2003

Not sure why it's suddenly news.

The idea is far from new.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFW-Fokker_614