Finance: I flew on Honda's new $4.5 million private jet and it's an absolute gamechanger

The $4.5 million HondaJet is an advanced private jet for everyday life. And no, it doesn't have VTEC.

• The HondaJet entered production in 2015.
• The jet has a range of around 1,400 miles with four passengers and can go from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in less than three hours.
• I took a ride in the $4.5 million HondaJet and was impressed by how smooth the flight was and how open the cabin felt.

Honda is a company known for its engineering excellence. It's also a company willing to take its time to get things right. For example, Honda famously spent a decade perfecting its second generation NSX supercar, Business Insider's 2016 Car of the Year.

Naturally, we weren't exactly shocked to learn that the company spent 30 years getting its first private jet off the ground. In 1986, Honda's aviation team led by a young aeronautical engineer named Michimasa Fujino began work on the company's ambitious foray into the aerospace industry. It was one of the final major projects greenlit by company founder and aviation enthusiast Soichiro Honda prior to his death in 1991.

In 2006, the Honda Aircraft Corporation was formed, with Fujino as its CEO, to develop, build, and sell the $4.5 million HondaJet.

"The power of dreams is both the force and the philosophy that guide us at Honda. Now, Honda proudly brings you to the pinnacle of engineering performance— the HondaJet," Fujino wrote on the company's website.

"The HondaJet is the world’s most advanced light business jet."

Recently, Business Insider had the opportunity to take a test flight on board of one of Honda's demonstrators at Morristown Airport in New Jersey.

Here's a closer look at our test flight:

We arrived at Morristown Airport on a sunny autumn morning. Sitting on the airport's tarmac, just feet away from President' Trump's personal helicopter, was a bright red HondaJet.

Overall, the HondaJet is 43-feet long and 15-feet tall with a 40-foot wingspan. The HondaJet is a small business jet whose rivals include...

... The Cessna Citation M2 (seen here) and the Embraer Phenom 100.

The jet is produced at Honda Aircraft's headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Immediately, you notice that the HondaJet doesn't look like your run-of-the-mill private jet. Honda is particularly proud of its nose and wing design that contribute the plane's performance.

According to Fujino, the nose of the plane was inspired by a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo high heels he encountered at a duty-free shop while on vacation in Hawaii.

And then there are the engines. The General Electric/Honda HF120 turbofan engines each capable of producing 2050 pounds of thrust.

And no. It doesn't have VTEC.

VTEC is Honda's world-famous variable value time and electronic lift control system found on many of its car engines. The system, which allows the engine to be fuel efficient a low RPMs while delivering an extra jolt of power at high RPMs, has become a pop culture icon among car enthusiasts.

What makes the HondaJet's engines special is where the company decided to mount them.

Instead of attaching them to the main fuselage, the HondaJet's engines are located on pylons above each wing.

According to Honda, this increases the Honda's cargo capacity while reducing cabin noise by isolating the engines away from the fuselage.

While the cabin itself is made of a carbon reinforced plastic composite. The composite fuselage is designed to be lighter and stronger than traditional aluminum construction.

Speaking of cargo. The HondaJet has a "trunk" in the back and...

... A "frunk" in the nose. Together the two cargo compartments can hold 66 cubic feet worth of stuff.

Time to take a look inside the plane.

Inside, the cabin is 17.8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 4.8 feet tall. As a result, most adults won't be able to stand up in the cabin.

The HondaJet can seat four passengers comfortably.

However, that number can up to six passengers if someone sits in the jump seat located by the door and in the co-pilots seat.

That's because the HondaJet is capable of single pilot operation. That is a major selling point of private jet owners who want to fly themselves around. No need to hire a co-pilot.

Located behind the passenger cabin is a private bathroom with a sink and...

... A toilet.

There's even a skylight in the bathroom ceiling.

So what is it like to be a passenger on the HondaJet? It's pretty freaking cool.

First, the HondaJet is a bit of a hot rod. Even with four passengers, bags and camera equipment, the little jet needed less than half of the runway's 6,000 feet to take off. The Honda climbs at 3,990 feet per minute.

While not as quiet and refined as the bigger and exponentially more expensive $20 million Embraer Legacy 500 we flew in recently, the $4.5 million HondaJet is peaceful enough to carry on a conversation without the need to raise your voice.

The large windows open, the HondaJet felt open and airy.

The HondaJet's seats feature an innovative floating ball joint system that allows it be infinitely adjustable.

In addition, the HondaJet is available with wi-fi and a touch screen cabin control system.

In the cockpit, the HondaJet is equipped with a fully integrated Garmin 3000 avionics suite.

The system features three large 14-inch high definition touch screens.

In addition, flight systems are neatly and intuitively organized on smaller secondary touchscreens.

According to a veteran pilot and HondaJet spokesperson we spoke with, he claims he could teach any novice how to use the plane's flights systems in less than five minutes.

As advanced as the HondaJet may be, there are also aspects of it that are decidedly old school. Unlike many next generation jets, the Honda features physical control system rather than fly-by-wire technology.

The HondaJet can also cruise at 485 mph at 30,000 feet. However, the plane can cruise as high as 43,000 feet. This means it's flying above the weather and most commercial traffic.

According to Honda, its first jet has a range of around 1,400 miles with four passengers. Even with a serious headwind, the HondaJet can do Boston to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in less than three hours. With four passengers, the planes can reach virtually any point on the east coast of the US and much of the Midwest.

The HondaJet officially entered production in 2015. The company is currently delivering about a plane per week to customers. If you want one, you'll have to get in line. Honda has a back log that runs into late 2018.

SOURCE - PULSE.NG posted by Campus94