- HondaJet Elite II anticipated to become first twin turbine very light business jet with Emergency Autoland
- System can transmit a distress signal to air traffic control if the pilot becomes incapacitated in-flight, with the automated controls able to navigate the aircraft to land at an airport
GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Honda Aircraft Company today announced that it has successfully completed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification flight testing for its Emergency Autoland (EAL) system on the HondaJet Elite II under Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). The HondaJet Elite II is anticipated to become the first twin turbine very light business jet equipped with Emergency Autoland.
The FAA’s TIA signifies that the aircraft and its systems meet all design and safety requirements and are ready for final evaluation by FAA test pilots. The successful completion of these flight tests paves the way for full certification and future deployment of the system.
In the event of an in-flight incident wherein the pilot becomes incapacitated and is no longer able to safely land the aircraft, Emergency Autoland will have the ability to transmit a distress signal to air traffic control and then use automated controls to navigate the aircraft to land at an airport. This application of Emergency Autoland will provide HondaJet operators additional peace of mind in the air, building on a strong legacy of technological innovation and safety-consciousness at Honda Aircraft Company.
“Emergency Autoland was one of the first programs we announced when I assumed leadership of Honda Aircraft Company and I’m incredibly proud of our engineers for their commitment to realize this capability for our customers,” said Honda Aircraft Company President & CEO Hideto Yamasaki. “We sincerely appreciate the patience of our customers and are very excited to be so close to certification for our HondaJet Elite II aircraft.”
Emergency Autoland will be a significant new feature of the HondaJet Elite II, the current production model of Honda Aircraft Company’s state-of-the-art very light business jet. The successful certification of autothrottle for the HondaJet Elite II in October 2024 paved the way toward this latest achievement.
About Honda Aircraft Company
Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. responsible for the research, development, sales, marketing, customer service, and manufacture of the innovative HondaJet Elite II. Founded in 2006, Honda Aircraft’s world headquarters is located in North Carolina. In 2023, the company announced plans to develop and produce the HondaJet Echelon, its newest 11-occupant aircraft which will be offered alongside the HondaJet Elite II. Cumulative HondaJet deliveries surpassed 250 planes globally in 2024. Honda Aircraft continues to advance the original challenging spirit of Honda embodied in the global Honda brand slogan “The Power of Dreams: How We Move You.”
Learn more with the Honda Digital FactBook.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c1f745ba-250e-45d0-b480-5a33ff82d489