In our cover story Echelon on top, Amod Kelkar, chief commercial officer, Honda Aircraft Company tells us how the new jet promises to take the company from “start-up to mainline player”. We trace the origins of the new aircraft, how it got its name, plus why the manufacturer has moved from its dealership model to direct sales in some regions. CJI also talks to Michelle Hoover, founder and president, Global Elite Aviation about how the new jet is likely to be received by the market.

From aircraft to the connectivity solutions that keep them linked in flight to the outside world. Our latest exclusive research, conducted in partnership with Viasat, revealed soaring expectations from on-board connectivity solutions. Kai Tang, head of Business Aviation, Viasat said: “Business aviation in-flight connectivity has always been a fast-changing market. If you look at the insights from CJI’s annual survey over the years, it’s clear the pace of change has accelerated.”

Our feature Top connectivity trends: More, more, more charts the pace of that change in six key questions.

We stay with expectations in our next feature, Business aviation: Going electric. Business aviation has always been a testbed for aerospace innovation, so how will the sector respond to the challenges and opportunities of eVTOL aircraft? Our special report seeks answers from: Chris Rocheleau, chief operating officer, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Scott Cutshall, senior vice president, Strategy and Sustainability at Clay Lacy and David Shilliday, vice president and general manager, Advanced Air Mobility at Honeywell plus others.

Two company profiles in the latest issue profile Wulf Aviation and Axis Aviation. Our feature Wulf Aviation: On the hunt for jet sales reports how the Mexico City-based company is using the latest AI technology to drive the sale of business aircraft. “We want to grow into becoming the number one broker in all Latin America,” says company co-founder Franco Curiel.

Axis Aviation has similarly bold ambitions. Niall Olver, the firm’s CEO explains in Axis Aviation: ‘On a mission to modernise’ how the business is on a quest to modernise what he describes as “an antiquated industry”.

The CJI events reported in this issue, located in London and Latin America, drew nearly 1,000 visitors. CJI London 2024 conference attracted more than 570 delegates to the heart of London. Top of the agenda was the importance of learning “new dance steps,” as US pre-owned aircraft sales returned to more normal trading conditions. “Sellers will need to dance again [with prospective buyers] to court them and be more fluid [to close sales],” said Matt Rosanvallon, director Sales and Acquisitions, Freestream Aircraft.

Speeding the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was the focus of this conference of our SAF London conference.

Meanwhile, CJI Latin America drew nearly 300 business leaders in Latin American business aviation who shared their upbeat views on industry prospects for the region.

The last two sections deliver handy key information on modern business jets and asks Benoit Defforge seven key questions.

Jet Data delivers all the key numbers on the latest business jets. From price tags to performance metrics, our handy guide offers an at-a-glance summary of the market.

Finally, Benoit Defforge, CEO of private jet brokerage Stanton & Partners Aviation reveals how the Anglo French Concorde fired his passion for aviation. In Life in seven questions: Benoit Defforge, he explains how he got into business aviation, what was his best business decision and what advice he would give to his younger self.

Read the lastest version of Corporate Jet Investor Q2 2024, here. Also, you can sign up for your free print copy here.

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David Guetta’s 2011 Titanium is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head. (Apologies if this has now happened).
Aircraft and engine manufacturers have also been obsessed with titanium since the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Before February 2022, aircraft manufacturers would regularly meet with Russia’s VSMPO-Avisma – a state-owned metals company – to buy titanium. Now they will not even answer its calls.

Titanium alloys are an aircraft and aircraft engine designer’s dream – featuring high-tensile strength-to-density ratio, corrosion resistance, crack resistance and their ability to withstand high temperatures. Kings Research values the current market at $4.14bn – it estimates it will reach $7.01bn by 2030. About 30% of all titanium sponge (the first stage in titanium processing) ends up in aviation.

Russia’s VSMPO supplied a quarter of all the world’s titanium on its own. It was the biggest single titanium supplier to both Airbus and Boeing. But aircraft manufacturers have successfully managed to cut this reliance remarkably quickly.

Outside Russia, leading suppliers of titanium ores are Australia, Canada, China, Kazakhstan and Mozambique. Norge Mining, an Anglo-Norwegian company, has recently announced a significant new titanium discover in Norway.

“Boeing has been pretty successful at continuing to source precious metals for our production needs, due to its diversified supply chain,” Alex Fecteau, director of Marketing, BBJ told CJI. “Our inventory and diversity of titanium sources provide sufficient supply for airplane production, and we continue to take steps to ensure long-term continuity.”  Boeing buys most of its titanium from the US.

Outside Russia, leading suppliers of titanium ores are Australia, Canada, China, Kazakhstan and Mozambique. Norge Mining, an Anglo-Norwegian company, has recently announced a significant new titanium discover in Norway.

Honda Aircraft Company says the scarcity of less precious commodities was more pressing, according to Amod Kelkar, chief commercial officer and vice president Customer Service. For example, sourcing polyurethane foam and carbon fibres was proving difficult. “Supply chain challenges are not something we face directly but indirectly through our suppliers,” Kelkar told us.

Embraer Executive Jets has seen the same. “The supply chains are challenged but we do a really good job of making stock available,” Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO told us. “You move products around and we moved titanium, so it [shortages] is not impacting anything seen at this time. There will be stresses in the system – but it’s more a question of logistics.”

The US sanctioned VSMPO in September 2022. But by then, manufacturers had already largely stopped buying.

Didier Kayat, CEO of turboprop manufacturer Daher, agrees: “We had an issue with titanium. But there is no issue with titanium anymore.”

As aircraft purchasing managers can sing: “You shoot me down, but I won’t fall. I found titanium.”

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To qualify for the accreditation, Certified Pre-Owned, each HondaJet must first pass a full, pre-purchase inspection covering more than 208 points on the aircraft. All HondaJets that meet the certification standards will receive one initial pilot type rating and a Honda parts and service credit equal to six months of either the P2 and P3 maintenance programmes.

All CPO aircraft will also be included on the manufacturer’s FlightReady and Engine Maintenance Care programmes, which are transferable to the purchaser. The programme facilitates direct collaboration with the company’s factory-employed sales professionals who are the foremost product experts on the HondaJet and the light jet market.

The commitment from the beginning of the ownership experience reflects Honda Aircraft’s dedication to customer satisfaction throughout the entire ownership lifecycle, according to the company. “Reserved exclusively for pre-owned aircraft that meet our most stringent requirements, the designation of Certified Pre-Owned ensures the customer is receiving the highest quality, most up-to-date version of the aircraft,” it said.

The new CPO programme is available to customers across the Americas, Europe, and Asia through the company’s authorised sales network. Customers can access both the certified and non-certified pre-owned HondaJet inventory on the company’s official website.

Amod Kelkar, chief commercial officer, Honda Aircraft Company said pre-owned aircraft have become an increasingly important entry point for  HondaJet owners. “The CPO programme extends our commitment to excellence to all aspects of the long-term ownership experience and ensures that all HondaJet owners, both current and future, will have the best ownership experience and peace of mind, regardless of their position in the ownership journey,” said Kelkar.

The global HondaJet fleet exceeds 185,000 flight hours and has grown to more than 230 aircraft.

Meanwhile, last month Honda Aircraft Company revealed its plan to launch of the HondaJet 2600 Concept aircraft in 2028.

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Jet It grounded its 21-strong fleet of HondaJets on Friday May 19th. Initially, the company blamed safety problems with the HondaJet aircraft but later went on to also ground its Phenom 100 aircraft. On Wednesday May 24th, Jet It told owners it would no longer operate their aircraft.

Responding to questions raised by Jet It about the safety of HondaJet aircraft, Amod Kelkar, the manufacturer’s chief commercial officer and vice president, Customer Service said: “The HondaJet remains a reliable and safe aircraft to operate, and we reaffirm our confidence in the aircraft’s safety through our engineering and analysis.”

Honda also revealed today it had formed a team to help Jet It owners find alternative aircraft management options for their aircraft. The manufacturer is to provide fractional owners with free aircraft parking at its headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina for up to 90 days. The offer includes the provision of pilot services to relocate the aircraft to the Honda Aircraft Company’s facility. The offer is intended to ensure a smooth transition for impacted fractional owners of the HondaJets, said the light jet manufacturer.

“We understand the challenges faced by fractional owners who have been impacted by the suspension of their aircraft management after being released from contract by Jet It and are now seeking alternative arrangements,” said Kelkar from Honda Aircraft Company . “Consistent with our dedication to customer satisfaction, we have developed and established this assistance plan for those HondaJet owners in need of additional support during this transition period.”

Volato reported significant interest in its services from Jet It owners after the fleet was grounded. The fractional firm is offering HondaJet owners short-term leases and relocation pilots, Volato told Corporate Jet Investor. Don’t miss our One Minute Week newsletter for the latest insight on what the Jet It suspension means for the private jet industry.

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Not just a summary of the weather at the NBAA-BACE event in Orlando, Florida last week. It also captures views on the short-term prospects for business aviation.

Which brings us to the R word for recession. Is one inevitable? Has it started already? And what can the industry do to mitigate its impact? We tried to build a snapshot of what the future might hold by canvassing industry views.

“It’s already here – it’s happening now,” is the view of Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “But it’s not so much are you in it or out of it. The key questions are: ‘How severe will it be and what will be the industry impact?’”, he tells CJI. 

The big driver, for Amalfitano, is inflation – things are costing more. “So, whether it’s the gas [fuel] you put in your car or some part of the build of materials that goes into an aircraft – it will have to be passed on, at some point, in all aspects.”

Embraer’s long-term focus on lean enterprise efficiency, whether on the Porsche or Toyota approach, enables the business to face the future with confidence, says Amalfitano. “We have learned from those who have excellent experience in lean philosophies to take waste out of the system. When that happens, you become more efficient even when you have a recessionary climate looming on the horizon.” But so far, no buyers have dropped or delayed aircraft purchases on fears about world markets, he adds.

Éric Trappier, CEO, Dassault Aviation worries about the economic and humanitarian impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Energy supplies and pricing, inflation and interest rates and the continuing effects of the global pandemic – particularly on the supply chain from China – were further concerns. “Do we expect an economic crisis or recession in the coming weeks? Yes, there is a risk,” he tells CJI. 

“We are not sure. And those who know are not so few that 50% are right.” But with robust sales of business jets and the continuing sale of Rafale fighter jets (with an order for a further 42 expected next year), the OEM’s profitability is secured for at least the next 10 years, according to Trappier.

Honda Aircraft Company also highlights the contribution of “efficient, more capable and more automated product” in helping the industry navigate recessionary pressures. After the launch of the HondaJet Elite II – said to be the fastest, highest, and farthest flying aircraft in its class – Pete Kriegler, vice president, Sales tells CJI: “There are certain economic indicators that we are all watching – the thread is there for a global recession …”. But even in economic downturns, demand for private aviation remains resilient, he adds. 

His colleague Amod Kelkar, head of Commercial Business Unit, vice president Customer Service noted recession could even boost some categories. “If there is a recession, the tendency to fly on charter or fractional ownership will be an even more economical justification. We feel in our space, recession may not have the [same] trajectory, but it will certainly not flatten up. We expect growth.”

Since the NBAA-BACE event was staged almost within camera shot of Disney Studios, let’s leave the last word to the great man himself. Walt had a very particular, and characteristically American, view about economic down-turns. “I have heard there is going to be a recession. I have decided not to participate.”

Above: Ed Bolen, president and CEO, NBAA (right) on duty at the NBAA-BACE static demonstration last week. Top: Walt Disney: American animator, film producer, entrepreneur and recession pundit.

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The upgrade offers owners and operators the latest performance and avionics software which could increase the maximum takeoff weight by 200lbs, allowing customers to fly up to 120nm (223kms) further at a higher payload or with an additional passenger.

The new software includes the option to install FAA Datacom and Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), both of which are messaging systems which allow the transmission of text between aircraft and air traffic control, replacing voice communications. The FAA said this is more efficient and safer than voice communication as it reduces the chance of a read-back error while relaying information and allows controllers to send text instructions to several aircraft at once.

The third benefit of the new software, according to Honda, is the addition of the Advanced Steering Augmentation System (ASAS). This software, which is available pre-installed in model Elite-S aircraft, will reduce pilot workload due to increased crosswind operational capability.

“This upgrade package is another testament of our continued efforts in customer service to provide upgrade options to our ever-growing fleet,” said Amod Kelkar, head of Commercial Business and vice president of Customer Service, Honda Aircraft Company. “We remain committed to setting a new standard in business aviation by advancing innovative design and engineering solutions to our existing customer base.”

The upgrade will be available for installation at the company’s service centres around the globe, beginning in the US later this year.

The HondaJet Elite S, which comes with the ASAS system installed, was launched in May last year as an upgrade to the 2018 HondaJet Elite model. 

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