I got an email from a higher up at Honda and a phone call from another higher up at Honda. They were very apologetic and concerned.

I didn't start this thread to bash the product but I think that's what happened. Once again, I underestimate the power of BT. Word traveled really fast. I thought it was an entertaining story. The aviation world is small. Honda reacted very quickly. I wasn't looking for an apology. I learned my lesson. As entertaining as this thread is, if I had it do over, I wouldn't.

Which might be the reason there's no Honda Jet on the market, even though they've been showing it off for a decade.

So....when ya gonna be flying Honda approaches?....

Jason ,

Glad they were not threatening - sounds like a good move on their part, I saw it as these guys are hogging the gpu - not nice polite pilots.

Then ....

I predict that Honda will get the jet certified, and in production, and will enjoy a lot of success in the airplane building business. They didn't start the airplane company with any thoughts of possible failure. They didn't move into some old air force base's hangars; they built ground-up at a cost of $30,000,000.

How many other companies have started a certification process on small jets with the mega-billion $$ backing that Honda has? Answer: None I can think of.

Remember Toyota's Lexus? Everyone predicted failure because Americans at the time were buying Cadillacs, Mercedes, and BMW luxury cars. Then gradually the Lexus became the best-selling luxury car in the U.S. Today it ranks close to the German brands, trailing them by only a couple of percentage points. Honda hasn't done too badly with its luxury car, the Acura, either, ranking 4th in luxury car sales behind MB, BMW and Toyota's Lexus.

After success with small jets Honda will build bigger ones to compete with other companies mid-size jets. That may be ten years or more from now, but it will happen. The Japanese think in terms of decades, not years.

Wise Words Max.... Thus endeth the lesson......

I was talking with Dale Klapmeier shortly after the Chinese bought Cirrus and named him CEO... He was being beat up in the aviation press about it, and I asked him how it was going, and he said, "I can't tell you how nice it is to work for a company that takes the long view instead of the next quarterly report."

Scariest words I ever heard....

Listen up America, Invest your stock market money in companies that focus on the long view instead of your next account report... You will have more money when you retire, and America will be a better place for it....

Our short-sightedness in this country can't be blamed on Corporate America, it is a Wall Street problem.... All the money on Wall Street is hot and CEOs that don't deliver short term gains get to use their golden parachutes....

The long view will ultimately win every time and the mutual fund managers kill any public company making long term investments... Think about this, how would you write a business plan for a company to develop and produce 20 year old whiskey in America today?

The Chinese think in century's and generations.

Ok, maybe we got carried away with the ugly thing but their conduct was unexcusable. It's a fact that the airplane is "unusual". Any aircraft manufacturer that breaks the mold and does something different needs to be able to sell the benefits of those changes. That means taking EVERY opportunity to allow potential customers (and yes, more than a few tire kickers) into the plane. In the corporate jet sales business, you NEVER know who you're dealing when someone shows interest on the ramp. They are on that ramp for a reason. They are either the owners or the operators of something that flies. That means they are potential customers! If it were me, I would realize that my product looked different and I would be prepared to go overboard to get people inside the plane ( or conference room if the jet wasn't complete inside) where I could have one on one time with them to explain why my product was different and why these changes are beneficial. If their security (?) screwed up, they need to train them. If it was someone else's security (Elvis?) then I guess it's forgivable but it's common for high profile customers to have private showings inside hangars.

Jason was/is a potential customer. He flies an airplane that broke the mold (PC12). He deserved better. I'm happy that Honda called him and apologized. I apologize for getting carried away with the ugliness.

Just one last question. Would it be people bashing to post a sumo wrestler photo?

That was very nice of them to call and be concerned. People out testing the jet are inadvertent ambassadors for the company. Sounds like nice people.
I wish them well.

Really? And 100 years ago is this where they saw themselves? Same for the Japanese, in 1930 where did they see themselves today?

Scott,

While 1/4 quotas and results mater in general these folks think longer term then most of western world, the Honda 50 - decades later - Goldwing was outselling the HD brand by far . Same as our friend Max points out. It's not a crystal ball with perfect focus but look at what was done - 1950 japan was rebuilt china had little trade with us except coolies for labor ( practically slaves ) Now - our money goes to their mainland. I work with folks how produce goods there, we can't sell them there with out - exporting them and then importing them back ( weird I know ) . Did we see that ?

In typical human nature, the BTer's piled on. (Myself excluded of course.)


Shows good thinking on their part to reach out to you the way they did.


I know that I and many others here were optimistic when we first started hearing that Honda was getting into the Jet market. The thoughts that immediately entered my mind were ones of economies of scale, technological advantage and engineering prowess.

I was not surprised by the actions of the goons at the fbo though, unfortunately Honda has earned a bit of a reputation as being the 800lb gorilla in the various industries they're already in. Dealing with them from an Automotive Dealers perspective, often left me with the distinct feeling of being bullied or being reminded that the tail wouldn't be wagging the dog. I've seen it with their generator side as well.

Giving credit where it's due, they build superior products. Period. Although they didn't start out as great vehicles with incredible dependability, they've become quite the leader.

Soooooo, here's hoping that they truly did see the error of their ways, that their folks will be more civil in the future and that they get that jet to market sooner than later.

When is Toyota going to join the 21st century and build a plane too?

They already have the prospective customer lists @ their Lexus dealers..

What do you want to bet that the security guys who hassled Jason were US contractors. All of the Japanese Honda R&D folks that I have ever had the pleasure to meet have been overly polite.

Wold we have an 8 page thread if they said sure use the GPU, here's a totally cool Honda Jet hat ? Gorilla press ..