Honda Aircraft Company
Honda subsidiary in Greensboro, North Carolina that designs and builds the HondaJet Elite II and is developing the larger HondaJet Echelon.
Overview
Honda Aircraft Company was founded in 2006 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda Motor and is based at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. It designs, builds, and supports the HondaJet Elite II, a light business jet known for its over-the-wing engine mounts and GE Honda HF120 engines. It is also developing a larger jet, the HondaJet Echelon. In September 2026 the company completed the first Echelon wing structure but at the same time pushed the programme back about three years, to a 2028 first flight and 2031 certification, citing supply chain problems. Design, flight test, production, and customer service are all on one campus, which is unusual and gives new hires exposure to the whole life of an aircraft.
Student Insights
Internship basics
The summer internship runs 10 to 12 weeks, pairs each intern with a dedicated mentor, and is open to rising sophomores through graduate students. Projects span engineering, manufacturing processes, and supply chain.
Interns do get hired
Honda Aircraft's own careers page profiles a flight test engineer who joined through its co-op/intern program while studying aerospace engineering and was offered a full-time job at graduation.
The new aircraft program has slipped
The HondaJet Echelon is the company's next aircraft, and the first test airframe is being built now. In September 2026 Honda moved first flight to 2028 and certification to 2031, about three years later than previously planned, citing supply chain problems. New aircraft programs do create design, test, certification, and manufacturing work, but this one will take longer than earlier announcements suggested, so read the latest company news before you count on it.
AI Outlook
Honda Aircraft is a conventional aircraft design and manufacturing company; no significant AI programs were identified.
Student Hiring
Typical Roles
Notable Programs
- HondaJet Elite II
- HondaJet Echelon
- GE Honda HF120 engine
Career Connections
AeroEd career pathways relevant to Honda Aircraft Company.