According to Volato, it expects to receive its first HondaJet Elite II in 2023, with the last coming in 2025. The new jet was announced at the 2022 National Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in October.
Volato is a startup private charter company that only launched revenue operations in August 2021. Customers can choose to be fractional owners of one of its planes, or pay for a one-off charter.
The company is already a big customer for the manufacturer with 17 HondaJet planes currently in its fleet, meaning it'll operate over 40 once deliveries of the new jet are complete.
Since its launch, the operator has grown with more aircraft and bases and has become a popular private charter option for deep-pocket travelers.
The expansion includes an order for four 10-seater Gulfstream G280 super midsized aircraft, which will provide more offerings to Volato customers, Liotta told Insider.
Hourly rental rates for the HondaJet and the G280 start at $4,000 and $6,550, respectively, but owners get a discount.
"We currently have more demand than inventory to support," Volato CEO Matt Liotta told Insider in September.
The executive told Forbes in October that even the large Elite II order won't be able to "satisfy" the demand: "If Honda would sell us more jets, we would buy more," he said. "We would have liked more."
According to the manufacturer, the new model will replace the Elite S, as well as the original Elite and HondaJet, meaning customers can only buy the Elite II.
Like Volato's current fleet of HondaJets, the Elite II can seat up to five passengers and two pilots, with two sets of swiveling loungers and stowable tables in the main cabin…
In fact, when the jet enters service, it will be the fastest, highest, and longest-ranged private aircraft in its class with a maximum speed of 485 miles per hour and a cruising altitude of up to 43,000 feet.
Moreover, the Elite II's improved efficiency will reduce fuel consumption by an average of 8,000 gallons per year, which can be attributed, in part, to its two GE Honda Aero HF120 engines.
Moreover, it allows for more space in the aft luggage compartment because the engines do not create an indent in the fuselage, according to the company.
While current HondaJets are commonly seen with grey or red paint jobs, the new Elite II can be wrapped in a bold new black livery, which "further differentiates the ramp appeal of the aircraft."
…while steel features a grey color scheme with marble accents. HondaJet said the reimagined looks offer a "modern luxury of flight experience" and creates a "tranquil space for both passengers and pilots."
In the cockpit, sheepskin covers are available for the pilot seats, as well as an optional configuration that offers three more inches of legroom and an extended seat track.
The company said this effort will improve the company through "automation, augmentation, and situational awareness technologies" that will "enhance operational safety and reduce pilot workload."
“The HondaJet Elite II once again pushes the boundaries of its category on all fronts of performance, comfort, and style,” Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO Hideto Yamasaki said.
In addition to the Elite II, the company is also producing the larger HondaJet 2600, which will be the world's first light aircraft that can journey coast-to-coast nonstop.
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