Honda Aircraft Says Greensboro's The Place
Honda Aircraft Company announced Friday it has selected the site
to manufacture its upcoming light jet: North Carolina's Piedmont
Triad International Airport (KGSO).
The Greensboro News-Record reports Honda will build the new
plant adjacent to its headquarters at the airport.
"We all know that North Carolina is home to the first flight and
now Honda Aircraft knows it has a place for its new HondaJet to
really take off," said North Carolina Governor Mike Easley.
Construction on the new manufacturing facility will start
immediately, according to news reports, and is scheduled to be
wrapped up by November. Local officials expect the facility to
create 283 high-paying jobs over the next five years.
"For five years, Greensboro has served as the home of HondaJet,
as we have worked to take our dream from the drawing board to the
sky," said Honda Aircraft President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. "I
wanted to stay away from the big aviation community. Atlanta and
the aviation community was close enough, but Greensboro was also
far enough away. Greensboro was a good size, a good
combination."
State and local governments approved over $8 million in
incentives and other grants for the project. Thursday, Guilford
County commissioners wrapped up the final portion of a $1.4 million
local incentive package for the company by a 9-1 vote.
"Normally I hesitate on incentives," said Commissioner Kay
Cashion. "There's no way that I could possibly hesitate on voting
for this."
Initial cost of construction will be about $60 million,
one-third of which is for equipment.
As Aero-News reported, Honda
established the Honda Aircraft Company last August to oversee
development, construction, and sales of its $3.65-million, six-seat
VLJ. The company expects first deliveries by 2010, with average
sales of about 70 planes per year.
Representatives with Piper Aircraft were quick to say Honda's
decision to build the HondaJet in Greensboro does not mean Piper
will also chose to build its own VLJ, dubbed the PiperJet, at the
same facility. The two manufacturers announced a
business partnership at AirVenture 2006.
"Honda’s decision will have no impact on Piper’s
ongoing analysis related to the best location to build the
PiperJet," said Piper spokesman Mark Miller. "Piper continues to
enjoy a strong cooperative relationship with Honda as both
companies develop their respective jet programs."