Honda jets might haul NC economy into the 21st Century
Published December 11, 2015
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, December 11, 2015.
The news from Greensboro is good for the Triad's economy and may prove a boon for the entire state.
After 30 years of development, Honda has the go-ahead to start building small executive jet aircraft in its Greensboro plant. This could be one of North Carolina's most important manufacturing stories in the 21st century.
The Federal Aviation Administration this week awarded Honda the final clearance it needs to begin production of the four-to-six-passenger, $4.5 million jets that the company says are the fastest of their class and the most fuel-efficient. The aircraft have engines mounted above the wings and a carbon-composite fuselage. The company expects to build 80 to 100 of the jets a year in Greensboro and already has orders for at least 100.
This immediately makes North Carolina an important player in the aviation industry. Beyond the jobs it creates in the Triad region - currently 1,500 and rising - it also tells other companies that North Carolina is a good location for building complex, high-end products.
That, in the end, may be the best news to come out of the Honda startup. If North Carolina has the workforce to build Honda's new jets, we just got a lot more competitive.
