- Emergency Autoland (EAL) is designed to enable HondaJet Elite II aircraft to land autonomously in an emergency situation where the pilot has become incapacitated
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified EAL for U.S.-registered HondaJet Elite II
- Honda Aircraft Company is pursuing certification of EAL in other international markets
GREENSBORO, N.C., Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Honda Aircraft Company announced that the HondaJet Elite II has become the first production model twin-turbine very light business jet certified to equip Emergency Autoland (EAL), following certification of the system by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The installation of this technology has been highly anticipated by owners and operators of the HondaJet Elite II based in the United States, and Honda Aircraft Company is pursuing certifications from regulatory agencies in other markets to offer the same value to international customers.
“Adding Emergency Autoland to the HondaJet Elite II demonstrates our commitment to delivering new value to our customers,” said Honda Aircraft Company President & CEO Hideto Yamasaki. “I’m proud that our team is fulfilling on this promise by offering Emergency Autoland and giving our HondaJet Elite II customers greater peace of mind during every flight.”
About Emergency Autoland
As the name Emergency Autoland implies, the EAL system is designed to enable the aircraft to land autonomously in an emergency situation where the pilot has become incapacitated. The system may be initialized either by pushing a button to engage the EAL, or by automated monitoring systems, which can detect pilot unresponsiveness that may render EAL activation appropriate. When active, the EAL system automatically transmits an emergency code and conducts radio calls to alert air traffic control to the emergency. EAL-equipped aircraft can autonomously evaluate weather, terrain, fuel, and runway dimensions to select the optimal diversion airport, configure the aircraft for landing, navigate along the approach path, land the aircraft, and apply the brakes to a full stop on the runway.
In October 2024, the HondaJet Elite II became the first twin-turbine very light business jet to equip Autothrottle, a key technology related to the EAL system. Certification flight testing of EAL was completed in October 2025, paving the way for this latest achievement.
About Honda Aircraft Company
Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. responsible for the research, development, sales, marketing, customer service, and manufacture of the innovative HondaJet Elite II. Founded in 2006, Honda Aircraft's world headquarters is located in North Carolina. In 2023, the company announced plans to develop and produce the HondaJet Echelon, its newest 11-occupant aircraft which will be offered alongside the HondaJet Elite II. Cumulative HondaJet deliveries surpassed 250 planes globally in 2024. Honda Aircraft continues to advance the original challenging spirit of Honda embodied in the global Honda brand slogan “The Power of Dreams: How We Move You.”
Learn more with the Honda Digital FactBook.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a8101920-b45f-4603-b17b-55725dabb4f7
chris_martin@na.honda.com
