Four months after kicking off deliveries to U.S. customers, Honda Aircraft Company (HAC) has delivered the first HondaJet into Europe. The announcement was made during a ceremonial delivery at AERO 2016, which is taking place in Friedrichshafen, Germany from 20th-23rd April. The aircraft will be operated by Rheinland Air Service, the exclusive HondaJet dealer for Central Europe.

The entry-level HondaJet stands out with its Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration. Other innovations include a natural-laminar flow wing and composite fuselage developed from long-term Honda research activities. It is powered by two GE Honda Aero Engine HF120 engines.

The delivery marks another step forward for the much-delayed programme, which has suffered more than its fair share of technical problems during development. Certification was finally obtained in December 2015, 12 years after the first flight and a full five years later than initially scheduled.

The HondaJet is manufactured at HAC’s world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. HAC is a subsidiary of Japan’s Honda Motor Company.