GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC.

What GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC. does

GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC is a 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace (a General Electric subsidiary) and Honda Aero, Inc. (a Honda Motor subsidiary), established in 2004 to design, manufacture, and support the HF120 turbofan engine for very light jets. The HF120 produces 2,095 lbf of thrust and is the sole powerplant for the HondaJet manufactured by Honda Aircraft Company. Core engine technology comprises a wide-chord compound swept fan blisk with composite outlet guide vanes, a single-stage high-temperature titanium impeller compressor delivering maximum engine pressure ratio with stall-free performance, a compact reverse-flow combustor with single-stage air-blast fuel nozzles, a two-stage low-pressure turbine with single-crystal HP turbine blades and counter-rotating HP/LP spool shaft architecture, and a dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). The engine carries an FAA Part 33 airworthiness certificate (December 2013) and is currently certified for Sustainable Aviation Fuel blends up to 50%, with 100% SAF testing successfully completed in October 2022 and again with ATJ-SPK fuel in October 2023.

Production has yielded more than 500 HF120 engines since 2013 at the Burlington, North Carolina facility, accumulating over 600,000 cumulative flight hours across an installed base of 200+ HondaJets and additional Sapphire Citation Jet retrofits. Beyond Burlington, the company operates engineering and production sites in West Chester, Ohio (headquarters per the company's About page), Lynn, Massachusetts (initial assembly before transition to Burlington), Evendale, Ohio (altitude test chamber), Peebles, Ohio (component testing), Greensboro, North Carolina (Honda Aircraft Company service support), and Saitama, Japan (Honda R&D). Revenue is generated across four streams: (1) new HF120 engine hardware sales to OEMs, (2) Engine Maintenance Care (EMC) and EMC2 long-term service agreements providing scheduled/unscheduled maintenance with parts logistics and spare engine rentals, (3) OEM-quality parts and Line Replaceable Unit overhaul/repair sales, and (4) 24/7 Mobile Repair Team (MRT) AOG dispatch services. Distribution combines direct OEM supply with a global network of 19 Authorized Service Providers across 18+ countries and a 24/7 GE Honda Operations Center staffed by Field Technical Managers and Customer Team Managers.

Beyond the flagship HondaJet OEM relationship with Honda Aircraft Company, the HF120 has been selected by Spectrum Aeronautical for the Freedom business jet and has been adapted by Sierra Industries into the Sapphire engine-retrofit program for legacy Cessna CitationJet, CJ1, and CJ1+ models, targeting the re-engining aftermarket. The HF120 has achieved type certifications in the United States (FAA, 2013), Europe (EASA, 2016), Brazil (ANAC, 2017), and Russia/CIS (FATA, 2021). Strategic decision-making is balanced across GE's commercial/military propulsion scale and global service network and Honda's small-engine and precision-manufacturing heritage, with both parents contributing engineering, certification, and aftermarket capabilities to the joint venture.

Name

GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC.

Legal name

GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC

Website

https://gehonda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GE Honda Aero Engines is a 50/50 GE-Honda joint venture that designs, manufactures, and supports the HF120 turbofan engine powering very light jets, primarily the HondaJet. The company has delivered 500+ engines and operates a global network of 19 authorized service providers across 18+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aircraft Engines

NAICS

Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336412), Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (3336)

SIC

Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724), Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Turbofan Engines (IMABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engine Control, Fuel & Ignition Systems (FADEC/Accessories) (IMABADAK), Engine Modules & Hot-Section Components (Compressors/Turbines/Combustors) (IMABADAJ), Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services (IMABADAN)

Keywords

• Aircraft engine manufacturing
• Turbofan engines
• Engine maintenance services
• Business aviation propulsion
• OEM engine supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. HF120 Engine Sales: Sale of HF120 turbofan engines to aircraft manufacturers (OEM) and operators. Engines are sold as original equipment for HondaJet and through retrofit programs such as the Sapphire Citation Jet program.
2. Engine Maintenance Care (EMC/EMC2) Programs: Long-term engine service agreements providing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance coverage. EMC2 offers comprehensive hands-off service; EMC provides parts-only coverage. Both programs include spare engine rentals and parts logistics.
3. Parts and Spare Engine Rentals: Line Replaceable Units (LRU) overhaul and repair, OEM-quality parts sales, and rental engine pool for continued operations during scheduled or unscheduled engine removals.
4. Mobile Repair Team Services: 24/7 dispatched line maintenance services for grounded aircraft anywhere in the world, reducing AOG delays.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

GE Honda Aero Engines designs, manufactures, and supports the HF120 turbofan engine—a 2,095 lbf thrust powerplant for very light jets such as the HondaJet. The company supplements engine sales with Engine Maintenance Care (EMC/EMC2) service programs, a global Authorized Service Provider network, parts and rental engine support, 24/7 AOG response, and customer portals such as MyGEHonda. Certification coverage spans FAA Part 33, EASA, Brazil ANAC, and Russian FATA type validations.

Product overview

GE Honda Aero Engines designs, manufactures, and supports the HF120 turbofan engine—a 2,095-pound thrust powerplant for very light jets like the HondaJet. The core HF120 engine is supported through Engine Maintenance Care (EMC/EMC2) service programs and a global network of Authorized Service Providers. The MyGEHonda customer portal provides online access to technical documentation and support services. The company also offers sustainability solutions through 4AIR partnerships and has developed retrofit programs like Sapphire for legacy aircraft.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HF120: Turbofan engine rated at 2,095 pounds of thrust, powering the HondaJet and other light jets.
• EMC (Engine Maintenance Care)
• EMC2

Products and services

• HF120 Turbofan Engine A 2,095-pound thrust class turbofan engine designed for very light jets, featuring a wide-chord composite fan blisk, titanium impeller compressor, reverse-flow combustor, advanced single-crystal turbine materials, and dual-channel FADEC for high efficiency, durability, and low noise. Sold to airframe OEMs (e.g., HondaJet via Honda Aircraft Company, Spectrum Aeronautical's 'Freedom' program) and as retrofit hardware (e.g., Sierra Industries' Sapphire CitationJet program).
• Engine Maintenance Care (EMC) and EMC2 Service Programs Long-term engine maintenance service agreements sold to HF120 operators providing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance coverage. EMC provides parts-only coverage; EMC2 provides comprehensive hands-off service. Both programs include spare engine rentals and parts logistics, enabling predictable cost planning and reduced AOG exposure.
• MyGEHonda Customer Portal Online customer portal for HF120 operators to access technical parts information, documentation, initiate service requests, and contact GE Honda representatives.
• Authorized Service Provider (ASP) Network Global network of 19 certified service providers performing line maintenance, engine removal and replacement, rental engine logistics, and EMC program services for HF120 operators worldwide.
• Sapphire CitationJet Engine Retrofit Program Engine retrofit program for legacy Cessna CitationJet, CJ1, and CJ1+ aircraft replacing older engines with the HF120 powerplant, including FADEC engine management and a comprehensive upgrade suite, delivered jointly with Sierra Industries.
• 4AIR Environmental Offset Programs for HF120 Operators Sustainability offering providing HF120 customers with carbon offset programs and emissions-neutral flight options through a partnership with 4AIR, LLC, supporting customers' sustainability commitments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best-in-class 5,000 hours between major overhauls
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, strategic and flagship.

• Straight FlightcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 April 2026FAA Part 145 Approved Repair Station at Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Colorado, providing HF120 line maintenance and engine support services. Holds rare FAA Class 1 and Class 3 certifications.
• KarbonMRO (D'viation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 October 2022Exclusive Authorized Service Provider for Southeast Asia region. HF120 operators gain access to full spectrum of technical support through KarbonMRO's business unit.
• Mather AviationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 October 2022Authorized Service Provider located in central California, providing line maintenance and engine support services for HF120 operators in the western United States.
• 4AIR, LLCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2022Environmental offset provider partnership offering HF120 customers access to sustainability programs including carbon neutral, emissions neutral, beyond neutral, and climate champion programs to offset flight emissions. Supports GHAE's sustainability strategy.
• Signature TECHNICAircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 May 2022Authorized Service Provider (ASP) for HF120 engine providing line maintenance, engine removal, and rental engine support. Located at Bournemouth Airport, UK, serving European customers with UK CAA/FAA/EASA Part-145 certified maintenance.
• Lider AviaçãocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 October 2017Authorized Service Provider in Brazil, located at São Paulo. Provides maintenance, charter, aircraft sales, and ground handling services for HF120 operators in South America.
• Thai Aerospace Services Co., Ltd. (TAS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 October 2017Authorized Service Provider and HondaJet dealer for Southeast Asia region including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam. Headquartered in Bangkok with 40+ years of aviation experience.
• TAG Aviation EuropecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 May 2016European Authorized Service Provider at Farnborough, UK. Part of global business aviation company managing 120+ aircraft with comprehensive maintenance services across nine locations.
• Rheinland Air Service (RAS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 May 2016EASA and FAA Part 145 certified Authorized Service Provider in Mönchengladbach, Germany. 45+ years of technical expertise with 280 employees serving business, general, and commercial aviation. Also dealer for DAHER TBM, Quest KODIAK, and WACO aircraft.
• Marshall Aviation ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 May 2015European Authorized Service Provider in Cambridge, UK. Part of Marshall ADG providing comprehensive business aviation services including maintenance, modification, charter, and aircraft management across Broughton, Cambridge, and Birmingham locations.
• Sierra IndustriesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2014Joint Sapphire program to develop HF120 engine retrofit for legacy CitationJet, CJ1, and CJ1+ models. Includes FADEC engine management and comprehensive suite of upgrades. Sierra holds 75+ proprietary Citation modifications and 300 FAA Supplemental Type Certificates.
• Honda Aircraft CompanyflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPrimary OEM customer for HF120 engine powering the HondaJet very light jet. Honda Aircraft Company is the airframe manufacturer subsidiary of Honda Motor Company.
• GE AerospaceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner50/50 joint venture parent company combining GE Aviation's commercial and military engine expertise with Honda's small engine technology and manufacturing capabilities.
• Honda Aero, Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner50/50 joint venture parent company - Honda subsidiary established to manage Honda's aviation engine business. Provides manufacturing facility in Burlington, NC.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Honda Aircraft Company:
• GE Aerospace: GE Aerospace is the 50% parent of GE Honda Aero Engines and the broader producer of CF34, LEAP, and other commercial engines. It is the corporate parent rather than a direct competitor, sharing R&D and parts supply.

Direct peers

• Pratt & Whitney Canada: Pratt & Whitney Canada manufactures the PW500 series (PW535, PW545) turbofans in the same thrust class as the HF120, powering competing VLJ and light business jets (e.g., Cessna Citation). It is a primary head-to-head competitor.
• Williams International: Williams International is the leading manufacturer of small turbofan engines for the business jet and VLJ market, with the FJ44 family directly competing against the HF120 in the 1,800–3,000 lbf thrust class. It is the closest direct competitor for light jet propulsion.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell produces the TFE731 family of small turbofan engines widely used in business jets, competing in overlapping thrust categories with HF120. As a much larger diversified aerospace supplier, it is a broad incumbent in light-jet propulsion.
• Safran Aircraft Engines: Safran (via Safran Aircraft Engines / Techspace Aero) supplies propulsion and engine components for regional jets and business aircraft. As a major European aerospace propulsion incumbent, it competes broadly in adjacent engine categories.
• Rolls-Royce (Civil Aerospace): Rolls-Royce manufactures business jet engines (e.g., AE 3007) serving the regional/larger business jet segment. It is a broad incumbent in business aviation propulsion with overlapping customer segments but generally larger thrust classes than HF120.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ge_honda
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/GE-Honda-Aero-Engines/100075991811423
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ge-honda-aero-engines
• Instagraminstagram.com/gehondaaero

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GE Honda Aero Engines, LLC.