Honda is known for their reliable economy cars and championship-winning motorcycles of course, but it may come as a surprise that the company has also built an airplane – and a quite nice one at that.
Creatively called the HondaJet, the company’s first foray into general aviation took flight on Tuesday in a major step towards FAA certification. Honda’s little jet is made in America and goes almost 500 miles an hour. It only seats four passengers plus two crew members. The most unusual feature is engine placement: the tiny twin jet turbines are mounted on pylons on the wings instead of at the back of the plane, like on this LearJet.
Why on the wings? Only Honda knows but if you decide to pay them about 5 million for one, I’m sure they’ll tell you.
It’s that time of year again, when the one percent bring their fast toys and Grey Poupon to England for the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg was there, of course, showing off their latest creation, the One:1, a spendy little number so named because it features one horsepower for every kilo of weight, or about 1400 horsepower. Lowly Goodwood reporter Andy Craig got the thrill of a lifetime when, during an interview, the Koenigsegg guy offered to let him take it around the track, making him the first civilian to drive the insane car outside of company personnel.
So did he ball up the multi-million dollar car in a fit of horsepower-induced enthusiasm? Uh, no, he took it pretty easy. Sometimes just being the first guy to drive one of the world’s most expensive cars is enough.
Instant artisan coffee makers like the Kuerig machine are popular for a reason – they make great coffee, fast. If only someone could do the same thing for beer… Well, of course someone can, that’s what Kickstarter is for!
Beer lover Steve Young has posted the Synek beer machine on the crowdfunding site, and the money is pouring in. So does it make suds from powdered beer? No. Instead, it’s more like a tabletop kegerator that you can fill with your favorite brew. Key features include a nifty filling system that removes air from the container, trapping the carbonation in the beer to keep it from going flat. The Synek holds a gallon of beer, about the same amount as two growlers.
Young is looking to raise a quarter million dollars to fund development of his wonderful invention, and if you can scrape up $300, you can toast your wise investment for years to come.
Your host today is Caleb Denison.
