“Award For Innovation In Aeronautics” Presented To Michimasa Fujino

The International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) presented its 2014 Award for Innovation in Aeronautics to Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino during the 29th ICAS Congress (ICAS 2014), which is being held in St. Petersburg, Russia, through Sept. 12. Fujino was recognized by ICAS for his pioneering contributions in the design and development of the HondaJet and its Over-The-Wing Engine Mount configuration.

“I am very honored to receive this prestigious recognition in aeronautics,” said Honda Aircraft President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. “We had a vision to design a high-tech aircraft that would set a new standard in business aviation. To have Honda’s research and development capabilities recognized among the world’s most respected aerospace companies and society is significant for me.”

Fujino was recognized by ICAS for pioneering the HondaJet Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration and leading the further development and production of the HondaJet. Fujino’s optimum OTWEM configuration reduces wave drag at high speed to significantly increase fuel efficiency while maximizing cabin space without increasing the size of the aircraft. According to ICAS, the award acknowledges accomplishments in the development and introduction of innovative concepts in major aircraft programs. The OTWEM design, combined with a natural laminar flow wing and fuselage nose, and composite fuselage help the HondaJet achieve the highest speed, largest cabin volume and superior fuel efficiency compared to other light jets in its class.

“Dr. Fujino has earned this recognition with the HondaJet and exemplifies the innovative thinking that this award is intended to honor,” said Dr. Susan Ying, an executive committee member of ICAS. “Throughout the design and development of the HondaJet, Fujino has demonstrated vision in introducing an innovative design as a first product in a very conservative market.”

ICAS established the Award for Innovation in Aeronautics in 2006 to recognize the contributions of an individual or team in effectively integrating a suite of advanced technologies, combined with a new design and/or manufacturing process, to create a new aeronautical system with significant worldwide impact. Past recipients of the ICAS Award for Innovation in Aeronautics includes Dr. Robert H. Liebeck for the Boeing X48-B blended wing body design.

Fujino has received international recognition for his pioneering contributions to aerospace and aircraft design with the HondaJet. He is the first aircraft designer to receive the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aircraft Design Award (2012), the SAE International the Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson Aerospace and Vehicle Design Award (2014) and the ICAS Award for Innovation in Aeronautics. His research and theories on aircraft design, advanced aerodynamics and aeroelasticity have been published in numerous technical and academic journals.

ICAS is an international, nongovernment, nonprofit scientific organization with the mission to advance knowledge and facilitate collaboration in aeronautics. The organization was founded in 1957 by Theodore von Karman to promote excellence in aeronautical science and engineering throughout the world.

(Top image provided by ICAS. Honda Aircraft Company President Michimasa Fujino received the ICAS Award for Innovation in Aeronautics during the 29th ICAS Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia. Fujino was recognized by ICAS for pioneering the HondaJet Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration and leading the further development and production of the HondaJet. Lower image from file)

FMI: www.icas.org