B-1B Pilots Start Supplementary Training With HondaJets

The U.S. Air Force has begun a new supplementary training initiative for B-1B Lancer pilots using contractor-operated HondaJet HA-420 light business jets. Aviation Week reports that the program, described as part of bomber pilot training, adds to the standard mission-oriented instruction by incorporating approximately 100 hours of flight time per year per pilot in the HondaJets operated by a contractor.

AVweb adds that the initial training activity for the BSTAR program occurred at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, with the first military training flight completed on November 2 at Abilene Regional Airport. The aircraft involved are HondaJet HA-420s supplied by XSTAR Aviation under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated arrangement, where XSTAR provides the jets, instructor pilots, maintenance, and scheduling.

The new training is intended to broaden the skill set of B-1B pilots by focusing on foundational airmanship and core flight competencies. Training emphasis includes instrument procedures, mission planning, aircraft handling, and crew resource management, with the goal of complementing the B-1’s specialized instruction rather than replacing it. AVweb notes the program is designed to provide pilots with approximately 100 additional flight hours annually.

A key stated purpose of BSTAR is to preserve bomber-specific sorties for highly specialized tasks. According to the Air Force, the supplemental flights in the HondaJet will allow pilots to practice fundamental aviation skills and experience navigating varied weather conditions and air traffic outside the simulator, thereby supplementing the more demanding training conducted in the B-1 itself. Aviation Week emphasizes that the initiative is an expansion of bomber pilot training beyond traditional combat-aircraft instruction.

The program is described as part of a broader shift in the Air Force’s approach to flight training, which increasingly leverages civilian aircraft and instructors. AVweb indicates that civilian flight schools now provide some initial training for students before transitioning to military aircraft, and BSTAR extends this model to experienced bomber pilots. The Air Force states that it will evaluate HondaJet flight data and pilot feedback to determine whether the program should be expanded to other bases or aircraft.

Gen. S.L. Davis, then commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, is quoted by AVweb as endorsing the BSTAR approach, highlighting that combat-ready aircrews are built on foundational airmanship, sound decision-making, and time in the air. The endorsement frames the program as a cost-effective way to increase flying opportunities for B-1 pilots without diminishing the intensive bomber-focused training they require.

Details beyond the first training flight and the general framework remain sparse in the sources. Aviation Week notes that no bases, dates beyond publication, or outcomes of the training are provided in their report. AVweb’s account confirms the Dyess AFB location and Abilene Regional Airport as the site of the first BSTAR training flight but does not provide additional operational specifics beyond the initial flight.

Taken together, the reports describe a pilot-training experiment in which B-1B aircrews receive approximately 100 hours of annual flight time in HondaJet HA-420 aircraft operated by a contractor, with the objective of reinforcing basic piloting skills and decision-making while keeping bomber-specific sorties focused on the aircraft’s specialized mission profile. The program at this stage appears to be in its early operational phase, with a first flight completed and an evaluation horizon to determine expansion.