USAF Begins B-1B Pilots’ HondaJet Training

The U.S. Air Force has launched its Bomber Supplemental Trainer for Aircrew Readiness (BSTAR) program, allowing B-1B Lancer crews based at Dyess Air Force Base to train in contractor-operated HondaJet HA-420 aircraft. The flights provide additional practice in general airmanship, instrument flying, mission planning and crew coordination, with pilots expected to gain about 100 flight hours a year. By shifting this foundational training to civilian jets, the Air Force aims to preserve B-1B flight hours for mission-specific training, including aerial refueling, tactical operations and weapons delivery. XSTAR Aviation supplies the aircraft, instructors, maintenance and scheduling; the program began with a training flight in Texas in early November 2026. Plans call for expanding the program to support B-1B crews at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, while the Air Force continues to assess the initiative.