🛡️ The Carbon Fibre "Roll Cage"
A key difference in the HX50 is its monocoque structure. This isn't just a frame; it's a fully integrated carbon fibre chassis that creates a protective roll cage completely around the occupants.
- Massive Structural Support: Unlike traditional aircraft, which may use thin metal supports, the HX50 employs huge, robust support pillars (A-pillars and B-pillars) that form the core of its strength.
- A Lesson from Racing: Think of a Formula 1 car. 40 years ago, racing accidents were often fatal. Today, thanks to modern safety cells, drivers can walk away from high-speed rollovers. The HX50 applies this exact principle to aviation.
- The Rollover Advantage: In a crash-and-roll event, this rigid carbon structure is designed to maintain its integrity, protecting the space around the passengers rather than collapsing under the aircraft's weight.
💺 Advanced "Stroking" Crashworthy Seats
The second critical safety layer protects occupants from the vertical forces of a hard impact.
How They Work
Many people mistakenly believe the landing gear absorbs this kind of impact. In reality, that job belongs to the seats.
- The "Stroking" Mechanism: All seats in the HX50 (front and back) are crashworthy. They are designed with a specific "stroking room"—a built-in space between the bottom of the seat and the aircraft floor.
- Absorbing the Impact: During a hard vertical landing, the seat is designed to compact, or "stroke," down into this space. This controlled collapse absorbs the G-force of the impact progressively.
- Protecting Your Spine: This design is critical for preventing spinal injury. A sudden, sharp G-load can instantly break the spine. By "stroking," the seat dissipates that energy over a fraction of a second, ensuring the peak force transferred to the occupant remains at a survivable level.
A Modern Approach to Safety
The HX50’s safety philosophy is a two-part system:
- The Carbon Roll Cage protects you from rollovers and lateral impacts.
- The Crashworthy Seats protect you from vertical impacts.
Together, these features—which are currently being installed in the prototype—modernise helicopter safety and provide the ultimate peace of mind for all occupants.