What was remarked on a lot was the spaciousness of the HX50, how easy it is to get in and out, how comfortable the seats are for a range of people of all heights and sizes. This is unusual in a helicopter, and many other thoughtful and practical aspects of the design were proved absolute winners, as predicted.
We had to do it better, and it’s that simple idea that informed HX50 and defined Hill itself.” - Jason Hill.
From the perspective of the clients who bought into the project right from the beginning and pre-ordered their aircraft when all they had to go on were some very beautiful renders, it was incredibly exciting to discover up close exactly what they are going to be flying, to see the Digital Cockpit come to life, to witness how beautiful the lights are whether on or off, to experience the luxury finish of the interior, and much more.
Those new to the HX50 were taken on a whirlwind master class of all that Hill Helicopters stands for – the stunning aircraft itself of course, but also the way it is revolutionising helicopter ownership.
Perhaps the another exciting news was that the HC50 (commercial version), formerly only available to existing HX50 customers, has been released for sale to the general public for the first time.
With 1230 aircraft sold to date, 877 HX50s and 353 HC50s, a massive factory is needed to build the helicopters. We have now adopted a duel site approach, the plan being to manufacture in one location and fly from another. Current rented space for development and production will be expanded and there is a new location for flight ops at Halfpenny Green Airport.