A new star: Hill's HX50 personal helicopter will soon appear on the market
The world of private helicopters often leaves the average Joe out of the picture. Well, one UK-based team, Hill Helicopters, is looking to change that. Meet the HX50, "the first truly private helicopter" in the industry.
Calling the HX50 the first truly private helicopter is a pretty bold statement in an industry already dominated by helicopter manufacturers from Russia to the United States. According to the founder and chief engineer of the brand, Jason Hill, the HX50 was born out of the need for a helicopter that would retain its value, show outstanding results, expand the idea of what the industry is capable of, and, above all, not burn a huge hole in your pocket. This was written by autoevolution.com.
As a result, Hill Helicopters has sought to create a lightweight personal and recreational helicopter that can reach speeds in excess of 140 knots (161 mph) and have a maximum range of up to 700 nautical miles. All of this should start at around $759k or £595k, which looks like a very decent price for your very own vehicle.
But there's something else that makes the HX50 so special: every inch of this machine is designed by Hill, including their GT50 turbocharged engine. Even the assembly of the monofuselage is done in-house.
The world first got news of this machine back in 2020, and since then, the development has been celebrated with a series of blogs that show the world exactly what's going on with this helicopter.
The body of this vehicle was designed to provide incredible visibility for those on board. Its shape and capabilities have been optimized to allow for customization as well.
This customization even extends to the fact that you can choose the chassis configuration you want, whether wheeled or skid-mounted. Be careful what you choose as this will also affect the top speed in the process.
Speaking of the interior, let's jump inside and see what Hill has planned for its future customers. At this point, whether you have a pilot's license will determine whether you sit in the front row or in the back. Let's say you are lucky enough to sit in the cockpit. In this case, you'll be enveloped in state-of-the-art navigation systems, Nappa leather, Alcantara trim, and brushed semi-precious metals.
As for some of this beauty's abilities, Hill has integrated a rear pass-through compartment to store things like skis, snowboards, and other toys you might want to bring with you to your yacht and when you finally get there, fold up the blades and store them.
In the image gallery on the manufacturer's website, you can dive deeper into what could very well be one of the most popular personal helicopters. Or you could just give Hill a call and see the finished prototype. Everything is going according to plan, and if the next phases unfold as they should, we'll see these babies flying around posh neighbourhoods in early 2024. Wondering what to do with three-quarters of a million dollars? Buy a helicopter!