Rise And Shine

The Hill HX50 could disrupt the private-helicopter market with a level of luxury and performance that is on par with far costlier rotorcraft.

- J George Gorant

JASON HILL HAS spent most of his career attempting to redefine the rotorcraft, and his futuristic HX50 chopper now looks like it may indeed establish another helicopter category. With its all-new design, from turbine to touchscreen the sleek flying machine incorporates a high-inertia three-bladed rotor system that should deliver a cruising speed of 257km/h with a 1,287km range. And while it’s purported to fly well above its light-helicopter competitors in terms of avionics, styling, and interior space, what’s perhaps most impressive about the five-occupant whirlybird is its intended starting price of approximately US$798,000—about a third less than what a comparable rotorcraft might cost.

“The machine is designed to feel like a supercar,” says Hill. “It’s also geared to make everything about helicopter flying simpler than ever before.” The HX50’s carbon-fibre monocoque frame is a novel feature for a light-category helicopter, and the touchscreen display is proprietary to Hill. As for the roll cage, impact-absorbing seats, and crash-resistant fuel tanks and windows, those are all typically found on larger, more expensive copters.