Hill Helicopters HX50

History

The private helicopter market is general aviation, known only to a few in the world - the market consists of "air taxis" that can take VIPs and others back and forth in daily traffic High above. The industry is only open to the few who can afford it, but it's also an industry that hasn't seen a revolutionary leap for quite some time.

UK (Staffordshire, UK)-based startup Hill Helicopters will change all that with its proposed HX50 series platform - a sleek, streamlined product that seats five and is powered by a turbo engine, Destined to be a luxury-first VIP intended to be a privately owned man transporter.

The launch of the series is expected to take place in early 2023.

By design, the aircraft exudes what one would expect from a product of this caliber: the nose section and sides of the fuselage are fitted with clear glass panels to maximize visibility inside the helicopter. Automotive-style hinged doors provide necessary access to the cockpit and passenger cabin. The engine is mounted on top of the fuselage in the usual manner and powers a low-mounted three-blade main rotor assembly and a fenestron ducted tail rotor assembly embedded in the empennage. The tail rotor is driven by a drive shaft located in the tail shaft. The trunk is also fitted with a pair of horizontal planes, each with a point pointing down.

Helicopter walks on the ground via a simple wheeled tricycle, although stationary in flight. The overall structure will include composite materials for the fuselage and rotor.

Inside, the helicopter is piloted by a crew and can accommodate four passengers. Equipped with an all-glass cockpit, advanced system management and enhanced safety.

The detailed specifications so far draw a relatively compact light helicopter with an overall length of 32 feet and a fuselage width of 5 feet. The curb weight is 1,870 pounds, while the MTOW is 3,630 pounds, and the load threshold is 1,760 pounds.

Power is a single engine of unknown make and model rated at 500 hp. Cruising speed will reach 140 knots. While no other specs have been announced at this time (2020), the HX50 is said to offer great performance and agility.

Hill Helicopters will take orders for its HX50 product in the last quarter of 2020. Three prototypes will make up the development/flight test phase, scheduled to begin sometime in 2022.

Specification

Basics

Years of Service

2025

Origins

UK

Status

Under development

Program is running.

Crew

1

Production

0

Manufacturer

Hill Helicopters - UK

Carrier

UK (possible);US (possible)

Roles

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

VIP Service

Used in the VIP (Very Important Person) passenger role, usually with above-average amenities and luxury as standard.

X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

32. 2 feet

(9.80m)

Cured weight

1,874 lbs

(850kg)

MTOW

3,638 lbs

(1,650 kg)

Wgt Difference

+1,764 lbs

(+800 kg)

Performance

Installed:

1 x Hill Helicopters 500hp turboshaft engine drives a three-blade main rotor assembly and a shrouded Fenestron tail rotor assembly.

Maximum speed

162 km/h

(260 km/h | 140 knots)

Maximum

10,007 feet

(3,050 m | 2 km)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None. Payloads up to 1,760 lbs.

VARIANTS

HX50 - Name of the base series.