Hill Helicopters __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Revolutionizing
ROTARY
How Hill Helicopters is set to transform the helicopter market
Hill Helicopters ( Hill ) was born of a childhood dream . Inspired by the supersonic stealth helicopter that featured in the TV series Airwolf , Dr Jason Hill , Founder and Chief Engineer dreamt of flying helicopters with supercar styling , performance , and comfort . CEO Peter Teare explains how when Jason realized his dream aircraft didn ’ t exist , he made it his ‘ lifelong mission to design and build it himself ’.
“ After studying mechanical engineering , and then pursuing a doctorate in computational aerodynamics , Jason honed his expertise working for a leading military and commercial helicopter manufacturer . The early designs of the HX50 emerged once Jason had set up his engineering consultancy business . By 2020 , the HX50 project was sufficiently advanced and had gained enough interest and support among other , equally frustrated helicopter pilots for Jason to accept advance orders for the HX50 ,” Peter adds .
To explain a little about the business model which is unusual – each Hill Helicopter customer pays a non-refundable deposit , which goes towards funding design and development . This means each one of them is literally invested in the success of the venture .
The Hill helicopter is set to revolutionize the rotary aircraft marketplace , and will be available in two versions , the HX50 for private and personal use and the HC50 which will be certified for commercial use . It has five seats , will cruise at 140 knots ( 160 miles per hour ) and has a range of 700 nautical miles ( 805 statute miles ), out-performing all singleengine helicopters in its class .
Peter highlights some of the details that set Hill ’ s models apart . “ The HX50 brings supercar styling , performance and comfort to general aviation for the first time . At the same time , we are dramatically reducing costs of helicopter ownership and operation . The HX50 has a base price of £ 595,000 – an entry price point for helicopter ownership which no other manufacturer can compete with for an aircraft in its class .”
Peter goes on to explain how achieving such strikingly competitive pricing while not compromising on design is possible : “ The key is our integrated supply chain strategy . Ninety-five percent of what goes into the HX50 is manufactured in our own production factory in Stafford . This eliminates multiple layers of supplier margins . Aerospace is a sector dominated by a small number of suppliers who can command very high prices .
134