We believe, with the right approach, we can not only revive General Aviation but elevate it to new heights. This is the philosophy behind the HX50 – a commitment to creating the helicopter that today’s customers not only dream of, but can also realistically own.

What Happened to General Aviation?

Remember 1978? It was a vibrant era for General Aviation. In the US alone, manufacturers were rolling out an astonishing 17,811 light single-engine aircraft annually. The industry was booming, even outshining the supercar market at the time.

A brand-new Cessna 172, in today's currency, would set you back around $80,000 – roughly 1.3 times the average American salary. Fast forward to today. That same aircraft model now costs approximately 6 times the average American salary, despite people being relatively wealthier.

The result? A dwindling market, not because people lost their passion for flight, but because the products no longer align with their aspirations or budgets. General Aviation isn't dead, but it's clear we need a significant shift.

Designing for the Modern Pilot: The HX50 Vision

The allure of personal flight is timeless. But to make this a reality for more people, we need an aircraft that speaks to the modern consumer. These are individuals accustomed to the best cars, the latest technology, and premium experiences.

Our vision, embodied in the HX50, is to meet these expectations head-on. We set out to create a helicopter that is:

• Beautiful and Powerful: Aesthetically pleasing with impressive performance.
• Fast and Smooth: Capable of cruising at 140 knots, offering a comfortable ride even on turbulent days.
• Safe and Simple to Use: Prioritising safety and intuitive operation.
• Spacious: Comfortably carrying five 95kg passengers, their luggage, and fuel for 3 hours of flight.
• Technologically Advanced: Featuring a digital cockpit, full iPad and cloud connectivity, and a comprehensive autopilot to reduce pilot workload.
• Above all, Affordable: An "affordable grand tourer of the sky," priced comparably to a supercar.

The HX50 isn't about reinventing the wheel with untested concepts. It's a "greatest hits" compilation, integrating proven technologies and design principles into a superbly packaged and industrialised product fit for what we call "General Aviation 2.0."

Performance Meets Affordability

To deliver the high performance and sophistication desired in a light helicopter, a turbine engine is essential. However, existing market options for turbine engines are simply too expensive. The cost of the engine and a modern avionics suite alone would consume most of our target sale price, making an affordable end-product impossible.

The market dictates the price. The decline in aircraft sales isn't due to fewer aspiring pilots, but to price tags that are out of reach. Our solution has been to fundamentally rethink the supply chain. We've had to:

• Cut out the middlemen: By bringing critical component development in-house, we consolidate margins, allowing us to offer an honest price to our customers.
• Develop the GT50 Engine In-House: Built on proven ideas, manufacturing processes, and established gas turbine engine development methodologies.
• Create a Tailored Avionics Suite: We're not aiming for a complex IFR system. Our avionics provide the essential VFR flight parameters in the clearest possible way, seamlessly integrating with powerful iPad apps like ForeFlight and SkyDemon for a user-friendly, modern digital interface.

Leveraging Modern Engineering

Developing complex systems like a turbine engine and avionics is a monumental task. However, unlike the pioneers of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, we're not starting from scratch. We stand on the shoulders of giants, benefiting from decades of hard-won knowledge. Furthermore, the engineering analysis, simulation, and development tools available today are lightyears ahead.

We can model in 3D, use finite element analysis (FEA) to probe structural integrity, heat transfer, and vibration, and employ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate airflow, combustion, and fuel spray – all before a single physical part is made.

This drastically reduces iteration time and cost compared to the "blue skies research" days, making our task significantly more manageable.

The Engine That Unlocked It All

For years, GA has needed an affordable turbine engine. However, the immense development cost of a new engine requires a product that will sell in sufficient volumes to justify it.

For Hill Helicopters, the timing was perfect. We identified a highly frustrated market with significant pent-up demand for a product like the HX50. Initially, we calculated that sales of around 100 helicopters would be needed to support the GT50's development. Today, we've sold nearly 1400.

The GT50 engine has been the catalyst, enabling us to build a helicopter with the performance and attributes the market craves. Simultaneously, the overwhelming demand for the HX50 itself has validated and funded the GT50's development.

To reignite genuine interest and growth in General Aviation, a piecemeal approach wouldn't suffice. Relying on existing, expensive hardware would mean compromising on price, even if performance targets were met.

We knew we had to "go big" and tackle every critical aspect – design, engineering, and manufacturing – to deliver a machine that excels in both performance and affordability.

That’s precisely what we've set out to do.