Hill Helicopters will initially offer its five-seat HX50 turbine single as an amateur-built aircraft in 2023, following in 2026 with a certified Part 27 version designated the HC50. List price for the HX50 is $662,000 and includes a two-week builder assistance program at Hill’s UK factory. Hill said the price for the HC50 would be “significantly higher.” The company also announced that each helicopter would come with a 5,000-hour, five-year nose-to-tail warranty with no 12-year aircraft or engine overhaul requirement.
“There is no better way to understand the absolute necessity of correct piloting, operating, and vital maintenance requirements than being directly involved in the manufacture of your own helicopter,” said CEO Jason Hill. “We believe very strongly that this awareness is paramount to developing owner-operators with the knowledge, skills, and technical appreciation that enable long-term safe operation of their aircraft.”
Hill unveiled the HX50 in August and said it would begin flight testing in 2022. The aircraft features an all-composite, three-blade main rotor, retractable landing gear, and a ducted tail rotor. Performance targets include a 140-knot cruise speed and a maximum range of 700 nm.