Blueprint

Blueprint

Light chopper aims to disrupt

A previously unknown UK company has revealed that it is developing a new light helicopter for the private market. The Hill Helicopters HX50 is a single-engine light helicopter powered by an as-yet-unnamed 500shp powerplant and will carry four passengers and a pilot. It is aiming to compete with the Bell 505, Robinson R66 and Airbus H120 with low running costs of £15k a year – and address a market not yet served. The company aims to fly the helicopter in 2022, with deliveries to follow the following year.

Blade runner

The HX50 is set to benefit from a new approach in rotor and hub design, with its three-blade configuration providing benign handling, increased flight performance and advanced wire-strike protection.

Composite structure

The HX50 will feature a composite structure, giving a lightweight, damage-tolerant and crashworthy protection for a pilot and four passengers.

Retractable undercarriage

Unusually for a single-engine light helicopter in this class, the landing gear will be retractable. The sleek design will help achieve lower aerodynamic drag, giving reduced fuel consumption.

Specifications

Passengers: five including pilot
Gross weight: 3,630lb
Empty weight: 1,870lb
Payload: 1,760lb
Cargo: 60lb
Max cruise speed: 140kt
​Fuel burn: 35gph at 140kt: 22gph at 110kt

Mystery engine

Hill Helicopters remains coy about the 500shp turbine powerplant it will use for the HX50 but there is speculation that it is developing its own powerplant in-house with input from founder Jason Hill’s engineering company DynamiQ Engineering. The engine is described as being multifuel (including biofuels) with advanced inlets and noise-suppression and delivering a high power-to-weight ratio.