Originally Posted by
Jetexec
Crab, I'm curious if you have sat in on any of the Hill updates. If you haven't, give it a go. Like Hughes500, I have a lot of optimism on the HX50. I bought # 24 and I am on the cusp of putting orders in on a couple of the commercial models. If a guy like Elon Musk can surpass the efforts of NASA in a short period, why is developing a new helicopter so surreal? As others have mentioned, even the biggest helicopter manufacturers have had flaws. I don't suspect Hill's concept will be perfect coming out of the gate, but developing an engine/helicopter isn't as genius as one would think (no disrespect here Jason). It takes a large set of nads, a bunch of money and some smart individuals. I think Jason checks all these boxes. The engine in my 407 is maybe 70's technology, developed with a slide ruler. I think developing something with computers and spitting out parts with modern CNC machines is cutting edge. I've owned a Robinson as well, and even an old school pioneer like Frank (on a tighter budget and less technology) manufactured some great products. I hear a lot of folks slagging their products too. A friend once told me "there are a lot of perfect ball players, but very few of them will set down their popcorn and come on to the field an pick up a bat". Thanks to guys like Jason for picking up a bat instead of eating popcorn.
This is a fallacy Hill's supporters are spewing all the time. Not one of us, Hill's "opponents", ever said we want him to fail. We are just pointing that performance/timeline/price combination is not going to work.
If it's so easy, as you claim, to spew new parts, why we already have timeline slippage?
Price increases? Yeah, cost of everything went up, but that it is easy to calculate and incorporate into your new pricing. Yet we have sliding pricing now. Setting future business model?
I totaly agree with your stance of thanking Jason for stepping up, but that doesn't mean we can't call him out on things that don't really make sense.