Originally Posted by
Jetexec
I was one of the more fortunate ones who was able to attend the latest gala Jason Hill held at Duxford. Aside from the 3 fantastic days I had checking out Cambridge, we also had the opportunity to mix and mingle and ask legitimate questions instead of throwing around additional speculation ;-). I for one am still impressed with the progress I saw on the two airframes that Hill had on display. Do they have more work to do? Absolutely... All this chat about the "horrid" panel or "those rotor blades don't look real" kind of questions are completely irrelevant. He wasn't trying to sell us an airworthy helicopter at this event... Play your cards right and you may get the chance, but try not to spill the "half empty" glass of water in mine.
Jetexec: I certainly understand your message. I visit this thread frequently as it is interesting to track progress being made, but also to read the spectrum of view being expressed, both positive and negative. I would like to think that Jason Hill and others at Hill Helicopters selectively read the thread too and don't take any of it personally, as even some of the critical comments should be food for thought for product development.
Since you had a dig at chat about "those rotor blades don't look real", it is worth adding some context: In post #1267 VM325 posted photos of rotors and main gearbox in response to CGameProgrammerr with the line "
Nope, definately no gearbox or rotors..." as if to say there was more progress than CGameProgrammerr was expecting. In post #1296, SansAnhedral speculated the rotors in those photos were mock-ups and in #1314 I expressed the same. That was no criticism. The mock-up blades were subsequently confirmed. So VM325 had a point about progress but then so did CGameProgrammerr. Hill's earlier expectations for a first flight this year have triggered many posts here. Discussing progress on development can hardly be irrelevant to this thread? As for the humble pie though, lets just defrost it and all have a slice in celebration of the progress that Hill HAS made this year.
PS: I have been tempted to create a new thread with links to the countless EVTOL projects around the world. Some seem like smoke and mirrors to me, complete with what looks to be fake video that misrepresent progress. The Hill project has infinitely more substance and credibility than some of those projects.