Latest update is an hour long video. Basically technically detailed progress in lots of areas.

- Composites: Detail. Focus towards production. Doors. Shortly start the production moulds using lessons learned including stable ground reference (read: bolted to floor) for entire process to reduce some warping when pastes dry. Target towards perfect surface finish of main fuselage.
- Lighting clusters, including nav lights.
- Engine:
-- Overall finalising life/performance/weight design optimisation. Production techniques finalising for the difficult parts.
-- Compressor: fatigue life optimisation, finished design & sealing strategy. Redesigned stub shaft completed. First part for performance/endurance testing in engine being made next.
-- Power turbine: Cast to bladed disc finalised. New fir tree design finished. Redeveloped shroud (0.2mm clearance) including blade failure containment layers.
-- Blades: Production technique successful using inert gas blade casting instead of vacuum for turbine blades successful (lower cost). Spark erosion of fir tree instead of grinding. Tests back show process works after some tweaks to ensure no brittleness. Again much cheaper apparently.
-- Combustor: Fuel system finalised. Production tooling for roll/spin/press/laser/drill underway. Finalised fuel piping around outside of engine - apparently "modern" design more easily serviced & built. Showed how they press-roll the rings.
-- Labyrinth seals optimisations.
-- Lots of cast housing components demonstrated & simplification/weight reduction underway by an expert in that area. Design-for-manufacture review over all of these components.
-- Drivetrain/gears: components being made for the test machine.

- Rotor: modern high inertia composite design.
-- Mast/Head: Some minor info on this, but still seeking patent protection. History is last 6 month development on the cowl size. Blowing out can double entire aircraft drag if it gets too large. Looks like it'll be composite strap pack and he's got it into an "elegant package design". The early test rig will be steel strap pack, but customer machines composite strap pack. Looks like ditching the elastomeric bearing idea (?).
-- Structural dynamic design & composite design of blades. Lots of details. "Very shortly" tooling up, then producing first root end sections for the interface strength, then full blades.
- Digi cockpit update: progress onto target hardware board(s). Incorporating feedback about some instrument scans. Start integration with infotainment system.
- Some introduction to some new machines commissioned and stuff they're producing. Rotor brake disc, measurement machines to 0.8 microns, sprag clutch.
- Business park (production facility) update: pretty confident about progress & plan B, C, D,.... In-house lawyer on top of it all, plus have legal positions setup once flying ops start. Noise assessments being done by the Gatwick guy who sits on all the noise committees.
- Production engineering: details on progress using production engineer specialists. eg automation, logistics, factory layout, assembly line production & layout. etc.
- CAA inspection next week for design/production organisational approval & groundwork towards certification for HC50.
- Starter generator optimisation & should have one on test stand shortly.

Lots of waffle, little substance.
If talking made helicopters fly they'd have thousands of hours by now.

I seem to remember Jason Hill previously promised the engine running by "summer 2023" and a prototype flying by "end of 2023"...

I hope everyone has a nice big helping of Humble Pie ready?!

When he keeps claiming the number of airframes made as a measure of success and subsequently keeps pointing out how they are fixing it to make it airworthy, less warped and with a “proper” finish you need to understand how that just sets off BS warnings.

I think the humble pie is safe in the freezer for a while yet.....

Airframes which are reasonably easy to produce with existing technology however you would be excused for thinking its revolutionary watching the videos.
I would expect you would want at least some dynamic components before finalising the airframes but I guess that wouldn't attract as much investment.

Where ergonomics meet luxury
 

Another update from three days ago.


cheers

A load of dribble and waffle about the doors. 'A handle that feels nice and satisfying in your hand'... :p

TWT, have you tried a Bell 505 handle !!!!!!

The number one thing pilots are concerned about when climbing into a new machine. The door handle.
What nonsense.
Show us a blade. How about the rotorhead?
Something that actually matters.
This is just trivial information to keep the cool aid dispenser full.

I think the point he is trying to make is that it would feel a lot nicer to have a flying helicopter. Door handle can be added later

184 days to go then..

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1bfa19a42d.png

Which timeline slip is this?

Crab best defrost his pie on Dec 30th....

It's odd to compare the Airbus Racer update and the latest Hill version. Both claim to be on track for a first flight before the end of the year. Airbus appears more believable!

Again, the idea the rotor design can't be explained and discussed with investors when the patents have already been filed and are in public domain is bollocks. Protection is first to file.

If they haven't already finished fabrication and begun testing of flight worthy rotor design parts, there's zero chance of any flying within the next calendar year.

what is wrong with using of-the-shelve items from existing mass production lines for the little things and move on to the important stuff
AS350 used the Renault Horn as an RRPM alarm, and Lamborghini used Nissan 300ZX headlights. examples are countless

Because Jason Hill wants to manufacture and control absolutely every nut and bolt on the aircraft. A bold visionary, or a crackpot. You decide.

planning decision delayed again, until 10th Aug 2023

Planning Applications - Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

"we should be in a position to test the engine by the autumn"

Lots of waffle but the question "when will he first flight be?" was avoided