Episode #189: The GT50 First Fire - A Milestone for Hill Helicopters | Jason Hill

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this special update episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider welcomes Jason Hill back to the show to discuss one of the biggest milestones in Hill Helicopters' journey—the successful first run of the GT50 turbine engine.Two years after Jason's first podcast with Halsey in which shared his vision for designing and manufacturing a modern helicopter from the ground up, the conversation catches up on the progress that's been made and what this latest achievement means for the future of the HX50 program. Jason explains the engineering challenges behind developing a turbine engine in-house, why vertical integration has become a cornerstone of Hill's business strategy, and how controlling manufacturing costs could reshape general aviation.Drawing on questions submitted by the Hill Helicopters owner and reservation-holder community, Halsey also asks Jason about certification, production timelines, funding, safety, and the next major milestones on the road to customer deliveries.Whether you've been following Hill Helicopters since the beginning or are just discovering the project, this episode offers an inside look at one of the industry's most ambitious aircraft development programs and the progress being made toward bringing it to market.Thank you to this episode's sponsors, Hillsboro Heli Academy, Enstrom, and Sellacopter.