In a surprise move, Hill Helicopters has announced that it will stop taking orders for both its HX50 and HC50 helicopters on the 19th of this month. The company says that it has been taking pre-orders for the aircraft on what it calls special pre-order conditions over the last six years, but that these were always planned to have an end date – and that with deposits taken on “close to 1,500 aircraft” in the two programmes that “time has come”.
Hill will continue taking orders at the existing price (GBP 579,000) and terms until 23:59 on 19 November, at which time the order book will close and the offer price be withdrawn.
The manufacturer has given no indication when it will begin taking orders for its aircraft but says that when the order book does reopen it will be at a yet to be defined price point.
Explaining the move, the company says that it is time to not only focus on bringing the aircraft to production but also to review its pricing and terms.
