Hiller Aircraft is a California-based aerospace company founded in 1942 by Stanley Hiller. The company’s initial focus was on the development of helicopters, with the first factory located in Berkeley, California. Hiller’s coaxial-rotor XH-44 “Hiller-Copter” became operational in 1944, and the company went on to produce a range of innovative helicopter designs for both military and civilian use.
In addition to helicopters, Stanley Hiller also researched a two-man rocket-jet aircraft design in the post-World War II era, which did not gain the interest of the U.S. military. The company was later renamed Hiller Helicopters in 1948 and was instrumental in the development of several prototype helicopters.
During the 1960s, Hiller’s Palo Alto plant served as a CIA cover for the production of CORONA reconnaissance satellites. The company was acquired by Fairchild Aircraft in 1964 before being repurchased by Jeff Hiller, Stanley’s son, in 1994 with the support of Thai investors.
Hiller Aircraft donated money and aircraft to help form the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos in 1998. The company also established a joint venture with Zhangjiakou Chahar General Aviation Company in China, which began constructing a production facility in 2009.
In 2018, an accident at the Hiller Firebaugh facility resulted in a jury finding the company 70% at fault and awarding over 9 million dollars in damages.