This helicopter was constructed in 1980 and imported to Sweden by the Linköping-based Hughes dealer SAAB-Scania AB in early-1981. The dealer sold the machine to Borlänge-based Sterner Aero AB in October the same year. Two years later Hyr-Flyg G Phil AB acquired the helicopter. Hyr-Flyg later changed name to Heliflyg Nordic AB, which became Heli AB in 1987 - seems like the machine was the only one that kept its name. However, the name-changes had not yet come to their end. In 1990 the company Heliflyg AB was founded through the merge-down of Östersunds Helikopter AB, Jämtlands Aero AB, Sterner AB and Heli AB - making SE-HLI a member of the large Heliflyg fleet.
The helicopter was used for all kind of aerial works throughout large parts of Sweden. In the summer of 2000 Osterman Helicopter's owner Scandinavian Helicopter Group acquired the company Heliflyg AB and united the two companies, which made them the largest helicopter operator in Sweden. SE-HLI was sold to the experienced Hughes 500 operator Karlstad-based Skyline Helikopter AB at the same time as the deal became official. It was operater by Skyline a while, but was soon sold to Malmskogens Helkopterleasing AB - which leased the machine to various operators.
In August 2004 the company Fjällflygarna AB lost its Hughes 500, SE-HSI, in a crash (caused by a technical fault) near Dukkekåtan at Mt Ammarfjället, in south-western Lappland. The company needed a new Hughes 500 to join the fleet of a single Colibri and SE-HLI was leased. In February of 2005 Fjällflygarna subsequently purchased the helicopter.
SE-HLI was replaced by a Jet Ranger in mid-2006. It was sold to Linköping based Malmskogens Helikopterleasing AB and will be offered for leasing.

It was leased by Stockholms Helikoptertjänst for a short period of time during the autumn of 2006 - flying as a power line inspection aircraft together with SHT's SE-JGB.

SE-HLI was exported to USA in June 2007.