Robinson Helicopter Company

Last updated

Robinson Helicopter Company
Company typePrivate
Industry Aerospace
Founded1973;51 years ago (1973)
Founder Frank D. Robinson
Headquarters
Torrance, California
,
US
Key people
Kurt Robinson (President & Chairman)
Products Helicopters
Revenue US$200 million
Number of employees
1,300
Website robinsonheli.com

The Robinson Helicopter Company, based at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California, is an American helicopter manufacturer. As of 2024, Robinson produces three models: the two-seat R22, the four-seat R44, both of which use Lycoming piston engines, and the five-seat R66, which use Rolls-Royce turbine engines.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, a former employee of Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopters. Since delivering its first helicopter in 1979, Robinson Helicopter has produced over 12,000 aircraft. [1] [2] Robinson helicopter celebrated 50 years in business in June 2023. [3]

Plans for production of the Robinson R66 were announced in March 2007. It is a five-seat helicopter of similar configuration to the R44, but with the addition of a luggage compartment, wider cabin by 8 in (20 cm), and powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 gas turbine engine.

In 2013, Robinson was the global market leader, selling 523 light helicopters, a 1% increase from 2012. [4] Production in 2014 dropped to 329 aircraft. In 2015, Robinson produces one R22, four or five R44s, and one or two R66s per week, and has contracted with Rolls-Royce to supply 100 RR300 turbines per year for 10 years for the R66. The factory can produce up to 1,000 helicopters per year. [5]

Products

Robinson also produces the Robinson Helipad, a modular helipad designed for light helicopters. [6]

Mast-bumping controversy

Mast bumping is a dangerous condition helicopters can encounter when load on the helicopter's rotor assembly is temporarily reduced during flight (for example, during a low-g maneuver or turbulent weather). The reduction of load triggers excessive flapping in the helicopter's rotor blades, which can cause the entire rotor assembly to shear off the aircraft.

Robinson helicopters use a patented design for their main rotor, with a triple-hinged rotor assembly "teetering" atop an extended mast. [7] Several Robinson helicopters have been destroyed in incidents where mast bumping was determined to have occurred. [8] [9] A May 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times reported Robinson helicopters seemed to have increased susceptibility to mast-bumping incidents. [10]

In 2016, the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released a report summarizing 14 mast-bumping accidents or incidents involving Robinson helicopters in New Zealand, in which 18 people died. [11] The TAIC report noted "Helicopters with semirigid, two-bladed main rotor systems, as used on Robinson helicopters, are particularly susceptible to mast bumping in "low-G" conditions".

In 2018, a U.S. lawsuit accused the Robinson Helicopter Company of defective manufacturing after a mast-bumping event caused the in-flight breakup of an R66 helicopter. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robinson R22</span> American helicopter model

The Robinson R22 is a two-seat, two-bladed, single-engined, light utility helicopter manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Company. It was designed in 1973 by Frank D. Robinson, and has been in production since 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robinson R44</span> Family of American light helicopters

The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter produced by Robinson Helicopter Company since 1992. Based on the company's two-seat Robinson R22, the R44 features hydraulically assisted flight controls. It was first flown on 31 March 1990 and received FAA certification in December 1992, with the first delivery in February 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank D. Robinson</span> American aerospace engineer (1930–2022)

Franklin Davis Robinson was an American aeronautical engineer and the founder of Robinson Helicopter Company in Torrance, California. He served as president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the company for many years. In the early 1970s, Robinson designed the Robinson R22 helicopter, a popular, light, two-place civilian aircraft, which later developed into the R44, one of the most successful civilian helicopters in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Gnome</span> 1950s British turboshaft aircraft engine

The Rolls-Royce Gnome is a British turboshaft engine originally developed by the de Havilland Engine Company as a licence-built General Electric T58, an American mid-1950s design. The Gnome came to Rolls-Royce after their takeover of Bristol Siddeley in 1968, Bristol having absorbed de Havilland Engines Limited in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helicopter</span> Type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally-spinning rotors

A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft and many forms of short take-off and landing (STOL) or short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft cannot perform without a runway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schweizer S333</span> Type of aircraft

The Schweizer 330 and S333 are turbine-powered developments of the Schweizer 300 light piston-powered helicopter. As of 2007, only the Schweizer 333 remains in production. In February 2009, the 333 was rebranded as the Sikorsky S-333. In 2018 the Schweizer R.S.G. bought the Schweizer Aircraft from Sikorsky Aircraft and it was rebranded as Schweizer S333 again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce RR300</span> Turbine aircraft engine

The Rolls-Royce RR300 is a turbine aircraft engine (turboshaft/turboprop) developed for the light helicopter/general aviation market. Rated at up to 300 shp (224 kW) at take-off power, the RR300 is a rebadged and downrated variant of the Rolls-Royce Model 250-C20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle Helicycle</span> Type of aircraft

The Helicycle is a single-seat, semi-rigid two-bladed main rotor, helicopter powered by a Solar T62-32 engine. Manufactured by Helicycle Ventures LLC in Mesilla, New Mexico as a kit, the aircraft is intended to be assembled by the owner and is considered a homebuilt aircraft. The Helicycle was conceived and designed by B.J. Schramm, the founder of RotorWay International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enstrom F-28</span> Light, piston-powered helicopter family

The Enstrom F-28 and 280 are a family of small, light piston engine powered helicopters produced by the Enstrom Helicopter Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enstrom 480</span> Type of aircraft

The Enstrom 480 is a small, light helicopter produced by the Enstrom Helicopter Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robinson R66</span> Turbine-powered helicopter

The Robinson R66 is a helicopter designed and built by Robinson Helicopter Company. It has five seats, a separate cargo compartment and is powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine. The R66 is slightly faster and smoother than the Robinson R44 from which it is derived. The R66 received both type and production certificates from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on October 25, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky S-434</span> Light turbine-powered helicopter

The Sikorsky S-434 is a light, turbine-powered helicopter. The S-434 is an improved development of the Schweizer S333.

The RotorWay Helicopter Manufacturing Company, formerly called RotorWay International, was a manufacturer of kit helicopters located in Chandler, Arizona, United States. The company was founded by B.J. Schramm in 1961 as RotorWay Aircraft. RotorWay International was bought February 14, 2007 by a small group of investors comprising the company's upper-level management – Grant Norwitz, CEO, Bill Adams, COO, and Judy Craven, CFO. Of these, only Norwitz was still with the company in mid-2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skyworks Aeronautics</span> American autogyro research and development company

Skyworks Aeronautics Corp., formerly Groen Brothers Aviation, Inc., Groen Aeronautics Corporation and Skyworks Global, is an American autogyro research and development company based in Chicago. The company was founded in 1986 by David Groen and his late brother Jay Groen in Salt Lake City, Utah. David Groen remains as Senior Advisor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CHI KC 518 Adventourer</span> Type of aircraft

The Composite Helicopters International KC 518 Adventourer is a composite fuselage, 5-6 place turbine kit helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RotorWay 300T Eagle</span> American homebuilt helicopter

The RotorWay 300T Eagle is an American helicopter that was under development by RotorWay International of Chandler, Arizona, in 2009-2011. The aircraft was intended to be certified and supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft for the flight training and aerial work markets.

Scott's – Bell 47, Inc. is an American company that supports the Bell 47 helicopter. The company was formed in 2009 after acquiring the type certificates from Bell Helicopter. The company supplies original specification parts either new, overhauled or remade as well as new Supplemental type certificate parts including composite rotor blades for the Bell 47.

The Midwest Zodiac Talon-Turbine is an American helicopter that was designed and produced by Midwest Engineering & Design of Overland Park, Kansas. When it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction, but the plans are no longer advertised for sale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curti Zefhir</span> Italian two-seat turbine helicopter

The Curti Zefhir is a two-seat light-single turbine-powered recreational or trainer helicopter designed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Curti Aerospace. Development was partly funded by the European Commission. It performed its maiden flight in 2017 and was commercially launched at the April 2018 AERO Friedrichshafen. Curti aim to secure type certification of the Zefhir as an ultralight aircraft.

Martin Ashley Rutty was a British entrepreneur in the London courier industry, and an adventurer and British Champion helicopter pilot. He was the first person to fly in a piston engine helicopter from Cambridge, England to Adelaide, Australia, unsupported, in 1999.

References

  1. ↑ "Robinson Produces 10,000th Helicopter" (Press release). November 14, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  2. ↑ Lobb, Charles. Torrance Airport, pp. 13–14, Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC, 2006. ISBN   978-0-7385-4662-9.
  3. ↑ "Robinson Helicopter celebrating 50 years". Globalair.com. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ Russian Helicopter magazine p. 13
  5. ↑ Huber, Mark (March 3, 2015). "Robinson Boosts Production as Sales Surge, Strikes Deal for 1,000 Rolls-Royce Turboshafts". Aviation International News. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ Robinson Helipads Archived December 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine . Robinson Helicopter Company. Accessed May 12, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Robinson Tri-Hinge Rotor Head R22 Helicopter". Redback Aviation. February 23, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Final Report, Aviation Inquiry AO-2014-006, Robinson R44 II, ZK-HBQ, mast-bump and in-flight break-up, Kahurangi National Park, 7 October 2014" (PDF). Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
  9. ↑ "TAIC publishes interim report on July 2018 fatal Robinson R44 helicopter accident over Lake Wanaka". taic.org.nz. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  10. ↑ Christensen, Kim; Welsh, Ben. "Danger spins from the sky: The Robinson R44, the world's best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes". www.latimes.com. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Robinson helicopters: mast bumping accidents in NZ" (PDF). Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
  12. ↑ "Lawsuit Claims Robinson Defects Caused Fatal 2016 Crash in Arizona". Rotor & Wing International. June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.