Source Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif. (TNS). In the United States, Robinson was behind an initiative to place lightweight helipads atop business buildings and in industrial parks. Tragically, those who were in the helicopter now fall among the nearly 600 people that have died in Robinson helicopter crashes since 1982. Larry Wells, a pilot for the FAA, was practicing hovering, landing and liftoff maneuvers near Jackson, Miss., on Sept. 1, 2009, when his Robinson R44 began to shudder violently. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect and prevent cracks in the affected blades. (The R44, which featured new hydraulic controls after 1999, was then priced around $300,000.) rendition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov does not Since the issuance of 2021-19-08, the FAA received one comment from Robinson requesting that the FAA correct an inaccurate statement in the background section of the preamble text. Thats just amazing to me. documents in the last year, 125 For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed regulation: (1) Is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and. Wells, then 57, broke more than 60 bones and spent six weeks in a coma. You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods: In all, Robinson has made more than 12,000 helicopters, with at least 60% of recent sales going to foreign buyers. establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned These were eventually attributed to pilot error. Initial financing was in the $2 to $3 million range. The company is based in Torrance, California at Zamperini Field. Robinson Helicopter Company is the leading manufacturer of light piston-engine helicopters. This information is not part of the official Federal Register document. Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. The R22's simple design, easy maintenance and low . Like other manufacturers, Robinson had an eye on the emerging Chinese market, which was expected to field 2,000 helicopters by 2010. The NTSB ruled the crash was caused by the pilots failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm, for undetermined reasons. Wells contends the accident was not his fault and might have been averted if Robinson had divulged what it had known for 16 years about a phenomenon known as mast-rocking, or chug. None were wearing fire-resistant gear. Now that Robinson Helicopter had a great engine in place to use, they were able to develop their five-place turbine helicopter. Its one thing to sit on the sideline and say, Youve got to improve that, Robinson said. documents in the last year, 494 Designer Stanley Hiller had fanned the idea in the late-1940s, and some futurists' vision of the 1950s and 1960s included a helicopter in every driveway. On top of being the best-selling civilian helicopter in the world, the R44 is also the most lethal. Labor costs are estimated at $85 per work-hour. This proposed AD would not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. He went on to work in engineering at the Cessna Aircraft Company, McCulloch Motor Company, Kaman Aircraft, Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopter Company. Six months earlier, an R44 on a sightseeing flight lost power and landed hard on a city street in Sherman Oaks, injuring the pilot and two passengers. Russia was another important new territory. The helicopter broke apart in midair so suddenly it interrupted the pilot in midsentence. If sending information directly to the manager of the certification office, send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. by searching for and locating Docket No. Those helicopters should have all been grounded and there should have been a giant red flag and a recall.. The Robinson R44, the worlds best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes. documents in the last year, 37 07/12/2022 at 8:45 am. I have felt it was a good thing, a mandated type of training that prevented accidents, said Kurt Robinson, who took over the company from his father in 2010. The R44 retains that title to this day, partly due to its being one of the cheapest helicopters on the market. They manufacture the R22, which is a two-seater, the R44, which is a four-seater, and the R66, which is a five-seater. It is also a popular choice for law enforcement agencies. The NTSB cited other mast-rocking accidents, including a 2009 hard landing in which three Alaska state troopers walked away from their heavily damaged R44. He said the FAA flight-hour totals used to calculate the accident rate are a guesstimate.. on Robinson had also looked at locations in the South and Midwest. Robinson Helicopter Company says the R66 and R44 are its top-selling models. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. From a numbers standpoint, it worked. "We intend to go on for many, many more years, so he's left a real legacy. Scores of R44 pilots and passengers have been killed in preventable post-crash fires, or in helicopters that dropped from the sky when they suddenly lost lift. Adding the following new airworthiness directive: Robinson Helicopter Company: Designed during the 1980s by Frank Robinson and his staff of engineers, the R44 first flew on 31 March 1990. 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]. Read more . Classes started each day at 8 . Recently, Robinson Helicopter released the R44 Cadet, this is a two-place R44 that has been specifically designed for training. People who like adventure are attracted to our products, he said. The R44 flailed briefly, dropped a few feet to the pavement and burst into flames. documents in the last year, 204 In July 2006, Robinson addressed the issue not by fortifying its tanks, but by trying to fireproof pilots and passengers. It was first flown on 31 March 1990 and received FAA certification in December 1992, with the first delivery in February 1993. Overtime sometimes on weekends. Robinson Helicopter Company -- Company History And two months before that, an R44 suddenly lost power and crashed on a golf course maintenance yard in Santa Barbara, seriously injuring the pilot and two passengers, a young couple on a sightseeing tour. Monday thru Friday. It's been a really good partnership," said Kurt. To reduce the risk of injury in a post-crash fire, it is strongly recommended that a fire-retardant Nomex flight suit, gloves and hood or helmet be worn by all occupants, said Robinson Safety Notice 40. Robinson was among the first North American aerospace firms to be awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design . documents in the last year, 422 That image stuck with Robinson and drove the course of his career and life. offers a preview of documents scheduled to appear in the next day's He really did have a true love of the industry. edition of the Federal Register. It produces a greater number of civil helicopters per year than any other manufacturer, and 80 percent of those made in the United States. The FAA issued AD 2021-19-08, Amendment 39-21726 (86 FR 49915, September 7, 2021) (AD 2021-19-08), for Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with a blade part number (P/N) C029-3 with serial number (S/N) 9410 through 9909 inclusive, installed. These markup elements allow the user to see how the document follows the that agencies use to create their documents. You've disabled cookies in your web browser. To date it has delivered more than13,000 helicopters and shows no sign of stopping. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Robinson is one of the first aviation companies in North America to achieve ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design, production and service. It is a glaring problem, but nobody wants to fix it.. Driven by foreign sales, production was soon returning to normal. Robinson introduced its first helicopter, the 2-place piston powered R22 in 1979. Ten years later they introduced the R44 Raven II, which had an advanced engine, as well as an improved 28-volt electrical system. of the issuing agency. This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily This feature is not available for this document. on AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. Helicopter Market to reach USD 20.6 Bn by 2029, emerging - MarketWatch (1) The Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. ", "Nobody could show him how to do it, he just had to do it.". Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority. Another problem that Robinson Helicopter was involved in dealt with mast bumping. documents in the last year, 295 Based on the company's two-seat Robinson R22, the R44 features hydraulically assisted flight controls. We have a record of success in cases involving aviation disasters and injuries related to planes and helicopters. R44 Clipper II Popout. The R22 and the R44 both use Lycoming piston engines, while the R66 uses a turbine engine. In 2013, the board expressed concern that the company had never found the root cause of the problem and thus could not ensure that it would not recur. R44 helicopters that were manufactured before December of 2010, as well as all R22 helicopters, have fuel tanks that are more susceptible to rupturing than other fuel tanks. Plans for production of the Robinson R66 were announced in March 2007. Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. In my near half-century of aviation experience, RHC is the only aircraft manufacturer I have found in the world that does not focus on safety, he wrote in a report filed with a lawsuit stemming from a New Jersey crash. "He really loved living here and we've been part of the community for over 40 years. "That's just amazing to me.