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The passenger leaves behind a widow seeking justice for what was a preventable death. Helicopters generally share a basic design: A main rotor system attached to a vertical drive shaft, or mast, provides the lift and thrust. It has an enclosed cabin with two rows of side-by-side seating for a pilot and three passengers. Its one thing to sit on the sideline and say, Youve got to improve that, Robinson said. The R22's simple design, easy maintenance and low acquisition He sued Robinson, which disputed that mast-rocking caused his crash. The company continued to grow in the late 1990s. He developed his fascination with helicopters at the tender age of 9 when he saw a photo in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Igor Sikorsky hovering his VS300 Prototype helicopter. In Southern California, three R44s have crashed since January 2017, killing three people and injuring six others, NTSB records show. Unique in the multi-tiered aerospace industry, Robinson builds most of its own components. This AD applies to Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters, certificated in any category, with an Start Printed Page 14413 agricultural spray system installed by Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR00286BO with spray systems serial-numbered 0045 through 0178 inclusive, installed. 05/01/2023, 258 Robinson moved to a new 260,000-square-foot plant in July 1994. They put people in the air who otherwise would not be able to afford to fly helicopters or buy helicopters, said Ilyas Akbari, a Los Angeles aviation attorney whose firm has brought about a dozen lawsuits alleging that design defects make Robinsons unforgiving of pilot mistakes and inherently unsafe. The company has helped retrain Kiwi pilots, he said. Neither was making the helicopter for the masses that he envisioned. He also argued that the vast majority of Robinson accidents are the fault of pilots not the machine and that many are students or hobbyists with little time at the controls. the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. documents in the last year, 204 You may examine the AD docket at Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. Designed during the 1980s by Frank Robinson and his staff of engineers, the R44 first flew on 31 March 1990. Several government agencies there have since banned the use of Robinsons by their employees. Some pilots or their surviving family members said they were stunned to learn after accidents of the R44s safety issues, and they questioned why regulators had not taken stronger action. Robinsons contention that its pilots are less experienced is borne out to some extent by The Times analysis. Send your comments to an address listed under https://robinsonheli.com/. electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. The FAA reviewed Robinson Helicopter Company R22 Service Bulletin SB-119, and Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Service Bulletin SB-111, each dated February 23, 2022. Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD: Robinson, reported Forbes, did not carry liability insurance due to its supreme confidence in his product. Helicopter Pioneer Frank Robinson Passes | Markets Insider The R22 was introduced in 1979, and thanks to its low cost and easy maintenance, it quickly became a favorite at flight schools and with private owners. Robinson was among the first North American aerospace firms to be awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design . Safety board records detail many such low-impact R44 crashes in which dozens of occupants died or suffered serious burns when the all-aluminum fuel tanks which sit behind the cabin exploded in otherwise survivable accidents. https://www.regulations.gov Since the FAA issued AD 2021-19-08, two additional cracked blades were discovered; these blades also exhibited stress corrosion cracking, however they were not part of the lot of affected blades that are included in AD 2021-19-08. Since delivering its first helicopter in 1979, Robinson Helicopter has produced over 12,000 aircraft. Starting up Robinson Helicopter from his home office that same year, it took him two years to design and build the . These markup elements allow the user to see how the document follows the Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. The cause of the cracks was determined to be a manufacturing defect in the properties of the blade skin that makes the blades prone to stress corrosion cracking. During this time, the R44--more versatile with its four seats--became the world's top-selling helicopter. That translates to 1.6 deadly accidents per 100,000 hours flown a rate nearly 50% higher than any other of the dozen most common civilian models whose flight hours are tracked by the Federal Aviation Administration. "Frank could do it all," Kurt Robinson said . R44 Clipper II Popout. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Subtitle I, Section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. An overflowing order book called for a major expansion of the Torrance plant. Helicopter manufacturer in the United States, New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission, "Robinson Helicopter celebrating 50 years", "Robinson Boosts Production as Sales Surge, Strikes Deal for 1,000 Rolls-Royce Turboshafts", "Robinson Tri-Hinge Rotor Head R22 Helicopter", "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", "TAIC publishes interim report on July 2018 fatal Robinson R44 helicopter accident over Lake Wanaka", "Danger spins from the sky: The Robinson R44, the world's best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes", "Robinson helicopters: mast bumping accidents in NZ", "Lawsuit Claims Robinson Defects Caused Fatal 2016 Crash in Arizona", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robinson_Helicopter_Company&oldid=1143572045, Helicopter manufacturers of the United States, Manufacturing companies based in Greater Los Angeles, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 March 2023, at 15:44. 51. In 2009, the company began to bolster its new R44 tanks with flexible bladders, which are puncture-resistant and designed to contain fuel in low-impact crashes. This proposed AD would also require, within three months after the effective date of AD 2021-19-08 or within six months after the effective date of this AD, as applicable, removing all affected blades from service. ", "Nobody could show him how to do it, he just had to do it.". Frank Robinson was a former employee of both Hughes Helicopters and Bell Helicopter. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. The R44 flailed briefly, dropped a few feet to the pavement and burst into flames. Director of Civil Aviation Graeme Harris stated, "We don't want to see any complacency amongst operators as there is still a concern with these blades and we are waiting on test results from the USA before we review the Airworthiness notice. It does not have established safety programs. The company delivered 390 new aircraft in 2000 and 328 in 2001, and has total sales exceeding $100 million annually. The factory can produce up to 1,000 helicopters per year. He said the FAA flight-hour totals used to calculate the accident rate are a guesstimate.. The first production R44 Astro was delivered in February 1993. Robinson Helicopter Company, a prominent player in the civil helicopter industry, has an impressive list of achievements. Not the president of Robinson Helicopter, not the founder, he was an engineer. Between 2006 and 2016, Robinson R44s alone were involved in 42 deadly helicopter crashes. The incident was actually discovered when the ground crew noticed an abnormal noise during a shipboard landing. Recently, Robinson Helicopter released the R44 Cadet, this is a two-place R44 that has been specifically designed for training. Of the 13,000 helicopters Robinson has sold, 1,200 have crashed. They have recently released an autopilot for helicopters, as well as glass avionics. provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts. This AD applies to the following Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) helicopters, certificated in any category: (1) Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with a tail rotor blade (blade) part number (P/N) C029-3 with serial number (S/N) 9410 through 9909 inclusive, installed; (2) Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with a blade P/N C029-3 with S/N 9910 through 10659 inclusive, installed; and. Robinson Helicopter Company Russian Helicopters, JSC Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Table of content for the HelicopterMarket includes: Global HelicopterMarket: Research Methodology . Gail Bechler, whose husband, Jim, died in a fiery 2012 accident that investigators concluded was his fault, said she was shocked to find out that his R44s fuel tanks had split like a Coke can in a relatively low-impact crash and that there had been many others like it. In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. Fuel consumption of 20 miles per gallon was claimed for the R22, which was also said to be the quietest chopper around. Robinson died peacefully in his Rolling Hills home on Saturday, Nov. 12. Robinson released its first model, the R22, in the late 1970s, and it released the R44 in 1993. [9][failed verification], The aircraft is operated by many private individuals, companies and flying clubs. The Times reviewed all investigation reports issued since the new regulation took effect and identified 10 fatal Robinson crashes in which investigators saw signs of mast-bumping. "He really loved living here and we've been part of the community for over 40 years. 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. This proposed AD would require the same actions as AD 2021-19-08 and would add certain Robinson Model R66 helicopters to the applicability and add additional part-numbered and serial-numbered blades to the applicability. During November 2015 Robinson announced the Cadet, a Raven I with a cargo area instead of the two back seats, a slightly less powerful engine and a more efficient muffler. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. documents in the last year, 1471 [7][8] As of 2014[update], an R44 holds the piston speed record of 227km/h. Copyright (c) 2022 Company-Histories.com. abnormal vibrations during flight; subsequent investigation determined that the blade was cracked. [26], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, "2013 General Aviation Statistical Databook & 2014 Industry Outlook", General Aviation Manufacturers Association, "Robinson Introduces the Two-Place R44 Cadet", "Robinson Helicopter upbeat on diesel R&D with R44 Raven II", "Crash of helicopter on Catalina is fourth fatal accident of this model since April", "Lebanese Army Takes Delivery of Two More Robinsons", "PNP gets 3 Raven choppers for anti-crime operations", "Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe Przekazanie samolotw i migowcw szkoleniowych dla LPR", " " "" "", "South Africa Combats Crime with R44 Raven II Police Helicopters", "Down one search-and-rescue helicopter, Alaska State Troopers reorganize", "Uruguay suma helicpteros estadounidenses a la polica para reforzar la vigilancia", Collision with terrain involving Robinson R44 helicopter, VH-HWQ, Preliminary, Prohibition of FlightC016-7 Main Rotor Blades, "Australia, New Zealand Ground Some R-44s", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robinson_R44&oldid=1148577372, This page was last edited on 7 April 2023, at 01:19. A year later, it offered them as a voluntary retrofit for helicopters already in service at owners expense of about $6,800 for parts, plus labor. A pilot may perform this check because it involves visually checking each blade for a crack. Production bonuses. I thought, wait a minute, they can continue to make this same part even after they knew? St. James Press, 2003. documents in the last year, 669 The cause has yet to be determined, but the type of helicopter is well known to accident investigators: the Robinson R44. In July 2015, a federal jury in Mississippi awarded Wells $2.8 million for his injuries and economic damages, along with $700,000 to Farmers widow. R44 Clipper II Fixed. (3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Visit our company website at. Until the ACFR grants it official status, the XML The company vigorously defended its record, maintaining that its aircraft are safe and reliable when flown within their operating limits. In July 2006, Robinson addressed the issue not by fortifying its tanks, but by trying to fireproof pilots and passengers. Docket No. If you asked Frank who he is, the first thing he would tell you is hes an engineer, said Kurt. I look at that today and I just say oh my god., Nobody could show him how to do it, he just had to do it.. In an interview, Kurt Robinson described the vibration as a red herring that was more of an annoyance than a safety issue and said the company addressed it years ago by changing to firmer rubber gearbox mounts. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. Federal eRulemaking Portal: Production bonuses. The prevailing opinion, at the time, was that helicopter market was for the military only. The President of the United States communicates information on holidays, commemorations, special observances, trade, and policy through Proclamations. Robinson Helicopter Company - Wikipedia james.guo@faa.gov. that agencies use to create their documents. The R44 has been the world's best-selling general aviation (GA) helicopter every year since 1999. on The company had documented the sort of severe vibrations that Wells experienced in a once-confidential analysis referred to in court records as the Robinson chug report. Dated Jan. 13, 2007, it was written by chief engineer Pete Riedl and detailed incidents of R44 mast-rocking from 1993 to 2006, attributing it to a fore-and-aft movement of the main rotor shaft and gearbox assembly. Robinson released its first model, the R22, in the late 1970s, and it released the R44 in 1993. Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) - Helipoland.com But cheap mass-production comes at a cost. About the Federal Register Include Docket No. The company reported 1 million flight hours for its R66 Turbine fleet in autumn 2019, and it delivered R66 serial number 1000 in summer 2020. For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505, United States; phone: (310) 539-0508; email: 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 uses a turbine engine. Ten years later they introduced the R44 Raven II, which had an advanced engine, as well as an improved 28-volt electrical system. A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 07/13/2022. Source Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif. (TNS). Robinson introduced its first helicopter, the 2-place piston powered R22 in 1979. The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 432 helicopters of U.S. registry. Kurt Robinson said it took until 2009 to develop a suitable bladder for his helicopters, disputing allegations in wrongful-death lawsuits that the company could have acted sooner. The agencys estimates, published each year by a group of professional statisticians and currently available through 2016, are based on a survey sent to operators in the field. The R22 would eventually claim world speed and altitude records for its class. The top 3 companies hold a share about 95Percent. https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-robinson-helicopters. "[22] Following the grounding in New Zealand, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) also grounded R44 helicopters with the same rotor blades. Monday thru Friday. These include, but are in not limited to, induction into the California Aviation Hall of Fame, induction into the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, a Lifetime Aviation Engineering Award from the Living Legends of Aviation, the Daniel Guggenheim Medal from the American Helicopter Society, and the Howard Hughes Memorial Award from the Southern California Aeronautic Association. Robinson said that doesnt matter, because the stiffer mounts have eliminated the problem: We knew how to solve it and we did.. There was a two-year investigation performed by 60 Minutes (Australia) where they uncovered that 78 people died in the past decade due to crashes from these helicopters. The Model R22 Alpha, with increased gross weight, was rolled out two years later. Whether the lightweight design of Robinson helicopters makes them dangerous has long been the subject of debate and litigation. He replaced his living room furniture with drafting tables, set up a workshop in the garage and farmed out parts fabrication to a business partner in Hawaii. This action could be performed equally well by a pilot or a mechanic. To maintain the highest quality standards, the company carries out most of the . The R44 Newscopter debuted around the same time, outfitted for television news coverage. The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. They manufacture the R22, which is a two-seater, the R44, which is a four-seater, and the R66, which is a five-seater. The R22's simple design, easy maintenance and low . Then on June 29, 1992, near Richmond, Calif., another R22 broke up, killing the pilot and his flight student. While every effort has been made to ensure that This AD requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. 14K Followers, 100 Following, 183 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Robinson Helicopter Company (@robinsonheli) developer tools pages. You are shooting in the dark.. They manufacture the R22, which is a two-seater, the R44, which is a four-seater, and the R66, which is a five-seater. on 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. The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. A year after it was issued, four people burned to death in a low-impact crash in Washington state. This is when load on the rotor assembly is reduced during flight, resulting in flapping of the rotor blades. Kurt Robinson dismissed such criticism and said victims lawyers often are merely seeking big payouts. Oh, man, were they lucky.. The compliance date was later moved to 30 April 2013. That image stuck with Robinson and drove the course of his career and life. Robinson was also a visionary and a veritable aviation rock star, who racked up accolades over the course of his five-decade career. edition of the Federal Register. How The Robinson R66 Became The Most Popular Dangerous Helicopter Its been a really good partnership, said Kurt. This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The helicopter that crashed in Newport Beach in January, killing the pilot and two passengers, was operated by a flight school and touring company and was headed to Catalina Island. The NTSB blamed the accident on an undetermined event and launched an extensive review of fatal Robinson crashes 31 in the R22 and three in the then-fledgling R44. In early 2002, a Honda dealer in Santa Ana, California, began installing the first at his auto lot. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. Nothing in my training prepared me for this condition, he told investigators. Robinson ' s two-seat R22 and four-seat R44 helicopters offer public and private . Federal Register. It is the worlds best-selling civilian helicopter, a top choice among flight schools, sightseeing companies, police departments and recreational pilots. It is a glaring problem, but nobody wants to fix it.. According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected operators. Robinson Helicopter - Aero Corner james.guo@faa.gov. [20]:7, Although the data did not consider which type of fuel tanks were fitted, the report mentioned four fatal accidents to the R44 fitted with bladder-type tanks, but as far as they knew, did not involve a post-accident fire. When people say that ours have more accidents than the others, well, ours are not being flown by professional people, Robinson said. The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Robinson had projected sales of 500 units a year by 1982, reported American Metal Markets, but did not meet the figure due to a recession. The R44 is a single-engined helicopter with a semi-rigid two-bladed main rotor, a two-bladed tail rotor and a skid landing gear. In one instance, a cracked blade was suspected when the pilot felt The company delivered 384 R22's in 1990; sales were $48 million. Minutes later, as the helicopter lifted off with 40 gallons of fuel in its tanks, its rotor blades clipped a metal canopy over the fuel island. Developed from the R22, the R44 made its debut in 1993 and is now the companys most popular model, largely because it can carry more passengers. (1) Before further flight after the effective date of this AD and thereafter before each flight, check each blade at the leading edge for a crack. This company has posted a revenue of $200 million. The company currently has over 1,000 employees in its Torrance headquarters. The company recommended that the change should be done as soon as practical, but no later than 31 December 2014. 106(g), 40113, 44701. a. Others have died when main rotor blades peeled apart in flight or sliced through tail booms or cockpits. Besides the recession, product liability was another major factor in slowing sales across the entire U.S. general aviation industry in the early 1980s. The top sellers of Robinson Helicopter are the R44 and R66 models. The Robinson Helicopter Company, based at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California, is a manufacturer of civilian helicopters. In 1973, Frank D. Robinson, a former helicopter engineer for Cessna, McCulloch Aircraft and Bell Helicopters, resigned his position at Hughes Helicopters to pursue his dream of starting his own helicopter manufacturing company. In 1975, Robinson had a working prototype of the first model, the R22, which had been constructed in a tin hangar at the Torrance Airport in southern California. 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. Robinson brought out a special police-oriented variant of the R44 in mid-1997. documents in the last year, 84 He developed his fascination with helicopters at the tender age of 9 when he saw a photo in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Igor Sikorsky hovering his VS300 Prototype helicopter. Were on our mission and we will keep going forward.. Robinson began his engineering career working on the CH-1 Skyhook for Cessna Aircraft Company. "He was a very determined person who didn't accept no; whenever he was faced with a challenge he found a way to push on," Kurt said. I mean, thats somebody just learning how to fly, said Kurt. Kurt Robinson rejected any link between mast-bumping and design. documents in the last year, 24 The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. the Federal Register. Robinson Helicopter Company says the R66 and R44 are its top-selling models. FAA-2022-0872; Project Identifier AD-2022-00431-R. New Documents I will tell you Ive never seen anybody hurt with that, he said. Upon his retirement, Frank Robinson was succeeded by his son, Kurt, who is the Chairman and President of the Robinson Helicopter Company. 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. This time was different: The student was carrying a cassette recorder to capture her flight lesson on tape, which revealed no warning of trouble. This AD replaces AD 2021-19-08, Amendment 39-21726 (86 FR 49915, September 7, 2021) (AD 2021-19-08). A fully equipped R22 sold for about $105,000 then. When I was 9 or 10 I saw a picture in the Seattle newspaper of Igor Sikorsky hovering in a VS-300 prototype, Robinson said in a 2010 lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society in England. 2022-14830 Filed 7-12-22; 8:45 am], updated on 4:15 PM on Monday, May 1, 2023, updated on 8:45 AM on Monday, May 1, 2023. Mast-bumping often occurs in low-gravity or low G conditions, which can be induced by incorrect pilot inputs or turbulent weather. documents in the last year, 19 Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. Having been produced since 1990, Robinson have produced over 6,500 R44s to date, making it the most . Sales plunged to just 64 units in 1983. This means that the fuel system was likely at fault for the majority of these crashes. From our office in Chicago, Illinois we help injured victims throughout Illinois, the United States and in some cases, internationally. Robinson Helicopter Company of Torrance, California, is the world's leading producer of civil helicopters. 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). Due to their unique main rotor design, during a sudden and prolonged or severe low-G condition Robinson helicopters can roll rapidly to the right and likely break up before a pilot can recover, New Zealand government accident investigators said in a 2016 report on a fatal R44 mast-bumping. 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 uses a turbine engine. The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter produced by Robinson Helicopter Company since 1992. Robinson Helicopter is one of best known helicopter manufacturers, despite only producing three models. Full benefits for employee and offered insurance for family. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) soon began investigating the R22 after a wave of crashes. Robinson founded the Robinson Helicopter company in 1973 where he defied the opinions of aviation leaders and opened a previously untapped market for private ownership through his signature R22, R44 and R66 model helicopters. These tools are designed to help you understand the official document Information may be emailed to: Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. Since its incorporation in 1973, the Torrance based company has delivered thousands of R22, R44, and R66 helicopters to private pilots and commercial operators around the world. In each model, Robinson played an integral role in the engineering and development. "His legacy was to develop a low-cost reliable helicopter, that was more affordable, that more people could own in order to expand the industry," said Kurt. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above. AD 2021-19-08 requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. ", Visit Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif. at https://www.dailybreeze.com/. The company had sales of $50 million in 1991, when it shipped a record 402 helicopters. An owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate may perform this proposed check and would have to enter compliance with the applicable paragraph of this proposed AD in the helicopter maintenance records in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). Danger spins from the sky: The Robinson R44, the world's best-selling The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type designs.