His wife Barbara became marketing director, and three of the couple's six children would also eventually work for the company. As a result, not all operators are familiar with the phenomenon, as the accident operator was not, the agency noted. He served as president of the Torrance-based company until he retired in 2010 at age 80 and passed the reins to his son Kurt Robinson. If you asked Frank who he is, the first thing he would tell you is hes an engineer, said Kurt. edition of the Federal Register. Only official editions of the Since delivering its first helicopter in 1979, Robinson Helicopter has produced over 12,000 aircraft. [20]:7 Preliminary analysis by the ATSB of the NTSB's accident database found a similar statistic, with 15% of accidents in the US involving R44 helicopters having post-crash fires. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking. AD 2021-19-08 was prompted by reports of spanwise cracks found along the leading edge of P/N C029-3 blades, S/N 9410 through 9909. Robinson Helicopter Company of Torrance, California, is the world's leading producer of civil helicopters. Tail rotor direction of rotation on the R44 is reversed compared to the R22 for improved yaw control authority. Read more . Santa Maria's purportedly cumbersome licensing process helped seal that decision. Robinson Helicopter Company Profile - Office Locations - Craft In all, Robinson has made more than 12,000 helicopters, with at least 60% of recent sales going to foreign buyers. We have a record of success in cases involving aviation disasters and injuries related to planes and helicopters. The company by then had 150 employees. The R44 has been the world's best-selling general aviation (GA . [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. Another problem that Robinson Helicopter was involved in dealt with mast bumping. The Model R22 Alpha, with increased gross weight, was rolled out two years later. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Full benefits for employee and offered insurance for family. Robinson Helicopter Company | LinkedIn Robinson continued to improve its products. 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. on FederalRegister.gov In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. Thats just amazing to me. (4) For helicopters identified in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this AD, within 6 months after the effective date of this AD, remove from service any blade identified in paragraph (c)(2) or (3) of this AD, as applicable to your model helicopter. 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. From improper fuel-tank placement, to mast-bumping (where the helicopter blades see-saw to the point of hitting the aircraft), to mast-rocking (inexplicable, violent vibrations in the middle of the flight that cause a crash), the Robinson Helicopter Company has found itself under FAA scrutiny numerous times for the R44s fatal defects. 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. should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official A tail rotor stabilizes the aircraft. Fuel consumption of 20 miles per gallon was claimed for the R22, which was also said to be the quietest chopper around. He was a very determined person who didnt accept no; whenever he was faced with a challenge he found a way to push on, Kurt said. 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]. Visit our company website at. include documents scheduled for later issues, at the request Kurt Robinson dismissed such criticism and said victims lawyers often are merely seeking big payouts. In an effort to improve product quality, they manufacture many of their parts in house and also have a very skilled workforce. Global key piston-engined helicopter manufacturers include Robinson Helicopter Company Hlicoptres Guimbal, Enstrom Helicopter Corp. etc. 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 helicopters Inc. Is a great work force. documents in the last year, 19 More than 600 people have perished in Robinson crashes around the world since 1982. A weak dollar was good for exports, which accounted for 80 percent of sales. Helicopter Pioneer Frank Robinson Passes | Markets Insider Ours are being flown much, much more at the entry point of the market.. It wasnt until February of 2012 that they released Service Bulletin SB78, requiring the installation of improved fuel tanks for safety. Robinson, reported Forbes, did not carry liability insurance due to its supreme confidence in his product. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) soon began investigating the R22 after a wave of crashes. Designed during the 1980s by Frank Robinson and his staff of engineers, the R44 first flew on 31 March 1990. 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. However, he was unable to interest any of his employers in his concept for a small, low-cost consumer helicopter. Robinson died peacefully in his Rolling Hills home on Saturday, Nov. 12. Federal eRulemaking Portal: I thought, wait a minute, they can continue to make this same part even after they knew? The Robinson Helicopter Company, based at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California, is a manufacturer of civilian helicopters. Counts are subject to sampling, reprocessing and revision (up or down) throughout the day. Frank Robinson's dream of a small, low-cost helicopter convinced him to resign from the Hughes Helicopter Company in 1973 and found the Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC). R44 Raven I. R44 Clipper I. R44 Cadet. 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. 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. Design work on his new lightweight helicopter consumed the living room and garage of Robinson's Palos Verdes residence, which was itself mortgaged to finance the aircraft's development. Robinson was also a visionary and a veritable aviation rock star, who racked up accolades over the course of his five-decade career. Robinson released its first model, the R22, in the late 1970s, and it released the R44 in 1993. 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. The first R44 Newscopter featuring onboard electronic news gathering equipment was delivered in 1998. Robinson was already exporting half of its production in the mid-1980s. We intend to go on for many, many more years, so hes left a real legacy. 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.. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Both models dominated the competition . In 2010, the company once again expanded its line with the five-seat turbine-powered R66 helicopter. Neither was making the helicopter for the masses that he envisioned. "Frank could do it all," Kurt Robinson said . [21], On 19 February 2015, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority issued an Airworthiness Directive grounding 80 of the country's R44 helicopters after two people were killed in an accident traced to a particular type of main rotor blade, the P/N C016-7 or Dash 7, which a preliminary investigation determined had failed in flight. From 1981 through early 1992, about two dozen R22s were involved in fatal U.S. crashes linked to a loss of control. Robinson was planning to establish a production line for this aircraft in Santa Maria until the city of Torrance offered the company a good rate on a lease of additional land. 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. "We intend to go on for many, many more years, so he's left a real legacy. The ATSB recommended that the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) take further action to urge R44 owners to fit bladder-type tanks. As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. Its one thing to sit on the sideline and say, Youve got to improve that, Robinson said. Removing Airworthiness Directive AD 2021-19-08, Amendment 39-21726 ( 86 FR 49915, September 7, 2021); and. Robinson Helicopter Company was founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, whose vision was to produce the world's highest quality, most reliable helicopters in the most efficient, cost effective way . Robinson Helicopter offers three main product lines: the two-seat R22, the four-seat R44, and its newest model -- the five-seat R66 Turbine. The prototype was then sold to a flight school, a market he told the Los Angeles Times he had not even considered when he began to develop the aircraft. Machinist (Former Employee) - Torrance, CA - November 10, 2020. To date it has delivered more than13,000 helicopters and shows no sign of stopping. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company (@robinsonheli) - Instagram Finally, this proposed AD would revise the applicability by adding blades with P/N C029-3 with S/N 9910 through 10659 inclusive to the applicability for Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters and would also expand the applicability by adding Robinson Model R66 helicopters with blade P/N F-029-1 with S/N 2410 through 2589 inclusive installed. 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. 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. (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. Robinson helicopters Inc. Is a great work force. Robinson was also a major figures of the Torrance and Palos Verdes communities, and played an integral role in putting Torrances aviation industry on the map. This company has posted a revenue of $200 million. https://robinsonheli.com/. He really did have a true love of the industry. 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. 05/01/2023, 258 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. "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. It ruled out common mechanical issues, such as engine failure or fuel system problems, but did not come up with an explanation for the sudden loss of control. are not part of the published document itself. In September 1981, it began offering a more the powerful R22 HP for a base price of $59,850. 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. That image stuck with Robinson and drove the course of his career and life. Robinson was among the first North American aerospace firms to be awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design . Robinson introduced its first helicopter, the 2-place piston powered R22 in 1979. 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. Seconds later, the helicopter tore through the treetops and slammed into a house, killing his passenger, Charles Farmer, a 59-year-old co-worker. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. The prevailing opinion, at the time, was that helicopter market was for the military only. Frank Robinson was a former employee of both Hughes Helicopters and Bell Helicopter. [8][9] A May 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times reported Robinson helicopters seemed to have increased susceptibility to mast-bumping incidents.[10]. Sales plunged to just 64 units in 1983. Robinson Helicopter - Aero Corner 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. Even using the companys estimated flight hours nearly 40% more than the FAAs the R44 still had the highest rate at 1.17 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours. This is when load on the rotor assembly is reduced during flight, resulting in flapping of the rotor blades. Robinson ' s two-seat R22 and four-seat R44 helicopters offer public and private . The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. The OFR/GPO partnership is committed to presenting accurate and reliable Tim Tomasik, Tomasik Kotin Kasserman co-founder and partner, proudly represents the widow of the passenger that died in the October 23 helicopter crash, and he is committed to the vigilant pursuit of justice against the Robinson Helicopter Company. The NTSB concluded that mast-rocking was the cause of Quists accident and took Robinson to task for not sounding alarms about the potential danger. Radio stations, which used helicopters to report on traffic conditions, were another important early market. Principal Competitors: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.; Enstrom Helicopter Corporation; Eurocopter Group; Schweizer Aircraft Corp. All teetering rotor systems are susceptible to a phenomenon called mast-bumping, which occurs when the seesawing becomes so extreme that the hub or the inner ends of the rotor blades strike the mast. This means that the fuel system was likely at fault for the majority of these crashes. This action may be performed by the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate and must be entered into the aircraft records showing compliance with this AD in accordance with 14 CFR43.9(a) and 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter produced by Robinson Helicopter Company since 1992. There are a few reasons this might happen: To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page. On top of being the best-selling civilian helicopter in the world, the R44 is also the most lethal. Robinson said that doesnt matter, because the stiffer mounts have eliminated the problem: We knew how to solve it and we did.. In July 2006, Robinson addressed the issue not by fortifying its tanks, but by trying to fireproof pilots and passengers. The FAA also reviewed Robinson R44 Service Bulletin SB-110, which specifies removing P/N C029-3 blades with S/N 9910 through 10659 from service and Robinson R66 Service Bulletin SB-40, which specifies removing P/N F029-1 blades with S/N 2410 through 2589 from service. [5], Robinson has carried out ground run testing with an aircraft diesel engine that could replace its Lycoming IO-540 avgas engine. In the United States, Robinson was behind an initiative to place lightweight helipads atop business buildings and in industrial parks. Like other manufacturers, Robinson had an eye on the emerging Chinese market, which was expected to field 2,000 helicopters by 2010. The Robinson R44 led all major models with the highest fatal accident rate from 2006 to 2016. As the helicopter plunged toward San Pablo Bay, the recorder also picked up the students muffled cry of Help!. Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. He later worked on rotorcraft research for manufacturers including McCulloch Motor Company, Kaman Aircraft, Bell Helicopter, and, finally, Hughes Aircraft Company, which he joined in 1969. I just remember thinking, Who is going to die next? she said. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Machinist (Former Employee) - Torrance, CA - November 10, 2020. (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. Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. documents in the last year, 422 publication in the future. You have to instruct them and tell them there are things you cant do.. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. They continue to offer new technology and to make improvements on their past helicopters. 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. Not the president of Robinson Helicopter, not the founder, he was an engineer. Classes started each day at 8 . (3) For helicopters identified in paragraph (c)(1) of this AD, within 3 months after September 22, 2021 (the effective date of AD 2021-19-08) remove from service any blade identified in paragraph (c)(1) of this AD. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company -- Company History Both models dominated the competition and became the best-selling civilian helicopters of their time. In each model, Robinson played an integral role in the engineering and development. These can be useful In the mid-1980s, Robinson began development on the four-seat piston-powered R44 helicopter, which hit the market in 1993 and eventually outsold the R22. Robinson was not the first person who aspired to create an affordable helicopter for personal use. 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. U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. The R44 Astro was awarded an FAA Type Certificate in December 1992, with the first deliveries taking place in January 1993. The company is based in Torrance, California at Zamperini Field. The helicopter broke apart in midair so suddenly it interrupted the pilot in midsentence. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in reduced controllability and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 12, 2022 Robinson Helicopter Company bid a final farewell to its founder, Frank Robinson.Robinson, 92, passed away peacefully at his . The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Robinson began his engineering career working on the CH-1 Skyhook for Cessna Aircraft Company. Take the case of Jim Bechler, an Orange County attorney who had piloted Robinson helicopters for more than 30 years and bought a new R44 in 2008. Checking a blade for any crack would take about 0.25 work-hour for an estimated cost of up to $44 per helicopter (up to two affected blades per helicopter) and up to $19,008 for the U.S. fleet per check. Robinson Helicopter Company - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding James Guo, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, Los Angeles ACO Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; telephone (562) 627-5357; email People who like adventure are attracted to our products, he said. California Judge Outlaws Uber and Lyfts Attempt to Deny Employment Benefits to Drivers, Lawsuit Proceeds Against Lyft for Failure to Disclose Safety Issues, Another Robinson Helicopter Crash Demonstrates Why TKK Continues to Represent Victims of Robinson's Poor Design, $34 Billion Fitness Giant, Peloton, Loses its Weekslong Battle With Safety Regulators. 49 U.S.C. More information and documentation can be found in our Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc. Economic Sanctions & Foreign Assets Control, Smoking Cessation and Related Indications, Labeling of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements, Authority To Order the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces to Active Duty To Address International Drug Trafficking, Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs), https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-14830, MODS: Government Publishing Office metadata. It does not retain records related to helicopter accidents or other types of incidents. Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done. 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. These were eventually attributed to pilot error. "[22] Following the grounding in New Zealand, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) also grounded R44 helicopters with the same rotor blades. Plans for production of the Robinson R66 were announced in March 2007. the Federal Register. After making eight aircraft in 1979, Robinson produced 78 units in 1980 and 176 the next year. Robinson was also a major figures of the Torrance and Palos Verdes communities, and played an integral role in putting Torrance's aviation industry on the map. Robinson R44s were involved in 42 fatal crashes in the U.S. from 2006 to 2016, more than any other civilian helicopter, according to a Times analysis of National Transportation Safety Board accident reports. It produces a greater number of civil helicopters per year than any other manufacturer, and 80 percent of those made in the United States. But Robinson continues to mass-produce nonetheless, and it does so without having to make many changes to its flawed helicopters. Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD: On the R44 the advancing blade is on the bottom. The FAA rejected that claim. Robinson said some R44s with all-aluminum tanks continue to fly, despite his companys best efforts to urge owners to retrofit them. The R22 received its hard-fought FAA approval in 1979 and went on to become the most popular civilian helicopter worldwide.
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