Robinson Helicopter Company Russian Helicopters, JSC Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Table of content for the HelicopterMarket includes: Global HelicopterMarket: Research Methodology . Robinson was generally successful in winning lawsuits, having them dismissed, or settling them for reasonable amounts. The OFR/GPO partnership is committed to presenting accurate and reliable The R44 has been the world's best-selling general aviation (GA) helicopter every year since 1999. "He was captivated with helicopters and really wanted to develop that as a personal transport and the rest is history," said Kurt. Robinson Helicopter Company Careers and Employment - Indeed Kurt Robinson rejected any link between mast-bumping and design. Many of the lawsuits were resolved with confidential settlements. Subtitle I, Section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. As a result, not all operators are familiar with the phenomenon, as the accident operator was not, the agency noted. 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 New Documents Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 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 The prevailing opinion, at the time, was that helicopter market was for the military only. Danger spins from the sky: The Robinson R44, the world's best-selling Upon his retirement, Frank Robinson was succeeded by his son, Kurt, who is the Chairman and President of the Robinson Helicopter Company. 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. The company delivered 390 new aircraft in 2000 and 328 in 2001, and has total sales exceeding $100 million annually. 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. Still, safety issues have dogged the Torrance manufacturer over its 45-year history, The Times found, and both the company and the FAA have been slow to address design features and operating characteristics that have caused or contributed to accidents. Rather than modify its helicopters to reduce the risk of post-crash fires, Robinson advised pilots and passengers wear protective suits. Robinson ' s two-seat R22 and four-seat R44 helicopters offer public and private . The R44 also boasted low operating costs and required less frequent servicing than typical helicopters. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Production bonuses. In this Issue, Documents We intend to go on for many, many more years, so hes left a real legacy. Federal Register issue. The Robinson R44 led all major models with the highest fatal accident rate from 2006 to 2016. The Model R22 Alpha, with increased gross weight, was rolled out two years later. It was so popular that he went on to build a specialized newscopter version as well as a police helicopter. documents in the last year, 931 I just remember thinking, Who is going to die next? she said. 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). Before jurors began deliberations on punitive damages, the two sides reached a confidential settlement. His family settled out of court with the company. 9-ANM-LAACO-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. ADDRESSES You've disabled cookies in your web browser. Removing Airworthiness Directive AD 2021-19-08, Amendment 39-21726 ( 86 FR 49915, September 7, 2021); and. Maintenance Training The Robinson Way | Aviation Pros FAA-2022-0872; Project Identifier AD-2022-00431-R. 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. In 2013, Robinson was the global market leader, selling 523 light helicopters, a 1% increase from 2012. In July 2006, Robinson addressed the issue not by fortifying its tanks, but by trying to fireproof pilots and passengers. A weak dollar was good for exports, which accounted for 80 percent of sales. The safety board has not determined causes for those accidents, which remain under investigation. 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. "That's just amazing to me. in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding district office. [8][9] A May 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times reported Robinson helicopters seemed to have increased susceptibility to mast-bumping incidents.[10]. Robinson had 800 employees in 2000. "We intend to go on for many, many more years, so he's left a real legacy. Recently, Robinson Helicopter released the R44 Cadet, this is a two-place R44 that has been specifically designed for training. 05/01/2023, 258 Founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, Robinson Helicopter has since produced more than 12,000 aircraft. While California's giant military aerospace firms idled plants after the fall of the Soviet Union, Robinson Helicopter was thriving. I mean, that's somebody just learning how to fly," said Kurt. This R66 Turbine was finally certified in 2010 to the updated federal regulation amendments. Two early R22's were in fatal accidents, however, leading to a redesign of rotor blades. . In each model, Robinson played an integral role in the engineering and development. By this time, Robinson was selling more helicopters than anybody else, including Bell, Sikorsky, Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas. The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 29, 2022. 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. james.guo@faa.gov. 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 possible. That lack of historical data is troubling to aviation safety experts. Overtime sometimes on weekends. He really loved living here and weve been part of the community for over 40 years. After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again. regulatory information on FederalRegister.gov with the objective of Of the 13,000 helicopters Robinson has sold, 1,200 have crashed. The warning was deemed impractical by many pilots and widely ignored. documents in the last year, by the International Trade Commission Robinson introduced its first helicopter, the 2-place piston powered R22 in 1979. We look at every accident trying to rack our brains out and say what improvements can we make to the helicopter, what things can we tell pilots through safety notices that will enhance safety for them, he said. documents in the last year, 494 That is an average of 1.6 deadly crashes per 100,000 hours flown, a rate nearly 50% higher than that of the other dozen most common civilian models. More information and documentation can be found in our documents in the last year, by the Energy Department Since the turn of the century, 165 people have been killed in the United States when they were involved in crashes with Robinson helicopters. The CAA left the Airworthiness Directive requiring repetitive inspections in place, however. It's been a really good partnership," said Kurt. Classes started each day at 8 . Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. Oh, man, were they lucky.. These helicopters are all manufactured, assembled, inspected, and tested at the Torrance, California factory. ROBINSON Aircraft For Sale - 181 Listings | Controller.com Against the advice of colleagues, Robinson struck out on his own in June 1973. 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. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company - Wikipedia Just two years later he took the two-seat, piston powered helicopter on its first flight with a mere 60 hours of flight experience behind him. documents in the last year, by the Food and Drug Administration The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this proposed AD. As the helicopter plunged toward San Pablo Bay, the recorder also picked up the students muffled cry of Help!. Robinson Helicopter Company. Ours are being flown much, much more at the entry point of the market.. 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. You have to instruct them and tell them there are things you cant do.. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect and prevent cracks in the affected blades. It doesnt even keep track of statistical data to address recurring problems or determine the numbers of people who have been injured or killed. 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. 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. The R22 received its hard-fought FAA approval in 1979 and went on to become the most popular civilian helicopter worldwide. Robinson founded the Robinson Helicopter Company out of his Palos Verdes home in 1973 and developed the first R22 prototype at the Torrance Airport. It was so popular that he went on to build a specialized newscopter version as well as a police helicopter. "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. Discovery of the incident was incorrectly described as a pilot feeling abnormal vibrations during flight. U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Robinson Helicopter is known for their commitment to R&D. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action. 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. Helicopter Pioneer Frank Robinson Passes | Markets Insider documents in the last year, 153 It does not have established safety programs. Robinson helicopters use a patented design for their main rotor, with a triple-hinged rotor assembly "teetering" atop an extended mast. 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. Information may be emailed to: 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. In addition to producing new helicopters, Robinson Helicopter also has a program to overhaul older aircraft. Both models dominated the competition . Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters The week-long course covers maintenance on all three RHC airframes the piston-powered two-place R-22 and four-place R-44, and the turbine-powered five-place R-66. 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. AD 2021-19-08 requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. 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. 51. Then on June 29, 1992, near Richmond, Calif., another R22 broke up, killing the pilot and his flight student. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. This prototype edition of the This time was different: The student was carrying a cassette recorder to capture her flight lesson on tape, which revealed no warning of trouble. In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. Just two years later he took the two-seat, piston powered helicopter on its first flight with a mere 60 hours of flight experience behind him. Currently, the company only manufactures three different models of helicopters. At 1,000 feet above the ground, everything was a blur as he fought to regain control. Robinson released its first model, the R22, in the late 1970s, and it released the R44 in 1993. At least 65 wrongful-death and product liability lawsuits have been filed across the country since then, accusing Robinson of concealing or willfully ignoring safety issues and dodging accountability allegations the company denies. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked tail rotor blades (blades). In September 1981, it began offering a more the powerful R22 HP for a base price of $59,850. The R22 would eventually claim world speed and altitude records for its class. He really did have a true love of the industry. Franklin Davis Robinson (January 14, 1930 - November 12, 2022) 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. The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-19-08, which applies to certain Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. [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. It is also a popular choice for law enforcement agencies. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority. Family-owned Robinson Helicopter Co. disputed The Times analysis, contending that the FAA undercounts the flight hours for the R44, leading to an inflated accident rate. Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. Company Profile | Torrance, CA For complete information about, and access to, our official publications Full benefits for employee and offered insurance for family. 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. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows: Authority: Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status. Robinson had 310 employees at the time. [20]:12 The FAA, the governing body in the country of manufacture whose directives would normally be followed in other countries like Australia, had not mandated the retrofit; CASA therefore issued Australian-specific airworthiness directive AD/R44/23, grounding R44 aircraft on 30 April 2013 that had not yet been upgraded. It wasnt until February of 2012 that they released Service Bulletin SB78, requiring the installation of improved fuel tanks for safety. Frank Robinson made large donations to two aviation history projects. Neither was making the helicopter for the masses that he envisioned. https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-robinson-helicopters. Robinson pilots in deadly crashes had tallied a median of 1,017 flight hours, the least of any major helicopter maker. Frank Robinson, Founder of Torrance's Robinson Helicopter Company, Dies This service bulletin specifies removing P/N C029-3 blades with S/N 9410 through 9909 from service. The company is based in Torrance, California at Zamperini Field. They havent figured it out, former NTSB chairman Christopher Hart told The Times late last year. Santa Maria's purportedly cumbersome licensing process helped seal that decision. [19], An accident investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in March 2013 found, after analyzing historical data, that a significantly higher proportion of R44 aircraft (12%) caught fire after crashing, compared to accidents involving other types of piston-engine helicopters (7%). The safety board closed its file on mast-rocking but did not declare the issue resolved. the material on FederalRegister.gov is accurately displayed, consistent with "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. are not part of the published document itself. daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial by searching for and locating Docket No. The company was born in 1973 in the Rancho Palos Verdes home of engineer Frank Robinson, who became enamored of helicopters as a kid in Washington state. "He really did have a true love of the industry. R22 Beta II. Robinson is one of the first aviation companies in North America to achieve ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design, production and service. Instead of sharing the report with pilots, owners or the FAA, the company argued in legal proceedings that it contained proprietary information. abnormal vibrations during flight; subsequent investigation determined that the blade was cracked. It produces a greater number of civil helicopters per year than any other manufacturer, and 80 percent of those made in the United States. Robinson, reported Forbes, did not carry liability insurance due to its supreme confidence in his product. Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company - ideamensch Federal aviation officials routinely use the data to calculate accident rates. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Robinson Helicopter soon opened a plant at Torrance Airport. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. The company delivered 384 R22's in 1990; sales were $48 million. Robinson Helicopter Company is a manufacturer of helicopters. Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD: The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Copyright (c) 2022 Company-Histories.com. 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. The company had sales of $50 million in 1991, when it shipped a record 402 helicopters. 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. No other make of helicopter is subject to such a regulation, according to the FAA. Nor does it retain detailed records of accidents or incidents, compile statistical data to track recurring issues or tally how many people have been killed or injured in its helicopters. He said the company keeps accident reports and other records for only as long as the FAA requires us to and that throwing them away does not impede its commitment to safety. 14K Followers, 100 Following, 183 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Robinson Helicopter Company (@robinsonheli) The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. But the safety board also said he most likely would have survived if no fire had occurred. Robinson helicopters Inc. Is a great work force. documents in the last year, 1008 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. The President of the United States manages the operations of the Executive branch of Government through Executive orders. Federal Register. Overtime sometimes on weekends. The Public Inspection page edition of the Federal Register. Whether the lightweight design of Robinson helicopters makes them dangerous has long been the subject of debate and litigation.

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