Discovery of the incident was incorrectly described as a pilot feeling abnormal vibrations during flight. You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods: b. Document Drafting Handbook [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. Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. Go to 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. If you or a member of your family have suffered injuries or wrongful death in a Robinson helicopter crash or another type of aviation accident, our lawyers can work with you to identify the liable parties and pursue financial compensation. 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. The warning was deemed impractical by many pilots and widely ignored. These can be useful Call our Chicago aviation injury lawyers today at 312-605-8800 to arrange a free consultation. In 2009, the company began installing bladder-type fuel tanks in all new R44 helicopters. The four-seat helicopter had barely lifted off from John Wayne Airport when it nosed down, clipped two houses and slammed into a third, killing the pilot and two of his three passengers. Federal Register issue. 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. Robinson participates in NTSB investigations involving its helicopters and submits its findings to federal authorities. 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. Then on June 29, 1992, near Richmond, Calif., another R22 broke up, killing the pilot and his flight student. "Not the president of Robinson Helicopter, not the founder, he was an engineer. 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. abnormal vibrations during flight; subsequent investigation determined that the blade was cracked. Robinson was also a visionary and a veritable aviation rock star, who racked up accolades over the course of his five-decade career. Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD: This AD was prompted by reports of cracked blades. Robinson released its first model, the R22, in the late 1970s, and it released the R44 in 1993. [3] In January 2000, Robinson introduced the Raven with hydraulically assisted controls[4] and adjustable pedals. The helicopter broke apart in midair so suddenly it interrupted the pilot in midsentence. These were eventually attributed to pilot error. In 2000, he gave $1 million to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to fund a rotary-wing aircraft display at its new Dulles Airport facility. A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 07/13/2022. Others have died when main rotor blades peeled apart in flight or sliced through tail booms or cockpits. When the vibration started, I looked in to check the gauges, but by that time the vibration was so bad I could not read them, Wells recalled. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. Monday thru Friday. "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. 9-ANM-LAACO-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Against the advice of colleagues, Robinson struck out on his own in June 1973. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades . Robinsons contention that its pilots are less experienced is borne out to some extent by The Times analysis. 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. "We intend to go on for many, many more years, so he's left a real legacy. Robinson is one of the first aviation companies in North America to achieve ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design, production and service. Open for Comment. Without data, you are at a loss. The causes of many helicopter crashes remain a mystery even after the NTSB tasked with scrutinizing every U.S. civil aviation accident finishes its job. Based on the company's two-seat Robinson R22, the R44 features hydraulically assisted flight controls. R44 Raven I. R44 Clipper I. R44 Cadet. 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. Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505, United States; phone: (310) 539-0508; email: Currently, the company only manufactures three different models of helicopters. documents in the last year, 295 With its four-seat capacity, the R44 was expected to sell well in the executive aircraft market. 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. At 1,000 feet above the ground, everything was a blur as he fought to regain control. 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. 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. Its greater size also opened new possibilities in police work, agriculture, and fish spotting. Robinson spent 16 years trying to convince his aerospace employers that such a market even existed. The end result is that the entire rotor assembly can easily shear off of the helicopter. 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 cause has yet to be determined, but the type of helicopter is well known to accident investigators: the Robinson R44. While California's giant military aerospace firms idled plants after the fall of the Soviet Union, Robinson Helicopter was thriving. 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. by the Securities and Exchange Commission A float-equipped version, dubbed the Mariner, was introduced later in the year and was priced at $94,850. Production fell from 390 aircraft in 2000 to 328 in 2001; Robinson still out-produced Eurocopter, its closest volume rival, which saw output rise fifteen percent to 280 units. 05/01/2023, 858 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. Like other manufacturers, Robinson had an eye on the emerging Chinese market, which was expected to field 2,000 helicopters by 2010. The company president, Kurt Robinson, contested his helicopters place atop The Times accident-rate ranking. The company was founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, a former employee of Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopters. The company delivered 384 R22's in 1990; sales were $48 million. https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-robinson-helicopters. website: The R22 hit the market in 1979. His family settled out of court with the company. AD 2021-19-08 requires checking each tail rotor blade (blade) for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. By this time, Robinson was selling more helicopters than anybody else, including Bell, Sikorsky, Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas. 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. He was flying home from a business meeting near Temecula when he stopped to refuel at Corona Municipal Airport. We intend to go on for many, many more years, so hes left a real legacy. People who like adventure are attracted to our products, he said. 07/12/2022 at 8:45 am. Both models dominated the competition and became the best-selling civilian helicopters of their time. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company, a prominent player in the civil helicopter industry, has an impressive list of achievements. Though the federal government does not track the flight hours of pilots across the board, it does log the experience level of those involved in accidents. regulatory information on FederalRegister.gov with the objective of [4] Production in 2014 dropped to 329 aircraft. [23][24][25], Data from Robinson R44 Raven II Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA approved rotorcraft flight manual, dated 13 June 2005, and new Robinson R44 Raven II specifications. I was very happy when they emerged alive, said golfer Kevin Keating, who saw the R44 fall from the sky. The two-place R22 quickly became the world's top-selling civil helicopter and turned Robinson into what many think of as the "Henry Ford of helicopters." The passenger leaves behind a widow seeking justice for what was a preventable death. Robinson brought out a special police-oriented variant of the R44 in mid-1997. Nov. 13TORRANCE Aviation visionary and South Bay legend Frank Robinson has died at 92. leaving behind six children, a company of over 1,000 employees and a forever changed helicopter industry. This is when load on the rotor assembly is reduced during flight, resulting in flapping of the rotor blades. 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 is known for their commitment to R&D. Concept Tested With Sikorskys Black Hawk, CTs Sikorsky and Parent Lockheed Say They Will No Longer Protest Loss of Army Helicopter Contract, Air Tourism Center Would Create New Home for Rainbow Air. documents in the last year, 24 It is such a double-edged sword with this company, Akbari said. (2) If there is any crack, before further flight, remove the blade from service. the material on FederalRegister.gov is accurately displayed, consistent with Before jurors began deliberations on punitive damages, the two sides reached a confidential settlement. But those systems vary, and Robinson uses its own version of a two-bladed main rotor that teeters on a hub atop the mast. 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. Two early R22's were in fatal accidents, however, leading to a redesign of rotor blades. The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter produced by Robinson Helicopter Company since 1992. 51. He was captivated with helicopters and really wanted to develop that as a personal transport and the rest is history, said Kurt. When the answer is, We dont keep databases because every time something goes wrong we fix it, that doesnt answer the question of just what is the story, what is going on here? said Hart, the former NTSB chairman. But Robinson continues to mass-produce nonetheless, and it does so without having to make many changes to its flawed helicopters. From a numbers standpoint, it worked. 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. All of the service centers and dealers are independently owned and operated. (3) Robinson Model R66 helicopters with a blade P/N F029-1 with S/N 2410 through 2589 inclusive, installed. This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the 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. Privacy Policy, Brown, David A., "Piston-Powered R44 Offers Low-Cost Flight,", Del Valle, Christina, and Larry Armstrong, "33 Crashes: Design Flaw or Pilot Error? Very productive in house fabrication and istallation. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format. Robinson Helicopter soon opened a plant at Torrance Airport. [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. the Federal Register. publication in the future. (The R44, which featured new hydraulic controls after 1999, was then priced around $300,000.) It is a five-seat helicopter of similar configuration to the R44, but with the addition of a luggage compartment, wider cabin by 8in (20cm), and powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 gas turbine engine. And if we branch out from the R44 model, the statistics are even worse. "If you asked Frank who he is, the first thing he would tell you is he's an engineer," said Kurt. Robinson would also look close to home for key staff. documents in the last year, 825 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. A tail rotor stabilizes the aircraft. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-19-08, it was determined that an additional model helicopter and additional blades are affected by the unsafe condition. He planned to commute to work in his R44. The prevailing opinion, at the time, was that helicopter market was for the military only. 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. Its one thing to sit on the sideline and say, Youve got to improve that, Robinson said. 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. 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. Robinson founded the Robinson Helicopter Company out of his Palos Verdes home in 1973 and developed the first R22 prototype at the Torrance Airport. Robinson was already exporting half of its production in the mid-1980s. The R44 Astro was awarded an FAA Type Certificate in December 1992, with the first deliveries taking place in January 1993. The R44 was then released in 1992, featuring a more powerful engine, but the same great design philosophy as the R22. documents in the last year, 19 The company also offers welding, machining, assembly, painting, and flight testing. Since the turn of the century, 165 people have been killed in the United States when they were involved in crashes with Robinson helicopters. This company has posted a revenue of $200 million. Full benefits for employee and offered insurance for family. In fact, its maintenance schedule was similar to that of light fixed-wing aircraft--an overhaul only every 2,000 hours (later extended to 2,200 hours). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Neither was making the helicopter for the masses that he envisioned. This feature is not available for this document. The top 3 companies hold a share about 95Percent. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal The Robinson R44, the worlds best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes. Another problem that Robinson Helicopter was involved in dealt with mast bumping. Whilst all three of company's helicopters produced to date have been incredibly successful, the Robinson R44 is by far the most popular. The Model R22 Alpha, with increased gross weight, was rolled out two years later. To maintain the highest quality standards, the company carries out most of the . should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official He went on to work in engineering at the Cessna Aircraft Company, McCulloch Motor Company, Kaman Aircraft, Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopter Company.

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