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. Machinist (Former Employee) - Torrance, CA - November 10, 2020. Production bonuses. documents in the last year, 19 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. documents in the last year, 669 No doubt, Robinsons flippant record-keeping practices play a role in its ability to continue to avoid any real ramifications for its manufacturing and design practices. Federal Register provide legal notice to the public and judicial notice He financed his education at the University of Washington by working on cargo ships, reports Forbes; thus, he did not graduate until he was 27. This time was different: The student was carrying a cassette recorder to capture her flight lesson on tape, which revealed no warning of trouble. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) soon began investigating the R22 after a wave of crashes. Robinson helicopters Inc. Is a great work force. More information and documentation can be found in our 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. documents in the last year, 153 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. Information may be emailed to: The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. It would take four years to gain FAA certification. In some helicopters, it might cause only minor damage. include documents scheduled for later issues, at the request Its another thing, from an engineering standpoint, to say, How are you going to do this? This is not a simple thing to do.. The cracks were found at different inspection intervals ranging from preflight inspections to 100-hour inspections. 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. It was so popular that he went on to build a specialized newscopter version as well as a police helicopter. Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company (@robinsonheli) - Instagram [11] The TAIC report noted "Helicopters with semirigid, two-bladed main rotor systems, as used on Robinson helicopters, are particularly susceptible to mast bumping in "low-G" conditions". 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. documents in the last year, by the Energy Department 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.. Production bonuses. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades . 9-ANM-LAACO-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Go to Russia was another important new territory. He handled everything as an engineering problem and something to solve.". https://www.regulations.gov, Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The top sellers of Robinson Helicopter are the R44 and R66 models. Its been a really good partnership, said Kurt. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. This document has been published in the Federal Register. Death rate (Fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours). However, he was unable to interest any of his employers in his concept for a small, low-cost consumer helicopter. Expert aviation consultants find this shocking, and they have been quoted saying they believe Robinson Helicopter Company engages in these shoddy record-keeping practices with the specific intent to divest itself of all records in an attempt to have plausible deniability related to responsibility.. on FederalRegister.gov Frank Robinson, Founder of Torrance's Robinson Helicopter Company, Dies There was an overall downturn in the U.S. helicopter industry due to a strong dollar, a recession, and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The company also offers welding, machining, assembly, painting, and flight testing. Powered by a 160-horsepower Lycoming engine, the R22 had a fiberglass fuselage and sold for a base price of $40,000. 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. It wasnt until February of 2012 that they released Service Bulletin SB78, requiring the installation of improved fuel tanks for safety. Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. 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). Robinson had also looked at locations in the South and Midwest. abnormal vibrations during flight; subsequent investigation determined that the blade was cracked. Kurt Robinson is the current President and Chairman. FAA-2022-0872; Project Identifier AD-2022-00431-R. Robinson, reported Forbes, did not carry liability insurance due to its supreme confidence in his product. At 1,000 feet above the ground, everything was a blur as he fought to regain control. establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned 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. Unique in the multi-tiered aerospace industry, Robinson builds most of its own components. All rights reserved. He really did have a true love of the industry. 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. Send your comments to an address listed under Robinson had 310 employees at the time. 05/01/2023, 244 I will tell you Ive never seen anybody hurt with that, he said. b. "We intend to go on for many, many more years, so he's left a real legacy. And he got in the helicopter and he actually hovered it, which is very impressive. But cheap mass-production comes at a cost. To date it has delivered more than13,000 helicopters and shows no sign of stopping. edition of the Federal Register. Like other manufacturers, Robinson had an eye on the emerging Chinese market, which was expected to field 2,000 helicopters by 2010. 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. It is the worlds best-selling civilian helicopter, a top choice among flight schools, sightseeing companies, police departments and recreational pilots. in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. [7][8] As of 2014[update], an R44 holds the piston speed record of 227km/h. The Model R22 Alpha, with increased gross weight, was rolled out two years later. The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal This prototype edition of the 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. And two months before that, an R44 suddenly lost power and crashed on a golf course maintenance yard in Santa Barbara, seriously injuring the pilot and two passengers, a young couple on a sightseeing tour. Robinsons contention that its pilots are less experienced is borne out to some extent by The Times analysis. With its four-seat capacity, the R44 was expected to sell well in the executive aircraft market. She has a B.A. 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 record must be maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked blades. I was very happy when they emerged alive, said golfer Kevin Keating, who saw the R44 fall from the sky. In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. To reduce the risk of injury in a post-crash fire, it is strongly recommended that a fire-retardant Nomex flight suit, gloves and hood or helmet be worn by all occupants, said Robinson Safety Notice 40. The President of the United States manages the operations of the Executive branch of Government through Executive orders. New Documents 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. For continued operation until the affected blades are replaced, the service bulletin specifies a preflight inspection to be performed by the pilot. But the following year, at age 80, Robinson did retire from the iconic helicopter company he founded in 1973, turning control over to his son, Kurt. Those helicopters should have all been grounded and there should have been a giant red flag and a recall.. He went on to work in engineering at the Cessna Aircraft Company, McCulloch Motor Company, Kaman Aircraft, Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopter Company. 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. 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. For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed regulation: (1) Is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and. [1][2] Robinson helicopter will celebrate 50 years in business in June 2023.[3]. 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. R44 Cadet with Floats. Overtime sometimes on weekends. If you asked Frank who he is, the first thing he would tell you is hes an engineer, said Kurt. On key safety issues dogging the R44, the FAA has taken a more hands-off approach than its foreign counterparts. Full benefits for employee and offered insurance for family. It also issued Service Bulletin SB-78 on 20 December 2010, requiring R44 helicopters with all-aluminum fuel tanks to be retrofitted with bladder-type tanks to "improve the R44's fuel system's resistance to a post-accident fuel leak." A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 07/13/2022. Aviation was in his blood.". james.guo@faa.gov. On the R44 the advancing blade is on the bottom. It eventually surfaced in a lawsuit stemming from the deaths of two Canadian men whose new R44 broke up in flight near Desert Center, Calif. Nobody had ever mentioned to me in any safety course, no Robinson helicopter pilot, no communique, no nothing had ever mentioned to me a vibration problem with the R44, Wells testified in a deposition. Others have died when main rotor blades peeled apart in flight or sliced through tail booms or cockpits. The new rules impact is unclear. developer tools pages. 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 Southern California, three R44s have crashed since January 2017, killing three people and injuring six others, NTSB records show. NTSB investigators continue to find signs of mast bumping in Robinson wreckage. At the same time, reports by the NTSB detail examples of experienced pilots who were killed in what the agency said should have been survivable accidents. The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. In 2016, the government of New Zealand placed Robinson mast-bumping on its watch list of most serious transportation safety concerns, citing 14 fatal accidents over the previous 20 years. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format. 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. The company manufactures non-military helicopters used in applications such as police work, television news reporting, instrument flight training, radio traffic reporting, and emergency services. 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 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. 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 Helicopter Company - Torrance, California is the world's leading manufacturer of civil helicopters. Its business model: mass-produce simple, low-cost helicopters and sell them to the civilian public at an affordable price. documents in the last year, 1407 What Else Does Robinson Helicopter Company Manufacture? 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. Removing Airworthiness Directive AD 2021-19-08, Amendment 39-21726 ( 86 FR 49915, September 7, 2021); and. Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters 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 Currently, the company only manufactures three different models of helicopters. Robinson Helicopter Company opened shop in 1973. 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. The factory can produce up to 1,000 helicopters per year. 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. documents in the last year, 494 The R22 and the R44 both use Lycoming piston engines, while the R66 uses a turbine engine. In contrast, the Bell Jet Ranger, a five-seat, turbine-powered helicopter, cost $600,000. 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. All of the service centers and dealers are independently owned and operated. R44 helicopters that were manufactured before December of 2010, as well as all R22 helicopters, have fuel tanks that are more susceptible to rupturing than other fuel tanks. Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code: 6410, Tail Rotor Blades. The incident was actually discovered when the ground crew noticed an abnormal noise during a shipboard landing. The R22 would eventually dominate the world helicopter trainer market. I look at that today and I just say 'oh my god'. 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. https://robinsonheli.com/. 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. Principal Competitors: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.; Enstrom Helicopter Corporation; Eurocopter Group; Schweizer Aircraft Corp. However, it was the military, beginning with the Korean War, which made the most use of helicopters. 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. Frank Robinson was born in 1930 and grew up near Seattle. "That's just amazing to me. In one instance, a cracked blade was suspected when the pilot felt (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. documents in the last year, 24 The R22's simple design, easy maintenance and low acquisition 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. You may examine the AD docket at Some dubbed them "Swift Family Robinson.". Robinson continued to improve its products. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposal because of those comments. Global key piston-engined helicopter manufacturers include Robinson Helicopter Company Hlicoptres Guimbal, Enstrom Helicopter Corp. etc. This proposed AD would also continue to require, before further flight, removing from service any cracked blade and would prohibit installing the affected blades on any helicopter.