Every time a Robinson crashes there is a deluge of bashers. I have no great love of Frank Robinson, having been told the blades on a five month old 44 had to be changed at my expense and a litany of other issues over the years. BUT before the 22 and 44, self fly in the UK and many other countries was limited to small groups of rather eccentric chaps.
I am not alone in preferring to fly more substantial helicopters but I and many others would never have learned to fly without the 22 purely because of cost. With the exception of perhaps the US, tax authorities are so strict that very few people can afford to operate turbine helicopters other than as part of a commercial operation. As we enter the seventh year of a global recession I am struck by the reduction in self fly operations and the number of people giving up helicopter ownership. This cannot be good for any part of the industry. The 22 and 44 may be Ladas but when there were no other affordable cars Russians found them invaluable.
By all means put bladder tanks in new aircraft, but bear in mind that mandating retro fitting, combined with the recurring spectre of blades and the fiasco over the 66 will drive people away. This not only effects Robinson sales but also employment within the industry, the number of people moving up to more substantial ships and potentially the ability of the industry to resist increasing political regulation.