8000 Robbies
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Canada
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I recall reading in Rotor & Wing that FR initially wanted to sell the machine for $26,000. Unfortunately, high insurance premiums due to the product liability situation in the US forced him to increase the price.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Warwick
Age: 42
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I still fly s/n 1000 (G-OSHL) every now and again (Wx permitting, I will be tomorrow!) - it is still in use at Sloane's in Northampton as both a trainer and for SFH.
Given its vintage it is in immaculate condition after a factory overhaul about a year ago - I nearly mentioned it in the other current thread about how many hrs some 22s have on them!
8000 is an amazing number though - I don't know if anybody else saw in this months Pilot / Todays Pilot that the UK CAA recently registered its 50,000 aircraft since the register began. Fitting it is a R44! (See here.)
Both the R22 and the R44 appear in the list of the 6 most common a/c on the CAA register with 330 R44's and 235 R22's.
Given its vintage it is in immaculate condition after a factory overhaul about a year ago - I nearly mentioned it in the other current thread about how many hrs some 22s have on them!
8000 is an amazing number though - I don't know if anybody else saw in this months Pilot / Todays Pilot that the UK CAA recently registered its 50,000 aircraft since the register began. Fitting it is a R44! (See here.)
Both the R22 and the R44 appear in the list of the 6 most common a/c on the CAA register with 330 R44's and 235 R22's.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New Zealand
Age: 51
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I finished my CPL 2 years ago in our 1986 R22 Alpha s/n 680 which had 7900 hrs on it.
It is coming up on its 4th rebuild and it just keeps on truckin', This alpha averages 6-650 hours a year and was apparently a lot shorter on power than the beta models (I have only flown this and an R44) which made training at higher altitudes (2900 ft in summer with 2 up) quite interesting.
Overall the R22 was a great experience, having a syndicate share allowed me to fly for NZ$190 an hour everything included and saved me about $37k on a 150hr CPL. I don't think you could do that on any other rotorcraft.
Congrats Frank, Will the R66 kick in before they hit 10000?
It is coming up on its 4th rebuild and it just keeps on truckin', This alpha averages 6-650 hours a year and was apparently a lot shorter on power than the beta models (I have only flown this and an R44) which made training at higher altitudes (2900 ft in summer with 2 up) quite interesting.
Overall the R22 was a great experience, having a syndicate share allowed me to fly for NZ$190 an hour everything included and saved me about $37k on a 150hr CPL. I don't think you could do that on any other rotorcraft.
Congrats Frank, Will the R66 kick in before they hit 10000?
Last edited by Heli-kiwi; 21st May 2008 at 01:35.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Australia
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all well and good.....but the paint work and the interior finnishing are still very poor to say the least and corrosion in the paintwork is dispiccable even on machines 6 months old.....R66
.....i just hope honda or a japanese firm can come up with a competitor and just wait they will!...
.....i just hope honda or a japanese firm can come up with a competitor and just wait they will!...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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The Robinson R22/R44 story is one of self-perpetuating success.
Frank Robinson is the 'Henry Ford' of helicopters. He has cleverly developed a cheap, basic helicopter that provides access to affordable training and private ownership. If you buy one, you need training. If you've trained on one, you'll probably buy one.
And then, he cleverly monopolised the next logical step on the ladder with the R44.
And the competition didn't really complete in this price bracket, so his share of the market has mushroomed. If you want to buy, new or used, there's always lots to choose from.
Yes, they are built to a price, they've got a few issues and drawbacks , a lot of people don't like them, and there may well be better alternatives (at a price), but as a commercial success it deserves credit.
Doesn't necessarily mean that 8,000 people were right.
Frank Robinson is the 'Henry Ford' of helicopters. He has cleverly developed a cheap, basic helicopter that provides access to affordable training and private ownership. If you buy one, you need training. If you've trained on one, you'll probably buy one.
And then, he cleverly monopolised the next logical step on the ladder with the R44.
And the competition didn't really complete in this price bracket, so his share of the market has mushroomed. If you want to buy, new or used, there's always lots to choose from.
Yes, they are built to a price, they've got a few issues and drawbacks , a lot of people don't like them, and there may well be better alternatives (at a price), but as a commercial success it deserves credit.
Doesn't necessarily mean that 8,000 people were right.
