Robinson: Greatest Helicopter of all time
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Uk
Robinson: Greatest Helicopter of all time
Dear All,
With the much awaited arrival of the R66 will RHC not become one of the prestigious manufacturers of all time??
Having accomplished the feat of providing reliable machines for beginners and first time owners they now seem set to establish themselves as the 'full package' by producing a turbine A/C that will leave it's competitors in it's wake.
If the new arrival lives up to the traits of the previous models through price, reliability and convenience i am sure that this new arrival in the market place will leave any existing competition miles behind.
Who (as a private owner rather than operator) would want a squirrel / enstrom sat in a hangar mounting up maintenance bills for 3 months of the year when the Robinson owners are all out flying and enjoying themselves for less cost??
Some may wish to comment on the accident's incurred by the R22's and R44's but this is also attributable the percentage of the marketplace that Robinson hold and the role (i.e. training etc..) that they currently carry out in the UK and abroad
Any comments?
Night Owl
With the much awaited arrival of the R66 will RHC not become one of the prestigious manufacturers of all time??
Having accomplished the feat of providing reliable machines for beginners and first time owners they now seem set to establish themselves as the 'full package' by producing a turbine A/C that will leave it's competitors in it's wake.
If the new arrival lives up to the traits of the previous models through price, reliability and convenience i am sure that this new arrival in the market place will leave any existing competition miles behind.
Who (as a private owner rather than operator) would want a squirrel / enstrom sat in a hangar mounting up maintenance bills for 3 months of the year when the Robinson owners are all out flying and enjoying themselves for less cost??
Some may wish to comment on the accident's incurred by the R22's and R44's but this is also attributable the percentage of the marketplace that Robinson hold and the role (i.e. training etc..) that they currently carry out in the UK and abroad
Any comments?
Night Owl
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Belgium
With the much awaited arrival of the R66 will RHC not become one of the prestigious manufacturers of all time??
No.
There's nothing prestigious about Robinsons, the simple fact they put a Turbine in a R44 doesn't mean it's prestigious.
Robinson produces cheap helicopters in mass, but that's all they are cheap mass produced helicopters. You can't compare a Fiat Panda with a BMW 7 series.
I do really like the R44 and can't wait for the R66 to come along and fly it, but it will never be a prestigious brand.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: cornwall UK
Greatest??
I'm always wary of that word 'greatest' because it doesn't actually mean very much. Fastest, biggest, heaviest, most reliable, cheapest, most economic, OK.
But Greatest?? What's it supposed to mean? How is the Robinson 'greater' than the Bell Huey, the Chinook, the SeaKing/S61 or several others?
But Greatest?? What's it supposed to mean? How is the Robinson 'greater' than the Bell Huey, the Chinook, the SeaKing/S61 or several others?
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,081
Likes: 189
From: Redding CA, or on a fire somewhere
Look at the market share Toyota has in the US vehicle market....
If the same recall standards for safety were applied to Robinsons as are applied in the car industry, I suspect that Robinsons would have been grounded many years ago.
Night Owl---maybe you were unaware that the NTSB tried to ground the Robinson....
If the same recall standards for safety were applied to Robinsons as are applied in the car industry, I suspect that Robinsons would have been grounded many years ago.
Night Owl---maybe you were unaware that the NTSB tried to ground the Robinson....
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 118
Nightowl
Perhaps you should consider that most machines dont spend 3 months on maintainence every year Owned 12 different machines worst in time was 3 weeks for an annual. Let me see I dont need to " throw away" any of my machines once they have done 12 years !
Perhaps you should consider that most machines dont spend 3 months on maintainence every year Owned 12 different machines worst in time was 3 weeks for an annual. Let me see I dont need to " throw away" any of my machines once they have done 12 years !
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Essex
"Having accomplished the feat of providing reliable machines for beginners and first time owners they now seem set to establish themselves as the 'full package' by producing a turbine A/C that will leave it's competitors in it's wake"
Only my opnion, but H269 (Schweizer) is better all round package than R22.
Will the R66 leave competitors in it's wake?
If you were going to spend that sort of $ on an R66, surely you'd look at a previously cherished H500...I know I would.
Only my opnion, but H269 (Schweizer) is better all round package than R22.
Will the R66 leave competitors in it's wake?
If you were going to spend that sort of $ on an R66, surely you'd look at a previously cherished H500...I know I would.
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Interesting quote from Robinson Jr. in the latest Rotorhub mag which reflects that comment:
So RHC seems to recognize that it may have limited appeal (by the company's own standards), esp. if the current efforts to find an environmentally acceptable replacement for 100LL succeed (as it now appears will happen). Frank himself has said he foresees demand for 'up to' 150-200 units/yr.
I/C
"The nice thing about [the R66] is that I will then have a turbine, where we can say: 'If you have to have a turbine, here you go.' Obviously there are some markets where they have altitude or a specific reason for a turbine. But in a lot of these other markets you don’t need it. And if you don’t need it, why spend the money? And that will work for us, because I would rather have somebody go out and fly more often with the right piece of equipment than sell them a higher-priced piece of equipment that they can’t use as much."
I/C
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,631
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, USA
I never did like flying the R22 much, but I'd have to say that I agree with the original poster. They've contributed more to the helicopter industry than any one else I can think of. One could even go so far as to say that there is a helicopter industry pretty much thanks to Robinson. It would certainly not be a big as it is today had they not existed, that's for sure.
It doesn't qualify them as prestigious, but surely greatest.
Now if they could just get rid of the tethering 2-blade rotor, build them less paper thin and get proper cyclics in there, we'd be in business.
It doesn't qualify them as prestigious, but surely greatest.
Now if they could just get rid of the tethering 2-blade rotor, build them less paper thin and get proper cyclics in there, we'd be in business.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 429
Likes: 38
From: England
Robinson, greatest Umm?
The 22/44 and no doubt the 66 are good helicopters in their own right but they do have limitations just like any other helicopter. I don't think you could compare a AS350 or even Enstrom with a 66. They are totally different machines.
Unfortunately those that think the robinsons go for 2200 hrs without anything going wrong are mistaken. They still go through the usual consumables like pitch links, fuel pumps, regulators etc.
As for the greatest, well, I agree they have done a good job getting the average joe into flying helicopters and continue to do so but you could say that Bell is the greatest for building the Huey which saved so many lives in the Vietnam war, many of which are still in service today. Why not stop there, how about Sikorsky S61/Westland Seaking for the SAR efforts or the Scout/Wasp for their efforts during the Falklands?
You see how 'greatest' can be hard to attribute.
Unfortunately those that think the robinsons go for 2200 hrs without anything going wrong are mistaken. They still go through the usual consumables like pitch links, fuel pumps, regulators etc.
As for the greatest, well, I agree they have done a good job getting the average joe into flying helicopters and continue to do so but you could say that Bell is the greatest for building the Huey which saved so many lives in the Vietnam war, many of which are still in service today. Why not stop there, how about Sikorsky S61/Westland Seaking for the SAR efforts or the Scout/Wasp for their efforts during the Falklands?
You see how 'greatest' can be hard to attribute.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
From: UK
I've found that few topics divide opinion more than Robinson helicopters.
To his credit, you can't fault Frank's business model. He gave us a cheap entry level/trainer (although not everyone's cup of tea) and followed it up with the R44 - the default option if you need a 4-seat piston. And, in fairness, the Raven II is their best yet with good performance, lots of loyal owners and a proven sales record.
The R66 will no doubt appeal to traditional Robinson buyers, but the wider market will want to see how it performs in service. It carries over many of the Robinson design features that are not universally popular.
So, more of a 'curate's egg' than the greatest helicopter of all time (IMO).
To his credit, you can't fault Frank's business model. He gave us a cheap entry level/trainer (although not everyone's cup of tea) and followed it up with the R44 - the default option if you need a 4-seat piston. And, in fairness, the Raven II is their best yet with good performance, lots of loyal owners and a proven sales record.
The R66 will no doubt appeal to traditional Robinson buyers, but the wider market will want to see how it performs in service. It carries over many of the Robinson design features that are not universally popular.
So, more of a 'curate's egg' than the greatest helicopter of all time (IMO).
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 26
From: Top of the World
Oh my God what drugs are you on???? The Robinson helicopter(s) happens to be the dodgiest bucket of crap or should I say death trap machine ever built. Its the helicopter that has killed more pilots than any other machine on the planet, some blades de-laminate even in the box prior to installation, sad & very scary. Many young (time wise) pilots blindly worship them as if they were the best thing since a trusty ole' Jetbox, 47, 350, or..or..or sadly though the wrecks of machines & wrecked families lives paint a different story. Ask an honest LAME who has worked on a variety of machines for a few years for their true appraisal of a Robinson airframe. If we all got together boycotted flying these rickety hazardous contraptions, maybe, just maybe Mr Robinson may build something descant.
Robinson -RIP
Robinson -RIP
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Texas, y'all
Most of my time to date is in Robinson products, and they're not bad ships. Sure, the R-22 isn't the most ideal trainer... I think that award would have to go to the TH-55/269/300. But the R-22 can be a sporty, cheap machine and it's definitely got its advantages. I think the R-44 Raven II, as someone previously said, is the best thing to happen to Robinson ever. It's a blast to fly. I'm not incredibly experienced... only 220 hours total, but even I've managed to fly it from sea-level to 10,000' MSL with no problems and little discomfort.
I don't think the R-66 will be the greatest thing since sliced bread and never have, although I know a few people who do think that. Robbies are what they are, and they're not bad for flight training and inexpensive commercial ops. But I absolutely cannot wait until I get the chance to get my grubby little paws on a "real" ship like the 500.
Greatest of all time? Not even in the top ten. Attainable for mere mortals and fun to fly? You bet your certificates.
I don't think the R-66 will be the greatest thing since sliced bread and never have, although I know a few people who do think that. Robbies are what they are, and they're not bad for flight training and inexpensive commercial ops. But I absolutely cannot wait until I get the chance to get my grubby little paws on a "real" ship like the 500.
Greatest of all time? Not even in the top ten. Attainable for mere mortals and fun to fly? You bet your certificates.
Joined: Aug 2008
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 299
Likes: 31
From: KOLM and KBVS
For two-seat puttering around, I'll keep my slow and pricey 300CBi, thank you. I don't mind the Robinson, but it's certainly not my favorite...
Greatest helicopter of all time? Not by a long shot. Prolific, yes. Great? No.
Greatest helicopter of all time? Not by a long shot. Prolific, yes. Great? No.
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: ˙ǝqɐq ǝɯ ʇ,uıɐ ʇɐɥʇ 'sɔıʇɐqoɹǝɐ ɹoɟ uʍop ǝpısdn ǝɯɐu ɹıǝɥʇ ʇnd ǝɯos
Robinson: I would own/fly one if all other helicopter types ceased to
exist and nobody I wanted to impress was watching. Like asking would i own/drive a Lada?
exist and nobody I wanted to impress was watching. Like asking would i own/drive a Lada?