At least 65 wrongful-death and product liability lawsuits have been filed across the country since then, accusing Robinson of concealing or willfully ignoring safety issues and dodging accountability allegations the company denies. the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for These were eventually attributed to pilot error. should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official 05/01/2023, 39 Robinson moved to a new 260,000-square-foot plant in July 1994. Tim Tomasik, Tomasik Kotin Kasserman co-founder and partner, proudly represents the widow of the passenger that died in the October 23 helicopter crash, and he is committed to the vigilant pursuit of justice against the Robinson Helicopter Company. Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) - Helipoland.com Robinson began his engineering career working on the CH-1 Skyhook for Cessna Aircraft Company. The first production R44 Astro was delivered in February 1993. (3) Robinson Model R66 helicopters with a blade P/N F029-1 with S/N 2410 through 2589 inclusive, installed. There are more than 400 dealers and service centers that are located throughout the world. 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. on Whilst all three of company's helicopters produced to date have been incredibly successful, the Robinson R44 is by far the most popular. Call our Chicago aviation injury lawyers today at 312-605-8800 to arrange a free consultation. He said the company keeps accident reports and other records for only as long as the FAA requires us to and that throwing them away does not impede its commitment to safety. Robinson Helicopter Company is the leading manufacturer of light piston-engine helicopters. 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. Aviation consultant William Lawrence, a retired Marine Corps colonel and helicopter test pilot and instructor who has testified as a paid expert against Robinson Helicopter Co. in a dozen lawsuits, contends the company willfully ignores safety issues to avoid liability. Revenues reached $23.5 million in 1988, when the company sold 204 units. It was viewed 11 times while on Public Inspection. 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. Robinson Helicopter Company | Encyclopedia.com The year 1996 saw the introduction of the R22 Beta II, which had a new engine and offered improved hover performance for a base price of $135,000. has no substantive legal effect. Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. Company Profile | Torrance, CA Its business model: mass-produce simple, low-cost helicopters and sell them to the civilian public at an affordable price. The agency issued AD 2021-19-08 to address the unsafe condition on these products. "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. 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. (3) AMOCs approved previously for AD 2021-19-08 are approved as AMOCs for the corresponding requirements in paragraph (g) of this AD. 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. It provides parts and accessories, helicopter and engine overhauls, helicopter repairs, and educational courses for pilots and maintenance technicians. documents in the last year, 84 The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Radio stations, which used helicopters to report on traffic conditions, were another important early market. documents in the last year, 1471 Currently this company employees 1,300 people. It was so popular that he went on to build a specialized newscopter version as well as a police helicopter. Kurt Robinson rejected any link between mast-bumping and design. 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 Robinson R44, the worlds best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes. The R22 received its hard-fought FAA approval in 1979 and went on to become the most popular civilian helicopter worldwide. All of the service centers and dealers are independently owned and operated. With its four-seat capacity, the R44 was expected to sell well in the executive aircraft market. CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. 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. . AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades . The warning was deemed impractical by many pilots and widely ignored. Aviation was in his blood.. Of the 13,000 helicopters Robinson has sold, 1,200 have crashed. Helicopter manufacturer in the United States, New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission, "Robinson Helicopter celebrating 50 years", "Robinson Boosts Production as Sales Surge, Strikes Deal for 1,000 Rolls-Royce Turboshafts", "Robinson Tri-Hinge Rotor Head R22 Helicopter", "Final Report, Aviation Inquiry AO-2014-006, Robinson R44 II, ZK-HBQ, mast-bump and in-flight break-up, Kahurangi National Park, 7 October 2014", "TAIC publishes interim report on July 2018 fatal Robinson R44 helicopter accident over Lake Wanaka", "Danger spins from the sky: The Robinson R44, the world's best-selling civilian helicopter, has a long history of deadly crashes", "Robinson helicopters: mast bumping accidents in NZ", "Lawsuit Claims Robinson Defects Caused Fatal 2016 Crash in Arizona", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robinson_Helicopter_Company&oldid=1143572045, Helicopter manufacturers of the United States, Manufacturing companies based in Greater Los Angeles, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 March 2023, at 15:44. 106(g), 40113, 44701. a. And if we branch out from the R44 model, the statistics are even worse. Founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, Robinson Helicopter has since produced more than 12,000 aircraft. The R22's simple design, easy maintenance and low acquisition 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. Sixty workers were soon laid off, however, due to a sales slowdown. He really did have a true love of the industry. This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links Tail rotor direction of rotation on the R44 is reversed compared to the R22 for improved yaw control authority. 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. Read more . He handled everything as an engineering problem and something to solve.. In all, Robinson has made more than 12,000 helicopters, with at least 60% of recent sales going to foreign buyers. This time was different: The student was carrying a cassette recorder to capture her flight lesson on tape, which revealed no warning of trouble. 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. They manufacture the R22, which is a two-seater, the R44, which is a four-seater, and the R66, which is a five-seater. Working at Robinson Helicopter Company in Torrance, CA - Indeed In 1975, Robinson had a working prototype of the first model, the R22, which had been constructed in a tin hangar at the Torrance Airport in southern California. Robinson Helicopter Company. The main problem with these fuel tanks is that in July of 2006, Robinson Helicopter Company released Safety Notice 40, which encouraged pilots and occupants to wear fireproof helmets, gloves, and suits. All rights reserved. None were wearing fire-resistant gear. This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the It would take four years to gain FAA certification. In 2018, a U.S. lawsuit accused the Robinson Helicopter Company of defective manufacturing after a mast-bumping event caused the in-flight breakup of an R66 helicopter.[12]. https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-robinson-helicopters. It's been a really good partnership," said Kurt. 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). Robinson Helicopter Company Careers and Employment - Indeed For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505, United States; phone: (310) 539-0508; email: [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". The R22 was introduced in 1979, and thanks to its low cost and easy maintenance, it quickly became a favorite at flight schools and with private owners. (4) For helicopters identified in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this AD, within 6 months after the effective date of this AD, remove from service any blade identified in paragraph (c)(2) or (3) of this AD, as applicable to your model helicopter. 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. He said that some New Zealand pilots had been practicing maneuvers known as cyclic pushovers, which can cause mast-bumping and are prohibited by Robinson operator handbooks. You are shooting in the dark.. The cause of the cracks was determined to be a manufacturing defect in the properties of the blade skin that makes the blades prone to stress corrosion cracking. 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. We intend to go on for many, many more years, so hes left a real legacy. R22 Beta II. Robinson Helicopter Founder Frank Robinson Dies at 92 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. Frank Robinson, founder of Torrance's Robinson Helicopter Company, dies About the Federal Register Robinson was born in Carbonado, Washington in 1930. I wanted to design a very simple with an emphasis on simple low-cost helicopter that could be produced efficiently and sold to the public at a price that many people could afford, Robinson said in his lecture. In 1957, he earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington and later attended graduate school at the University of Wichita. Include Docket No. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority. Robinson Helicopter Company: The Deadliest Helicopter Manufacturer in I was very happy when they emerged alive, said golfer Kevin Keating, who saw the R44 fall from the sky. A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 07/13/2022. are not part of the published document itself. Using a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine, the R66 includes a 300-pound (136-kilogram)-capacity baggage compartment. It wasnt until February of 2012 that they released Service Bulletin SB78, requiring the installation of improved fuel tanks for safety. on ", Visit Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif. at https://www.dailybreeze.com/. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect and prevent cracks in the affected blades. What Else Does Robinson Helicopter Company Manufacture? The R22 would eventually claim world speed and altitude records for its class. Open for Comment. 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. Frank Robinson was born in 1930 and grew up near Seattle. edition of the Federal Register. America's deadliest helicopters. Robinson pilots in deadly crashes had tallied a median of 1,017 flight hours, the least of any major helicopter maker. The company by then had 150 employees. 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. In 2010, the company once again expanded its line with the five-seat turbine-powered R66 helicopter. Mast bumping is a dangerous condition helicopters can encounter when load on the helicopter's rotor assembly is temporarily reduced during flight (for example, during a low-g maneuver or turbulent weather). 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. Scores of R44 pilots and passengers have been killed in preventable post-crash fires, or in helicopters that dropped from the sky when they suddenly lost lift. "He really did have a true love of the industry. documents in the last year, by the Energy Department Federal Register issue. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering and then spent 16 years working for aircraft manufacturers, including major helicopter makers Bell and Hughes. Robinson noted that U.S. fatal R44 crashes declined to two in 2017, which he said reflected the companys efforts to reduce the accident rate. 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. Helicopters generally share a basic design: A main rotor system attached to a vertical drive shaft, or mast, provides the lift and thrust. But cheap mass-production comes at a cost. [8][9] A May 2018 article in the Los Angeles Times reported Robinson helicopters seemed to have increased susceptibility to mast-bumping incidents.[10]. A float-equipped version, dubbed the Mariner, was introduced later in the year and was priced at $94,850. AD 2021-19-08 also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. Take the case of Jim Bechler, an Orange County attorney who had piloted Robinson helicopters for more than 30 years and bought a new R44 in 2008. The safety board has not determined causes for those accidents, which remain under investigation. Robinson produces three models the two-seat R22, the four-seat R44, both of which use Lycoming piston engines, and the five-seat R66, which uses a turbine engine. 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. by searching for and locating Docket No. That image stuck with Robinson and drove the course of his career and life. 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. Federal Register provide legal notice to the public and judicial notice that generated this analysis, visit github.com/datadesk/helicopter-accident-analysis. How The Robinson R66 Became The Most Popular Dangerous Helicopter 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. In an interview, Kurt Robinson described the vibration as a red herring that was more of an annoyance than a safety issue and said the company addressed it years ago by changing to firmer rubber gearbox mounts. On key safety issues dogging the R44, the FAA has taken a more hands-off approach than its foreign counterparts. Instead of sharing the report with pilots, owners or the FAA, the company argued in legal proceedings that it contained proprietary information. 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. This AD requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. https://www.regulations.gov 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 NTSB investigators continue to find signs of mast bumping in Robinson wreckage. "He was a very determined person who didn't accept no; whenever he was faced with a challenge he found a way to push on," Kurt said. This PDF is For continued operation until the affected blades are replaced, the service bulletin specifies a preflight inspection to be performed by the pilot. You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed. Until the ACFR grants it official status, the XML This feature is not available for this document. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. "Not the president of Robinson Helicopter, not the founder, he was an engineer. Overtime sometimes on weekends. This service bulletin specifies removing P/N C029-3 blades with S/N 9410 through 9909 from service. Mast-bumping often occurs in low-gravity or low G conditions, which can be induced by incorrect pilot inputs or turbulent weather. 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. The reduction of load triggers excessive flapping in the helicopter's rotor blades, which can cause the entire rotor assembly to shear off the aircraft. Due to their unique main rotor design, during a sudden and prolonged or severe low-G condition Robinson helicopters can roll rapidly to the right and likely break up before a pilot can recover, New Zealand government accident investigators said in a 2016 report on a fatal R44 mast-bumping. He was flying home from a business meeting near Temecula when he stopped to refuel at Corona Municipal Airport. Both models dominated the competition . This company has posted a revenue of $200 million. To date it has delivered more than13,000 helicopters and shows no sign of stopping. It is also a popular choice for law enforcement agencies. It was first flown on 31 March 1990 and received FAA certification in December 1992, with the first delivery in February 1993. According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected operators. At 1,000 feet above the ground, everything was a blur as he fought to regain control. [7][8] As of 2014[update], an R44 holds the piston speed record of 227km/h. (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding district office. [20]:7, Although the data did not consider which type of fuel tanks were fitted, the report mentioned four fatal accidents to the R44 fitted with bladder-type tanks, but as far as they knew, did not involve a post-accident fire. documents in the last year, 29 Robinson helicopters Inc. Is a great work force. Document Drafting Handbook The President of the United States manages the operations of the Executive branch of Government through Executive orders. I believe RHC divests itself of all records in an attempt to have plausible deniability related to responsibility.. The compliance date was later moved to 30 April 2013. Very productive in house fabrication and istallation. In 2015, Robinson produces one R22, four or five R44s, and one or two R66s per week, and has contracted with Rolls-Royce to supply 100 RR300 turbines per year for 10 years for the R66.