from ROTORBLATT 4/2000

Interview with Frank Robinson,
President Robinson Helicopter Company

The Beginning 

Frank Robinson: Before starting Robinson Helicopter Company, I worked for six other companies. I began my career in the helicopter industry in 1957 at Cessna Aircraft Company working on the CH-1 Skyhook four-place helicopter. After 3-1/2 years there, I spent one year at the Umbaugh Autogyro Company working on the certification of their gyroplane. My next job was at McCulloch Motor Company were I stayed for four years doing design studies on inexpensive rotorcraft, followed by one year at Kaman Aircraft working on gyrodyne-type rotorcraft. After leaving Kaman, I went to work for Bell Helicopter in Texas for two years. It was during that period that I began working on my own design for a small, low-cost helicopter. I tried to interest the company in my idea, but at that time, Bell was moving in the direction of building larger, more expensive aircraft, both for civil use and military use. While at Bell, I became known as a "tail rotor expert," and in 1969, I moved to Southern California to work for Hughes Helicopters on a variety of research and development projects, including a new tail rotor for the Hughes 500 helicopter and work on the company's "quiet helicopter" program.

In my own time, I continued work on my design for an inexpensive two-seat helicopter. I had always believed that if a man isn't doing what he really wants to do by the time he's 40 years old, he will never do it. In 1973, I was already 43 years old, and I decided that if I was ever going to start my own company, that I had to do something about it then.

I quit my job at Hughes and started Robinson Helicopter Company in the living room of my home. Together with a small group of engineers and draftsmen, we completed the design work and in 1975, we moved the company to a small, tin hangar at the Torrance Airport, where the first R22 prototype was built. We had a very small staff, less than ten people, and I did the first experimental test flying myself in August of 1975. After another 3-1/2 years of testing and analysis, we finally received the Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration for the R22 in March of 1979. The first production R22 was delivered later that year. It took many months to hire and train personnel for our manufacturing plant and to become efficient. Our production during those first years was: 1979: 10 1980: 71 1981: 151
  
ROTORBLATT (RB): 4,000 Robinson helicopters are flying in nearly 70 countries in the world. Could you believe all the years in this great success of piston powered helicopters?
Frank Robinson: Yes, I really did believe that a good, reliable and efficient piston helicopter could be very successful. I wouldn't have worked so hard to develop the R22 and R44, if I didn't believe that. But I must admit that even though I was very optimistic, the success of our helicopters throughout the world has exceeded even my own expectations. Back in 1979 when we started our first production deliveries, our main goal was just to stay in business and build helicopters. The idea of delivering over 4,000 helicopters in 70 countries wasn't something I thought about back then. Now, our company sells more civil helicopters than any other manufacturer. This is something that I never dreamed would happen, and it's exciting and very satisfying.
 
RB: Your start in the new century is more then powerful. Ten new helicopters are leaving your facility at Torrance weekly: R22 are up 20% and R44 sales are up 60% above the values of 1999. Analysts say you are at the time producing 65% of the civil helicopters manufactured in the USA. How comes?
Frank Robinson: Actually, we are producing 65% of the civil helicopters produced in North America (including Canada), not just the USA. We believe our sales are directly related to the high quality, reliability and affordable pricing of the products we build. The R22 is an affordable entry-level helicopter that is reliable and easy to maintain. It has become the standard for training new pilots around the world. The R44 has become even more popular, mainly because it is the first piston helicopter that directly competes with the more expensive light turbine helicopters, but at a much lower cost to the customer. In fact, both the R22 and the R44 are priced so competitively, that we really have no head-to-head competitor currently building a two-seat or four-seat helicopter. We have been very fortunate in being able to identify and fill voids in the civil helicopter market relating to price, size and performance.

We also have an enthusiastic dealer network of nearly 100 dealers around the world. In fact, it is important to point out that without the hard work of our dealers, we would not be nearly as successful. And we appreciate their hard work. We've also been able to develop a good reputation for reliability. Many of our helicopters are used in very demanding missions, like cattle herding in Australia, where the helicopters are "in the middle of nowhere" and are flown several hundred hours in just a few weeks. The low maintenance requirements for the R22 and R44 often make them the helicopter of choice for missions like that where reliability is crucial.

Another factor in the success of our helicopters may be the specialized configurations we've developed for the fishing industry, law enforcement agencies and the broadcast business. We offer an IFR-trainer version of the R22 to provide instrument flight training at an affordable cost, also float-equipped versions of both the R22 and R44 helicopters for over-water operations. We've sold many of these R22 Mariners and R44 Clippers to the tuna fishing industry. More recently, we have developed "turn-key" versions of the R44 for law enforcement and electronic news gathering, where all of the specialized equipment (searchlights, special radios, instruments, infrared, etc) is installed at the factory and ready to go. In the past, television and radio stations, and law enforcement agencies, usually had to buy the basic helicopter, then modify the helicopter with after-market equipment. By installing these items at the factory on our production line, we can provide a higher quality, more reliable package that is also more cost-efficient and cleaner than having the equipment installed piece-meal as after-market add ons.

But in the final analysis, I believe the most important factor in our success, at least for the R44, is our ability to offer the customer access to turbine performance at a low piston price. In today's competitive market, price matters. If the price is right, and you can also provide speed, reliability, and predictable maintenance, it's a very attractive package; not only for entry-level purchasers who are buying their first helicopter, but also for experienced operators who want to reduce expenses and increase their profit margins.
 
RB: Which new projects, developments are in progress in the near future?
Frank Robinson: Although we don't have any new helicopter designs on the drawing board, we are currently working on a number of small projects here at the factory. Our engineering staff is constantly refining the designs of the R22 and R44 to expand the performance and further reduce the maintenance requirements for both aircraft.
 
RB: Some years ago R22 and R44 helicopters had some severe accidents in Europe, also in Germany. You came to Germany making sure that there are no doubts in the technical reliability of your aircraft. Following flight tests and analysis's found no technical problems. What is your today comment looking back to that?
Frank Robinson: The accidents which occurred in Europe were very unfortunate. However, it became clear very soon that the problem was not the reliability of the aircraft, but instead, the problem was inadequate pilot training. We were glad to have the chance to work with the European aviation community to correct the training problem. The representatives of the aviation agencies from the countries that participated were very helpful and constructive, especially those from the LBA. After training was improved, the accidents greatly decreased.
 
RB: Helicopter noise is now subject of a FAA study. In regard to that R. Flater (AHS) says: "Flights in the IFR system automatically reduce the impact of flyover noise since the higher altitudes are used in the IFR regime". I wonder about that! Of course he is right; but I think for the heli community it makes no sense to route the helicopter high level up into the sky. That's no heli mission profile! What to you think, we can do for a better public acceptance?
Frank Robinson: I agree that helicopter noise must be reduced. However, to be effective, the noise regulations must be drastically changed. I believe the best and most practical approach would be to establish an acceptable noise limit for flights over noise sensitive areas which more truly represents the human ear. Once a practical noise limit for such areas is established, the limitation should apply to all helicopters, regardless of date of manufacture and certification, and regardless of their gross weight. Ultimately, all helicopters (including older designs not subject to current certification regulations) should then be required to fly over noise-sensitive areas at whatever altitude at which they are able to meet this noise requirement, and of course, the noise limitation should be the same for all helicopters.
 
Around the World R44 displayed in Smithsonian?

Concerning the discussions between Mrs. Murray and the Robinson factory, the following are Mr. Robinson's comments: Robinson Helicopter Company has recently presented US-$1,000,000 to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to assist with the museum's plans for a helicopter display, which will include one Robinson R44 and one Robinson R22 helicopter at the Smithsonian's new Dulles Center currently under construction. The new museum is scheduled for completion by December 2003, which will be the 100 Year Anniversary of the first flight by the Wright Brothers. It is our sincere hope that Jennifer Murray's "round the world R44" will be available for exhibit within the Robinson display at the Smithsonian. Hopefully, Jennifer and I can arrive at an arrangement which will make that possible. It would certainly add interest to the exhibit and be an excellent way to provide some prominent recognition of her record-setting flight.