The New Robinson R66 Turbine Helicopter
Robinson Helicopters Finally Shows Off its R66 in California
Mar 29, 2009
Robinson Helicopters has been developing its new R66 helicopter for some time. It finally gave the new turboshaft-powered R66 its public debut in Torrance, California, in March 2009. A party was held at the Robinson Helicopter Factory for the five-seater helicopter’s world launch.
The world had expected the helicopter to be shown at the Heli-Expo Show, also in California. But when it was not, the media and other people were all quite prepared to travel to the Robinson factory. So what is this new rotary aircraft like, and why has Robinson, previously best-known for its famous piston-powered R22 and R44 helicopters, produced the R66?
Why produce the Turbine Powered Robinson R66?
According to the company, the R66 is a necessary development for Robinson because the supply of Avgas used in its R22 and R44 helicopters is becoming scarce in some parts of the world. Frank Robinson, the company’s founder, also said that he saw a market for the R66 in replacing the many old turbine powered JetRangers worldwide.
The JetRanger is no longer manufactured, so a new turbine helicopter may well fill a gap in the market.
What is the R66 Like?
The new helicopter is powered by a new lightweight RR300 turbine engine from Rolls-Royce. In looks the R66 resembles the R44 in many ways, although Frank Robinson emphasized that not many parts are interchangeable between the two helicopters. However, the Robinson teetering rotor head and two-blade rotor have been retained.
The R66 is larger overall than the R44, having five seats plus a large baggage compartment behind the cabin.
More R66 Details
- No definite price for the R66 has yet been decided, but Frank expects it to be more than an R44 but less than a JetRanger.
- About a year of flight and other tests are required before the R66 receives its type certification, which is expected around mid 2010.
- The R66 has no official performance figures as yet, but Robinson test pilot Doug Tompkins told one magazine that the cruise speed was about 120 knots, and the aircraft handled very much like an R44 Raven.
R66 Facts and Figures
Engine - Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft
Max power - 270hp (take-off)
Max continuous power - 225 hp
Seats - 5
Overall length - 38 ft 3 ins
Overall height - 11 ft 5 ins
Width across skids - 7ft 10 ins
Cabin width - 4 ft 10 ins
Rotor blade length - 16 ft 6 ins
Tail rotor diameter - 5 ft 0 ins
The R66 is expected to be extremely popular, and the author of this article hopes to write more about it as soon as more definite facts are known
See also an earlier article on the R66:
The Proposed New Robinson R66 Helicopter
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