Robinson Helicopter has begun accepting orders for the R66 as the manufacturer closes in on certifying the new five-seat turbine helicopter.
California-based Robinson announced at Heli-Expo 2010 in Houston that it has pegged the base price of the R66, which it first launched in 2007, at $777,000.
Robinson Helicopter founder and chief executive Frank Robinson told a packed Heli-Expo press conference that the company is "getting very close" to completing the FAA certification process for the R66, giving it the confidence to begin taking $75,000 deposits. He says the company's "primary efforts are now focused on finishing off the certification as fast as we can".
In the meantime Robinson has begun preparations at its Torrance, California facility, where an expansion of the manufacturing space is underway, to ensure full rate production can begin as soon as the type certificate is secured. Frank Robinson says production will start at about two aircraft per week.
Regarding the $777,000 price tag Robinson says the company has "stretched it as far as it could" to ensure as low a price as possible. He urges customers to put down their deposits fast because the price could be increased.
Robinson say he is "fairly comfortable" the R66 will be able to cruise at 120kt as advertised while maximum range "looks like around 350nm plus or minus 25nm".
"So far the aircraft has done a very good job at meeting our qualifications," he says, adding that when flying the R66 for the first time it fully met his expectations.
"It is very similar to the R44 but a little bit quieter and a little bit faster," Robinson says.
Robinson says the manufacturer has succeeded so far at its goal to develop a new turbine-powered helicopter that flies just like the piston-powered R44, adding that R44 pilots will be able to transition to the R66 with minimal training. He says the R66 will also have a similar range of avionics options as the R44.
Robinson says the manufacturer is already planning to develop several upgrades for the R66 including air conditioning. "We'll put that pretty much near the top of our list of development programmes we need to move into and complete," Robinson says.
He promises Robinson will also "move fairly quickly" in offering floats as well as a police variant with cameras.
But Frank Robinson says for now there are no plans to develop a stability augmentation system (SAS), or low-cost autopilot, for the R66. He says Robinson has worked with potential SAS suppliers for several years and the technology "is getting better and better" but has not yet reached a point where it can be done reliably.
He envisions R66s operating in several international markets but says the initial batch of aircraft will likely be delivered to US dealers. "We'll try to keep as many as possible as close to home as possible" in case factory modifications are required, Robinson says.
Source: Flight International
