Robinson R22

The Robinson R22 is a two-seat, single-engined light utility helicopter built by the Robinson Helicopter Company of Torrance, California. Designed by Frank D. Robinson in 1973, it received FAA certification in March 1979 and has been in production since that year. It is used chiefly as a primary rotorcraft trainer, entry-level private helicopter, and livestock-mustering platform, and forms the basis of the Boeing Maverick unmanned helicopter.

Development

Most flight testing took place at Zamperini Field, Torrance, with certification flying conducted in the late 1970s by test pilot Joseph John "Tym" Tymczyszyn. Serial 001 was lost in the ocean during certification testing after failure of the casting joining the tail rotor gearbox and stabilising fins to the aluminium tail boom; S/N 002 (N32AD) completed certification and is preserved in the Smithsonian collection. The first aircraft sold, S/N 003 (N1010WR), went to Pacific Wing and Rotor in October 1979 for US$48,000 including options, against a projected 1977 price of US$18,000–19,000. In late 1981 the type certificate was temporarily revoked after main rotor blade delamination traced to contamination during priming at an outside vendor; all blades on the 33 aircraft then in service were replaced. Robinson established the Robinson Pilot Safety Course in 1982; the fatal accident rate fell from 6.0 per 100,000 flight hours in 1982 to 0.7 in 1997. By 2019, 4,800 R22s had been built. The Beta II had a suggested retail price of US$375,000 as of 15 January 2024.

Design

The R22 has a semirigid two-bladed main rotor with a teetering hinge and two coning hinges, and a two-bladed teetering tail rotor, both driven through pushrods without hydraulic assistance. The basic structure is welded chromoly steel tubing, with a fibreglass and aluminium forward fuselage, Plexiglas canopy, and aluminium tailcone and stabilisers. Control is by a teetering "T-bar" cyclic emerging from the centre console rather than floor-mounted sticks. The original aircraft used a 124 hp Lycoming O-320-A2B or -A2C; the Beta II uses an O-360-J2A derated at sea level to preserve high-altitude hover performance without forced induction. Power passes through two dual V-belts (four separate V-belts on early aircraft, which proved prone to rolling in their grooves) and a one-way sprag clutch permitting autorotation, with a target autorotation speed of 65 kn and roughly 4:1 glide ratio. Landing gear is skid type; the Mariner used floats. Maximum take-off weight is 1,370 lb, cruise speed 96 kn, range 209 nmi and service ceiling 14,000 ft.

Operational History

The R22 is flown by private owners, companies and flying clubs. In Australia, 489 were registered by mid-2011, with 62% of fleet hours flown on mustering and 13% on training. US broadcasters used the type for news gathering until the mid-1990s. Military and government operators include the Croatian Police, Dominican Republic Army, Philippine Navy and Turkish Land Forces. In 2003 the US Navy bought four Boeing Maverick unmanned R22s fitted with Wescam electro-optical/infrared systems; one was modified as the DARPA-contracted Renegade testbed, first flying under software enabled control on 26 May 2005. The Philippine Navy's last R22 crashed at Cavite City on 11 April 2024, killing both pilots.

Variants

• R22: Initial production version powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2B or -A2C.
• R22 HP: Higher-powered model with a 160 bhp Lycoming O-320-B2C.
• R22 Alpha: Certified in 1983, with extended aft landing gear mounting points and an O-320-B2C.
• R22 Beta: Added optional engine governor, rotor brake, optional auxiliary tank and relocated battery.
• R22 Beta II: Fitted with the O-360-J2A, standard governor and carburettor heat assist.