Robinson delivers its 1000th R66 turbine helicopter
Less than a decade after the helicopter was certified, Robinson has delivered its 1000th R66 turbine helicopter.
The R66 Turbine is powered by the Rolls-Royce RR300 turbine and is equipped with Robinson’s trademark two-blade teetering rotor system. The RR300 is itself a derivative of the Allison 250 turbine and an engine that Robinson says has never had a reported in-flight failure in 1.2 million R66 flight hours. “This accomplishment demonstrates a level of reliability that exceeds EASA’s stringent requirements for single-engine helicopters. The R66 has also risen to the challenges of flying to the North Pole and circumnavigating the globe multiple times,” the company says.
“Delivering serial number 1000 demonstrates the R66 is the top performer and leader in its class, ”
said Robinson President Kurt Robinson.
The 1000th R66 was delivered to Les Gillespie of Gardner Aviation in Peachtree City, Georgia. “Because the R66 can be configured to meet the needs of any pilot or helicopter flight department, it quickly became our number-one selling helicopter,” Gillespie said. Robinson continues to be the volume leader in rotorcraft, with more than 10,000 of the two-place R22 and four-place R44 helicopters built since the smaller helicopter was introduced in 1979.
About the Robinson R66
The Robinson R66 helicopter designed and built by Robinson Helicopter Company has five seats and a separate cargo compartment. The R66 is slightly faster and smoother than the Robinson R44 from which it is derived. The R66 received both type and production certificates from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 25 October 2010. Announced in 2007, the R66 was designed to be the company’s first turbine-powered helicopter and to extend its product range to compete with larger helicopters manufactured by Bell Helicopter and Eurocopter. Most of the R66 design is based on the earlier piston engine R44. Robinson started taking orders for the R66 in February 2010. It went into preliminary production in 2010 and full production in 2011. In 2012, Robinson delivered 191 R66s whilst Robinson’s competitors in the light single turbine sector delivered only 40 units between them. About 70 percent of the R66 production is exported.
On 17 July 2017, Robinson introduced the TB17 lithium-ion phosphate battery as optional equipment. The battery weighs 16 lb (7.3 kg), which is lighter than the previous 42 lb (19 kg) standard and 52 lb (23.6 kg) high capacity batteries. The RR300 engine is more compact and lighter than the Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder piston engine that powers the R44, and this means that the R66 has a lower empty weight than the R44. The RR300 has a simplified single-stage centrifugal compressor which makes it less expensive and is expected to result in lower maintenance costs. The turbine burns Jet-A fuel at a rate of 23 US gallons (87 litres) per hour, compared with 15 US gallons (57 litres) of Avgas per hour for the Lycoming O-540.