On this day in aviation history, 36 years ago (March 31, 1990), the first flight of the Robinson R44 took place. The R44 is a light helicopter that seats four. It was developed by Robinson from their 2-seat R22 design as a larger option for law enforcement and civilian operators. Robinson’s R44 features flight controls that are hydraulically assisted and a larger engine than the R22. The rotorcraft received FAA certification in December 1992, and the first R44 was delivered in February 1993. Since then, over 6,866 R44s have been manufactured by Robinson, a process that continues today.
Robinson’s R44 holds acclaim as the best-selling general aviation (GA) helicopter every year since 1999. In addition, the R44 is one of the most produced GA aircraft of the 21st century. The R44 is powered by a single 245-horsepower Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 6-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine. This IO-540 spins a 33-foot diameter semi-rigid two-bladed main rotor and a two-bladed tail rotor. The R44 is equipped with skid-type landing gear. Seating is available for four people; either two pilots with two passengers, or one pilot with three passengers.
The R44 will cruise at 125 mph and can attain a maximum airspeed of 150 mph. Robinson engineered this rotorcraft to have a range of 350 nautical miles with no reserves. R44s consume 15 gallons per hour of fuel, an economical option for GA, commercial, and law enforcement flyers alike. The Alaska State Troopers currently fly the R44 as a search and rescue platform. Additionally, the R44 has found success as a military helicopter with the Mexican Navy, Bolivian Air Force, and Peruvian Army, to name a few. The Robinson R44 also remains a popular training rotorcraft for those learning to fly helicopters.
