The new R66 Turbine from Robinson Helicopter Company was officially certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at a ceremony at Robinson HQ in Torrance, California on October 25.
Three years and eight months after the manufacturer publicly announced plans to develop a five-place turbine helicopter, the FAA presented founder and retiring President and Chairman, Frank Robinson, with Type Certificate No. R00015LA for the much-anticipated R66.
Preliminary design of the R66 began in 2001, but engineering began in earnest in 2005 when Robinson reached an agreement with Rolls-Royce to develop the RR300 turbine engine. The R66 is the first turbine powered model from Robinson and features a two-blade rotor system and open interior configuration.
In a major point of recognition for the local helicopter industry, Heliflite, an authorised Robinson distributor for Australia, New Zealand, PNG and China, played a major role in the R66’s certification. In September 2010, Heliflite Chief Pilot Bill Miller was one of only two overseas pilots invited to participate exclusively in the joint Robinson Helicopter Company/FAA R66 Turbine helicopter certification testing.
Miller carried out an intensive two-day flying program at the Robinson factory in California, focusing on function and reliability testing of the aircraft.
More than eight hours of flying was conducted, and Miller says the aircraft exceeded all his expectations with its outstanding performance and ease of start-up and general handling.
Interestingly, Miller was also Australia’s first pilot to fly the R44 in the early 90s.
The first R66 is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2011.
(Robinson Helicopter Company)
