June 2023 | Robinson Helicopter Company celebrates its 50th anniversary |
November 2022 | Company founder Frank Robinson passes away at age 92 |
October 2022 | Robinson Pilot Safety Course marks 40th year |
October 2022 | FAA certifies night vision goggle (NVG) compatible configuration on R66 Police helicopter |
APRIL 2021 | Robinson Delivers 13,000th Helicopter |
AUGUST 2020 | Robinson Delivers R66 Serial Number 1000 |
SEPTEMBER 2019 | Robinson R66 Turbine Surpasses 1 Million Flight Hours |
JULY 2019 | Robinson Opens Dedicated Overhaul/Repair Facility |
FEBRUARY 2019 | Robinson R22 Celebrates 40 Years |
DECEMBER 2018 | Polish Air Force University Adds Robinson R44s to Fleet |
AUGUST 2018 | FAA Approves Robinson R66 Cargo Hook |
JULY 2017 | Lithium-Ion Battery Now Available for Robinson R66 |
MARCH 2017 | FAA Approves New Inlet Barrier Filter for Robinson R66 |
DECEMBER 2016 | Robinson Helicopter Company Delivers 12,000th Helicopter |
JULY 2016 | Robinson Delivers First Production R44 Cadet Helicopters |
MAY 2016 | FAA Certifies R44 Cadet Helicopter |
FEBRUARY 2016 | FAA Certifies Auxiliary Fuel Tank for R66 Turbine |
FEBRUARY 2016 | Robinson's R44 and R66 Helicopters Rank Number 1 in Sales in 2015 |
NOVEMBER 2015 | Robinson Introduces the Two-Place R44 Cadet Helicopter |
AUGUST 2015 | Robinson Introduces New R44 and R66 Autopilot and Aspen Primary Flight Display Packages |
JANUARY 2015 | Robinson Adds Garmin 500H and Autopilot to R66 Turbine Options |
DECEMBER 2014 | FAA Certifies Float-equipped R66 Turbine Marine |
MAY 2014 | Robinson R66 Receives EASA and China Certifications |
MARCH 2014 | Robinson Delivers 500th R66 Turbine |
FEBRUARY 2014 | Robinson Introduces Glass Avionics |
SEPTEMBER 2013 | Two R66s land outside Moscow, completing around-the-world flights. Pilots Michael Farikh and Alexander Kurylev flew R66 S/N 0323. Pilots Dmitry Rakitsky and Vadim Melnikov flew R66 S/N0164 |
SEPTEMBER 2012 | FAA certifies R66 Turbine Police Helicopter |
NOVEMBER 2011 | Robinson produces 10,000th helicopter |
NOVEMBER 2010 | First production R66 Turbine is delivered |
OCTOBER 2010 | FAA issues Type Certificate for the R66 Turbine. Robinson adds 133,000 square feet to West Building, bringing Robinson's total manufacturing space to 617,000 square feet |
AUGUST 2010 | Frank Robinson announces his retirement and Kurt Robinson is elected President |
FEBRUARY 2010 | Robinson debuts the R66 Turbine at Heli-Expo in Houston, Texas |
JUNE 2009 | 5,000th R44 is delivered |
JANUARY 2009 | Pilot Safety Course marks its 26th year |
DECEMBER 2008 | Robinson breaks previous production record for civil helicopters, having produced 893 helicopters in 2008 |
SEPTEMBER 2008 | The R44 surpasses the R22 in total number manufactured |
JANUARY 2008 | President George W. Bush and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visit the Robinson factory |
DECEMBER 2007 | Robinson breaks previous production record for civil helicopters having produced with 823 new helicopters in 2007 |
NOVEMBER 2007 | 8000th helicopter delivered |
MARCH 2007 | Robinson announces development of the five-place R66 Turbine helicopter |
SEPTEMBER 2006 | 3000th R44 helicopter delivered |
JANUARY 2006 | 4000th R22 helicopter delivered |
DECEMBER 2005 | Robinson sets production record for civil helicopters having produced 806 helicopters in 2005 |
APRIL 2005 | 6000th helicopter delivered |
FEBRUARY 2005 | Robinson opens new 220,000 square foot manufacturing facility; factory totals 480,000 square feet |
JANUARY 2005 | Robinson surpasses previous sales with 690 new helicopters produced in 2004; R44 Raven II is the first piston helicopter to fly to the South Pole, piloted by Quentin Smith and Steve Brooks |
SEPTEMBER 2004 | Smithsonian adds the R22 that earned the helicopter design's FAA Type Certificate in 1979, and the R44 flown by Jennifer Murray in her two, record-setting around-the-world trips. |
JANUARY 2004 | Robinson announces company sales record with the production of 422 new helicopters in 2003 |
SEPTEMBER 2003 | 5000th helicopter delivered |
JUNE 2003 | First Robinson helipad opened at a private helistop at Honda of Santa Ana, CA. |
NOVEMBER 2002 | Robinson is the first U.S. helicopter manufacturer to receive Japanese type certification |
OCTOBER 2002 | R44 Raven II is first piston helicopter to fly to the North Pole, piloted by Quentin Smith and Steve Brooks |
JULY 2002 | Robinson announces the new R44 Raven II WITH Lycoming IO-540 fuel-injected engine; the new helicopter has more power, a higher gross weight, and increased altitude performance |
JUNE 2002 | Robinson delivers the first digital ENG Newscopter to Metro Networks; the first R44 Police Helicopter is delivered to China |
JANUARY 2002 | R44 becomes the first U.S. manufactured helicopter approved by Russia and other states of the Commonwealth of Independent Stats (CIS) |
FEBRUARY 2001 | 1000th R44 helicopter is delivered; Robinson launches new program for lightweight rooftop helipads for business and industrial parks |
SEPTEMBER 2000 | 4000th Robinson helicopter delivered - 3132 R22s and 968 R44s; Jennifer Murray pilots her R44 helicopter, becoming the first woman to fly solo around the world |
JANUARY 2000 | Model R44 Raven is introduced with adjustable pedals and standard hydraulic controls; TBO for R22 and R44 is increased for 2000 to 2200 hours |
OCTOBER 1999 | 3000th R22 helicopter is delivered |
AUGUST 1999 | Hydraulic power controls are introduced for the R44 helicopters |
JUNE 1999 | FAA approves pop-out floats for R44 Clipper |
FEBRUARY 1998 | First three R44 Newscopters are delivered |
NOVEMBER 1997 | Robinson is awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter design, manufacture and service |
AUGUST 1997 | R44 completes around-the-world flight with pilots Jennifer Murray and Quentin Smith |
JULY 1997 | R44 Police Helicopter receives FAA certification |
JUNE 1997 | R44 Newscopter announced for high-quality live television broadcasting |
FEBRUARY 1996 | Model R22 Beta II is introduced with O-360 engine, giving it improved hover performance, and a base price of $135,000. |
JULY 1994 | Robinson moves to new 260,000 square-foot manufacturing facility at Zamperini Field Airport in Torrance, CA. |
FEBRUARY 1993 | First production R44 Astro helicopter is delivered |
JANUARY 1993 | Buenos Aires Police purchase forty R22 helicopters |
DECEMBER 1992 | FAA issues Type Certificate for R44 Astro; R22 is world's top-selling helicopter for the fifth consecutive year |
MARCH 1992 | R44 base price of $235,000 is announced; deposits and orders are accepted |
DECEMBER 1991 | Robinson production rate reaches all-time high with 402 R22s produced in 1991 |
NOVEMBER 1991 | 2000th R22 helicopter is delivered |
JUNE 1991 | R22 breaks its own speed records reaching a top speed of 143.61 mph; Robinson receives Igor I. Sikorsky Trophy recognizing world records |
JANUARY 1991 | New model R44 four-seat helicopter is exhibited for the first time |
FEBRUARY 1990 | New RPM governor is approved for R22 |
DECEMBER 1989 | 310 R22s are delivered in 1989, making it the year's most popular light aircraft - including helicopters and airplanes |
MAY 1989 | R22 breaks its own altitude record for Class E-1a helicopters |
APRIL 1989 | 1000th R22 helicopter is delivered |
JANUARY 1989 | R22 sets world altitude record for Class E-1a helicopters |
DECEMBER 1988 | Robinson becomes leading producer of light helicopters, producing more new helicopters in 1988 than any other manufacturer |
OCTOBER 1985 | Model R22 Mariner is introduced with fixed utility floats, priced at $94,850; R22 sets world record for Distance in a Close Circuit for Class E-1a helicopters |
AUGUST 1985 | Model R22 Beta is introduced with higher take-off rating, larger instrument panel, and base price of $85,850 |
JULY 1985 | 500th R22 helicopter is delivered |
JANUARY 1985 | Auxiliary fuel system is approved for the R22 Alpha model, increasing range and endurance by 65% |
SEPTEMBER 1983 | Model R22 Alpha is announced with increased gross weight and a base price of $77,850 |
OCTOBER 1982 | Safety course for flight instructors is launched to standardize training at flight schools, where R22s are widely used |
SEPTEMBER 1981 | Model R22 HP is announced with more powerful engine, improved altitude performance, and a base price of $59,850 |
MARCH 1981 | Robinson receives FAA Production Certificate allowing the company to do testing and inspection |
JANUARY 1981 | 100th R22 helicopter is delivered |
OCTOBER 1979 | First production R22 helicopter is delivered; Robinson announces order backlog of 587 orders |
MARCH 1979 | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Type Certificate for R22; Robinson announces R22 base price of $40,000 |
AUGUST 1975 | R22 prototype takes its first flight at Torrance Airport |
JUNE 1973 | Company founded by Frank Robinson to design and manufacture a light, inexpensive helicopter for general aviation market |