24-Apr-2011
R44 ditched into the sea about 40m offshore. The 72-year-old pilot was pulled from the water unhurt. His 70-year-old wife died.... Read more
19-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Franch operator Heli Horizon has launched an iPhone app “Helicopter Checklist” which they hope will be an indispensable assistant for pilots. The app has pref-flight check lists, separated out into Pre-flight, Before Starting, Start Engine and Stop Engine. The “basic version” (their description, not HeliHub’s) includes four checklists for R22 R44 helicopters EC120 and AS... Read more
18-Apr-2011
Three POB all reportedly retrieved by a rescue helicopter. No details yet on level of damage to the R44... Read more
12-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com
HeliHub.com recently reported that New Hanover County Sheriff had chosen to terminate their own air law enforcement program, and put their R44 up for auction on GovDeals.com, which closed yesterday at $425K – it was bought in 2008 for $690K. New Hanover County is putting $300K into the SABLE program – joining the Wilmington and... Read more
4-Apr-2011
“Sky 13” broadcasting helicopter – precautionary landing on a golf course... Read more
2-Apr-2011
The helicopter entered controlled airspace without clearance. When queried by ATC, the pilot reported uncertainty concerning the helicopter’s position due to being VFR on top of unbroken cloud.... Read more
2-Apr-2011
During takeoff, the helicopter struck a powerline... Read more
1-Apr-2011
Emergency landing following bird strike which broke windshield and injured passenger... Read more
31-Mar-2011Source: Jara Aviation
The HELIMOVER MAX is a natural development of the existing HELIMOVER for Robinson R22, R44 and R66 helicopters. It offers the same robustness, build quality, design features and operation as the original Helimover, but will move at up to double the speed – approx 7 kph which is a fast walking pace. This increased speed,... Read more
31-Mar-2011
Crashed in pool below waterfall. All four occupants survived – Pilot Daniel Arais and passengers Ricardo Ramirez, David Frais and Gustavo Perdomo... Read more
30-Mar-2011
The pilot (60) was slightly injured and the co-pilot (46) was not hurt. R44 completely burnt out, also causing damage to a nearby hangar and to three further helicopters inside... Read more
28-Mar-2011Source: LA Times
Robinson Helicopter, known for its low-cost choppers, was nearly grounded by the recession but is poised to soar again with a new CEO, an expanded factory and a new model that’s generating buzz see full story... Read more
27-Mar-2011
Helicopter landed in water. Pilot, the only occupant, not injured... Read more
27-Mar-2011
Pilot referred to high winds causing him to lose control. Two occupants injured, two not. Pilot named as Agnaldo Pereira da Costa... Read more
22-Mar-2011
The tail rotor contacted a small bush during training involving landings on sloping ground.... Read more
19-Mar-2011Source: Robinson Helicopter Shop
At HeliExpo in Orlando Fl., Robinson Helicopter Shop released two new products made specifically for the R44 and R22 Helicopters. Designed by an R44 owner to specifically address issues experienced by all owners of the ships, the Bit Bag and Floor Mats are good news for pilots. BITBAG The Bit Bag solves the in-flight storage... Read more
18-Mar-2011Source: ATSB
On 4 February 2011, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Astro helicopter (R44), registered VH‑HFH, was conducting circuit operations at Cessnock Aerodrome, New South Wales. On board the helicopter were an instructor, a pilot undergoing a helicopter flight review and a passenger. Following the completion of a sequence involving the simulated failure of the helicopter’s hydraulic‑boost... Read more
18-Mar-2011
Pilot named as Leonardo Gomes Leal, 29, and co-pilot was James Tavares Bastos, 18... Read more
17-Mar-2011Source: HeliDolli.com
Helidolli.com released several new products at the HAI show in Orlando. The Robidolli is a small dolly designed specifically for the R66, R44 and R22 helicopters. Simple at last! No straps to the skids, no fancy electric motor or hydraulic lift. Just lock to the RHC supplied tow ball on the belly of the Robi... Read more
17-Mar-2011
Lost control during ramp area manoeuvring.... Read more
15-Mar-2011Source: Horizon International
Horizon International Flight Academy have announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Hareb Thani Al Dhaheri. Retired Brigardier Pilot Mr. Al Dhaheri began his career as a helicopter pilot in UAE Armed Forces and he went on to hold a number of senior positions in the military. Prior to joining Horizon, he spent... Read more
14-Mar-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Bidding is underway on the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office auctions off its Robinson R44 – see earlier stories on this operation on HeliHub.com here The auction opened in the last week on the website govdeals.com starting at $150,000. It is currently showing 7 bids with the highest at $350,000. see http://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemID=268&acctID=359 Sheriff Ed McMahon... Read more
14-Mar-2011
Emergency landing in market square. See also second link where pilot falls foul of the CAA and gets fined for this incident... Read more
10-Mar-2011Source: Daily Courier
With very little discussion, the Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a consent agenda item for a contract between the county and Prescott Wing & Rotor for the overhaul of a R44 Raven 2 helicopter donated to the county by Guidance Helicopters Inc. of Prescott.... Read more
10-Mar-2011Source: US News LV
Philippine National Police (PNP) Tuesday launched the “Sky Police†which will conduct aerial anti-crime and surveillance patrols in Metro Manila and its nearby regions using three recently-acquired Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters.... Read more
6-Mar-2011Source: Garmin
Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it has initiated work on a project to obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for installation of the Garmin G500H glass cockpit in the Robinson R44 helicopter. Once completed, any authorized Garmin dealer can install the... Read more
6-Mar-2011Source: HeliHub.com
An extensive search involving helicopters from Broward County Sheriff, Palm Beach County and Miami Dade Fire Dept, along with airboats too, were launched to locate a Robinson R44 which was overdue on Saturday morning on a flight from Orlando to Tamiami in Florida. The helicopter, a 2008 model owned by Bravo Helicopters of Miami (http://www.flybravohelicopters.com),... Read more
5-Mar-2011
Pilot reported as 51-year-old Mark Palmieri. R44 was broken in two and the cabin area reported as charred. Pilot had to wait 3 hours before being rescued... Read more
4-Mar-2011Source: HeliHub.com
A group of three helicopters, believed to all be R44s, were touring together and stopped for fuel at Forestville Airport in Canada. One experienced significant loss of power not long after take-off and it turned out that all three were wrongly fuelled with Jet fuel instead of AvGas. HeliHub.com adds a separate page for every... Read more
2-Mar-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Sterling Flight Training of Jacksonville has taken delivery of a Robinson R44 for their training school. Sterling took delivery of the Raven I at the Robinson factory in California and then flew it cross-country to Sterling’s base at Craig Airport (CRG) in Jacksonville, Florida. Chief flight instructor Scott Malone will use the R44 for primary... Read more
2-Mar-2011Source: Eurosafety
Eurosafety is pleased to announce the release of their latest IPhone application, Risafety. This app is ESI’s latest effort in their goal to improve airframe knowledge and safety in the helicopter community. The iSafety App is designed to provide a method to review caution panel emergency procedures for the R22 and R44 Helicopters. This training... Read more
2-Mar-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Sonoran Wings Flight Training Centre at Tucson International Airport is adding helicopters to its fleet, which previously included only fixed-wing aircraft. The company has added two Robinson R22s in mid-February and will add a Robinson R44 helicopter soon. Jerry Williams, the school’s general manager, said he has wanted to add helicopters ever since the school... Read more
1-Mar-2011
Rolled onto its side during take-off manoeuvre... Read more
1-Mar-2011
R44 had to make emergency landing after experiencing a significant loss of power, in which the tail was damaged. It was one of three R44s flying together which were all wrongly refuelled at Forestville Airport... Read more
25-Feb-2011
County Administrator Julie Ayers said the item was pulled at the request of the attorneys for Prescott Wing and Rotor, who wanted to finalize the contract language. Ayers expects the contract to be ready for the board to approve during the March 7 meeting.... Read more
25-Feb-2011
Landed on its port side with floats deployed. Two people medevac to hospital by MedCopter “Chopper 2”... Read more
22-Feb-2011Source: Daily Courier
The Sheriff’s Office has been in talks with Prescott Wing and Rotor since that time to complete necessary overhaul valued at $250,000. [file photo]... Read more
22-Feb-2011
Weather related emergency landing. No apparent damage... Read more
21-Feb-2011Source: Wilmington Star News
The helicopter, a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, will be declared surplus and sold using GovDeals, an online Internet-based company that sells government surplus and unclaimed property.... Read more
18-Feb-2011
The helicopter had departed from Modugno, near Bari, and was heading to Foggia. Pilot Tanzarella Antonio D’Amico, age 29, was alone... Read more
11-Feb-2011Source: StarNews Online
New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office are ceasing operating their R44 and will instead join the SABLE program – a partnership between the Wilmington and Leland police departments as well as the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.... Read more
11-Feb-2011Source: DART Helicopter Services
Oceanside, CA, February 10, 2011 — DART Helicopter Services and its subsidiary Geneva Aviation are helping to expand aerial news gathering opportunities for TV stations around the nation. DART has initiated deliveries of Geneva Aviation’s P174 Power Converters to Robinson Helicopter Company for installation in all newly manufactured R44 Raven II Newscopters, fully integrated Electronic... Read more
10-Feb-2011
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office is expected to announce the future of its helicopter program Thursday, after the agency’s only pilot Scott Gerow resigned on 18th September last year amid an internal investigation. Sheriff Ed McMahon said he would explore all options for the four-year-old program–and cancelling it remains an option... Read more
4-Feb-2011
R44 burst into flames on impact. Student pilot was taken to hospital in a critical condition with serious burns. Instructor Ivor Durham, owner and director of Newcastle Helicopters, died along with 21-year old Sam Bateman.... Read more
3-Feb-2011
Run on landing on wet mud performed which ended in the helicopter on its side, tail boom apparently severed by the tail which ended up close to the fuselage.... Read more
3-Feb-2011Source: Daily Breeze
The committee, made up of residents, aviation experts and government officials, recommended modifying three established helicopter routes in and out of the airport. The idea was to move the routes farther away from residential areas as well as increase the helicopter flying altitudes to reduce noise. Torrance is the base of Robinson Helicopter Co... Read more
2-Feb-2011
Emergency landing (or was it a “hard landing”?) made after reported loss of power... Read more
2-Feb-2011
One helicopter (and six fixed wing) damaged when hangar roof collapsed due to weight of snow... Read more
26-Jan-2011
Pilot used the helicopter’s flotation device and all four stayed on board until they were saved about one hour later.... Read more
22-Jan-2011
President Piñera landed off-airfield in his own R44, and a video of the incident taken by a citizen suggested that the stop was unplanned. The President denies this, saying it was a planned refuelling stop... Read more
20-Jan-2011Source: DART Helicopter Services
DART Helicopter Services, the world’s leading specialist in design, development and distribution of helicopter components and accessories for flight safety, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, has completed an exclusive distribution agreement with Aivatech Technical Services of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. The new agreement covers the global distribution of Aviatech’s Ample Pod Luggage Carrier for Robinson R44... Read more
17-Jan-2011Source: Simplex
Simplex Manufacturing has been granted a Validation of Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) from the Peoples Republic of China for its Robinson R44 agricultural spray system. The VSTC makes the Simplex spray system the only approved helicopter spray system for use in China. The CAAC approved the system on December 31, 2010. Simplex has shipped one... Read more
14-Jan-2011Source: El Universo
the executive director of the National Commission on Surface Transportation, Traffic and Road Safety, Ricardo Antón, launched the two helicopters this week – although only the R44 was onsite as the MD530F had an engine issue, apparently.... Read more
14-Jan-2011
Pilot Dempsey Stice, 42, was found dead in the cockpit with no signs of trauma, Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said. He apparently landed the helicopter safely as there was no damage to the aircraft,... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: 2TheAdvocate
After nearly 23 years of serving as a public information officer for the Police Department, Sgt. Don Kelly will step down is head of the Air Support Unit. [file photo] See also “Baton Rouge Police add Robinson R44“... Read more
10-Jan-2011Source: Telegraph
Soon after the Edinburgh-London journey began, passengers noticed the train was being “buzzed†and that a helicopter was flying low over it, criss-crossing its path. Some were so worried they immediately contacted the CAA, whilst others filmed what was happening on their mobile phones.... Read more
10-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
The Peruvian Regional Government of Callao have recently placed orders for two Police-equipped Robinson R44 helicopters, the regional president Callao, Felix Moreno, announced this week.   This small province of just 57 square miles is heavily populated and they will no doubt have to work closely with Lima Province, which surrounds them to the north, east... Read more
7-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
In line with the global recession, Robinson Helicopter Co produced a very modest 162 helicopters last year, just 18% of their peak figure of 893 just two years earlier. The total was made up of 40 x R22 Beta II 32 x R44 Raven/Clipper I 80 x R44 Raven/Clipper II 10 x R66 Turbine When... Read more
6-Jan-2011Source: Victoria Advocate
A north Victoria man may be forced to shut down the heliport he operates in a residential area. Owner Kenneth Kemp says “I personally flew the FAA people here this past weekend, and they say I’m perfectly legal.”... Read more
6-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
The Military Police of Piauà added a second helicopter, a Robinson R44, to their capability. It was launched at the graduation ceremony of new police officers on 28th December at the Headquarters of the General Command in Teresina. The State of Piaui is in the north-east of Brazil covering approx 250,000 sq.km and has a... Read more
4-Jan-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Robinson Helicopter Co have launched a new website at http://www.robinsonheli.com.  Although no major content changes have been made, the new cleaner design is certainly easier to navigate than its predecessor. Some new aspects of the site – particularly the World Dealer Locator Map – show that elements of new technology have been introduced. Scratching... Read more
3-Jan-2011
30 minute tour flight with three Chinese passengers – The 34-year-old-pilot, a 40-year-old man, and two women, aged 36 and 46, were taken to Cairns Base Hospital.... Read more
2-Jan-2011
HeliHub.com is currently tracking news of an R44 missing in Argentina. No word in eight days is likely to lead to an incident report, hence we have opened a page for this. Pilot named as Alejandro Ferzola.... Read more
29-Dec-2010
Bird strike, landed OK... Read more
22-Dec-2010
Tail reportedly struck something, causing helicopter to spin and pilot to lose control. Helicopter ended up in shallow waters on edge of a reservoir... Read more
21-Dec-2010Source: HeliHub.com
Uralhelicom has become the first organisation in Russia and CIS to win approval to carry out major overhauls on R44s. The company has recently received agreement from both Robinson Helicopter co and the Russia Authorities. They have also accepted an R44 Raven I with 2200 aiframe hours as the first airframe to go through the... Read more
17-Dec-2010Source: Townsville Helicopters
Townsville Helicopters is proud to announce the opening of the first helicopter pilot training school in Townsville. The school has full CASA approval, therefore we do not have to operate under another company’s banner. We are a local company and committed to providing North Queensland with a quality training facility. The school will operate the R22... Read more
14-Dec-2010
Solo training flight, crashed and burst into flames. Pilot named as Mohd Sukri Osman, age 31, a policeman by profession... Read more
13-Dec-2010Source: Aviation Law Monitor
In any type of rollover accident, the transmission can puncture the fuel tank. The fix is simple: instead of using a rigid fuel tank, use a soft bladder tank that won’t rupture.... Read more
9-Dec-2010Source: HeliHub.com
As the temperatures in Florida plummet, so helicopters are called in to fly low level over fields to minimise the chance of frost ruining the crop. Sadly, these operations brought no fewer than three casualties in one County earlier today. Robinson R44 N666SL clipped a post at Palm Beach Glades County Airport, Pahokee around 2am... Read more
8-Dec-2010
Pilot reported as Alfred Morrison (53) Heavy landing in corn field and helicopter ended up on its side. Helicopter was involved in low-level operations to keep frost from forming on crops... Read more
8-Dec-2010
Tail rotor hit post on take-off after refuelling. Accident timed between 1 and 2am. Pilot reported as William Harward (53), and passenger James Wyatt. Helicopter was involved in low-level operations to keep frost from forming on crops... Read more
5-Dec-2010
Heavy landing by student pilot while hover taxying after door opened in flight.... Read more
29-Nov-2010Source: HeliHub.com
Robinson Helicopter Co has recently told HeliHub.com that their current production rates are – 1 R22 per week – 3 R44 per week – 3 R66 per week from January And working from the latest known MSNs for each line – R22 -> 4489 – R44 Raven I -> 2100 – R44 Raven II ->... Read more
23-Nov-2010
Bird strike broke canopy, emergency landing made in school field.... Read more