Private Air & Private AirMart | Root Raters pg. 2

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Helicopter : Rotor Raters

Does the Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter really deserve its acclaim? Private Air’s reader-driven rater panel takes the chopper up for a spin.

By: Nick Kolakowski
May/June 2007 , Page 76

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Root Raters pg. 2

Quoth the Raven: Come Aboard

Robinson Helicopter has been around for 34 years, producing more whirlybirds annually than all other North American manufacturers combined, some 800 in all. The brainchild of engineer Frank Robinson, who still serves as president and CEO, the company has devoted itself to the creation of small, low-cost helicopters. But can low-cost still mean a high-caliber ride?

The first part of any helicopter test is perhaps the simplest — getting in the aircraft. Raters generally give high marks to Robinson’s simple latch and wide door clearances (a quick back-and-up motion on the latch fastens the door once you’re inside). For passengers with a few (small) bags, seats hinge up to reveal surprisingly deep holds. However, a notice states that the total weight of a passenger and his gear shouldn’t exceed 300 pounds (bad news for obese bowling teams).

Still, despite its compact frame, the R44 Raven is also roomy enough that a six-foot-three rater can sit in the back seat without his knees banging against the pilot’s seatback. Head-and shoulder room also got high marks.

Given that it helps not to be deafened, frozen or roasted while flying, the R44 comes with a few comfort amenities, including air conditioning (raters cite this as a major selling point) and Bose headphones, which provided impressive sound dampening.

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“I was pleasantly surprised,” says Gary Lotano (see “A Plane for All Reasons,” page 42), a frequent helicopter flyer who is partial to Bell Jet Rangers, after taking the first ride of the day. “I haven’t flown Robinson before, and everything — visibility, flying characteristics — was good.”

Adds Alan Sharp, who has flown fixed-wing aircraft for the last four years but has never been in a helicopter before: “It’s smoother than I thought, and the comfort level is more than I expected.” He enjoyed the overall experience, but called the relative lack of baggage space a minus.

With any helicopter, the most important factor is vehicle performance. High winds this day give raters the chance to see how such a light aircraft (2,500 pounds gross) would behave in less-than-ideal conditions, and it performs rather well. With an experienced pilot at the stick, the helicopter seems stable as it zips along at 115 knots from the airport to the beach, buffeted occasionally by 25-knot gusts, before executing a 30-degree turn and heading back for a landing. Combine that kind of handling with a fuel tank that holds nearly 50 gallons (allowing for some three hours’s flying time), and rater Larry Mann sums it up succinctly: “A lot of bang for the buck.” (Suggested retail price: $440,000.)

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