PR98780

TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

On November 12, 2022 Robinson Helicopter Company bid a final farewell to its

founder, Frank Robinson. Robinson, 92, passed away peacefully at his Rolling

Hills, California home.

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1945600/Robinson_Helicopter_Company_Frank_Robinson.jpg

Logo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1945601/Robinson_Helicopter_Company_Logo.jpg  

One of the most recognizable names in the helicopter industry, Frank Robinson

was a pioneer, a man not driven by reward or accolades but by a vision that

redefined the industry and forever changed general aviation.  

Robinson will be remembered for the design and manufacture of the R22, R44, and

R66 model helicopters. Known for their simplicity and reliability, the popular

helicopters have a distinct profile and can be spotted easily and frequently

all over the world.

Robinson's fascination with helicopters began in 1939, at age nine, when he saw

a picture in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Igor Sikorsky hovering his

VS-300 helicopter, an image that captivated Robinson and set the course for his

life's work.

He earned a BSME degree from the University of Washington, later attending

Wichita State University's graduate aeronautical engineering school.  His

career began in the late '50s with Cessna and continued through the '60s

working for many leading aerospace companies, including Bell and Hughes. In

1973, at age forty-three, unable to interest any of his employers in the idea

for a simple, personal helicopter, he resigned from his job at Hughes and

founded Robinson Helicopter Company in his Palos Verdes, California home. Six

years later, defying critics and overcoming enormous obstacles, Robinson was

granted FAA certification for his two-place, piston powered R22 helicopter. The

unknown helicopter company delivered its first production R22 in October 1979.

By 1989, the R22 had gained a foothold in general aviation, opening a

previously untapped market for private helicopter ownership.

In the early '90s, realizing the potential for a light mid-size helicopter,

Robinson introduced the four-place piston powered R44. Orders for the R44

quickly piled-up and the company became a recognized player in the aviation

industry. In 2010, Robinson once again expanded his line with the five-place,

turbine powered R66.

Robinson's relentless determination earned him the respect of both colleagues

and competitors. Affectionately called a rock star in certain aviation circles,

Robinson retired in 2010 at age 80.

The list of awards and honors bestowed on Robinson is long.  Most notable:

2013             Daniel Guggenheim Medal – AHS International

2011             Lifetime Aviation Engineering Award – Living Legends of Aviation

2010             Cierve Lecturer – Royal Aeronautical Society

2011             Inducted into the U.S. National Academy of Engineering

2004             Howard Hughes Memorial Award – So. California Aeronautic Association

2000             Named Laurels Hall of Fame Legend - Aviation Week & Space Technology

1997             The Doolittle Award - Society of Experimental Test Pilots

1992             Laurels Award – Aviation Week & Space Technology

1991 & 1990  Igor I. Sikorsky International Trophy – American Helicopter Society

Today, the company continues under the leadership of Frank's son, Kurt Robinson

and, to date, has delivered over 13,000 helicopters worldwide.

CONTACT:  Loretta Conley

          (310) 539-0508, ext. 235

          pr@robinsonheli.com

SOURCE  Robinson Helicopter Company