Description
Robinson R44 is a multipurpose light commercial four—seat helicopter manufactured by Robinson Helicopter, USA. The helicopter was designed in the 1980s. But for the first time he took to the air in March 1990 and after that about 6,000 more helicopters of this brand were produced and sold.
The Robinson R44 is a small-class aircraft for private use and special needs. In fact, he is a prototype of a car that can fly. The helicopter has excellent handling, economy, significant engine life, reliability and ease of maintenance.
Structural and practical application features
Many associate the Robinson helicopter with a car. Its comparison with a car comes immediately after acquaintance with the flight technical data of the aircraft. The Robinson helicopter weighs just over a ton along with fuel, pilot, passengers and their luggage. Fuel tanks hold 185 liters of fuel. It has an interesting and dynamic design, develops a maximum speed of more than 240 km/h and maintains a cruising speed of about 220 km/h with an average fuel consumption of 57 liters/hour. The operational speed of the model is 110 miles, or 177 kilometers, per hour. Some modifications are equipped with afterburner mode and can reach 200 km/h. The ceiling height of the flight is 4250 meters, the standard movement through the air is made within 1500-2000 m. The Robinson helicopter is equipped with one main rotor and an additional steering propeller mounted on a beam. The power unit is located behind the cab, aggregated with a gearbox. The machine can be equipped with two types of motors (IO-540 or O-540). Both have six cylinders and a power exceeding 260 horsepower. When the engine is working the cabin is relatively quiet, because of good noise insulation and a reserve of engine power. The latter factor, coupled with the use of composite materials, increases the reliability, strength and resistance of the power plant to wear. The temperature range of helicopter use is very wide and ranges from -30 to +40 C. Such capabilities allow to operate the car in extreme weather conditions.
This model can be widely used for flights on routes with a range of up to 650 km (on average 3-4 hours). The highly raised main rotor increases the safety of the approach to the helicopter and landing on an unprepared platform. Passengers can safely board the helicopter even with the engine running, thanks to the special shape and height of the landing screws. The high placement of the propeller (over three meters) also simplifies landing and reduces the likelihood of clinging to any obstacle.
Along with comfortable movement, the helicopter has high safety indicators. Flying in this helicopter is not much different from driving in a regular car on a good highway. The cabin is designed for one pilot and three passengers. If necessary, the passenger sitting to the right of the pilot can take over the functions of the pilot. Comfortable seats in the cabin are installed according to the “two plus two” scheme, and due to the absence of partitions between the seats and the panoramic type of glazing, it allows not only to maintain good visibility for the pilot, but also allows passengers to enjoy the heavenly beauties.
Indicators of fuel residue, voltage, temperature, oil, rotor speed and other important processes reduce the load on pilots, as well as increase their awareness of the situation.
There is a risk of getting into an accident, as with any vehicle. However, the probability of such a tragedy is lower than on land transport. In case of engine failure, the helicopter can actually be landed without a sad outcome. Like most light machines, this unit is able to land gently due to autorotation (inertial rotations of the carrier propeller). Much more often light aircraft gets into serious accidents due to improper operation or unpreparedness of pilots.
Vertical take-off and landing from almost any surface, the compactness and spaciousness of the Robinson R44 create huge opportunities for its use. The helicopter is multi-purpose and its range of application is extremely wide. The four-seat Robinson R44 is ideal for business and corporate flights, for photo and video shooting, police patrols, rescue operations, passenger transportation, commercial flights, air tourism and travel.
