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The Airframer Bulletin

Airframer · Robinson R44 · Robinson Helicopter Company
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Every Bulletin story and press release covering Airframer · Robinson R44 · Robinson Helicopter Company, newest first.

26 items

2026
14 May “Hydrogen flight is no longer a distant concept sitting on a roadmap,” says JR Hammond, executive director of CAAM.

Unither flies hydrogen-electric helicopter circuit in Québec test

The Robinson R44 completed a full piloted airport circuit as Project Proticity moves toward larger hydrogen-electric rotorcraft development.

10 March

ReleaseRobinson Helicopter Company unveils R44 Utility interior at Verticon 2026

10 March

ReleaseRobinson Helicopter Company establishes Robinson Unmanned business unit, formalizing expansion into scalable autonomous aviation

2025
3 April

ReleaseUnither Bioélectronique completes the world’s first successful test flight of a piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter

25 February

ReleaseANAC permits commercial operations of Sprayhawk UAV in Brazil

2024
19 December

ReleaseRobinson Helicopter’s symmetrical horizontal stabilizer now approved for all models by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Argentina, Japan, and India

21 August Mikael Cardinal, Vice President United Therapeutics, and David Smith, president and CEO Robinson Helicopter Company.

Unither Bioelectronics steps up plans for hydrogen helicopters

Green hydrogen will drive the membrane-based fuel cell powerplants in Robinson R66 organ delivery electric helicopters.

21 August Airtruck and Sprayhawk are both based on the Robinson R44 full-scale helicopter.

Rotor Technologies launches largest civilian drone based on R44

The first Sprayhawk production aircraft has been completed and is undergoing ground testing ahead of delivery to an agricultural partner in the US Midwest later this year.

13 August

ReleaseRotor Technologies enters agricultural market with world’s largest spray drone

7 February

FAA approves Robinson empennage design for the R44

The development and testing of the new empennage design spanned several years, resulting in enhanced handling characteristics during high-speed flight.

31 January

ReleaseRotor flies live for a crowd, celebrates New Hampshire innovation with NH Governor Sununu

2023
9 November The Rotor R220Y is based on the Robinson R22.

Adapted Robinson completes uncrewed flight campaign

Rotor is stepping up in size and commercialising its autonomy technology with the development of the R550X, an uncrewed utility helicopter based on the Robinson R44 Raven II.

2022
29 October

ReleaseTier 1 Engineering' 3rd generation electric helicopter achieves a historic airport-to-airport cross-country flight 75 years after historic English Channel crossing

2021
28 April The R44 S/N 14438 is the 13,000th helicopter delivered by Robinson.

Robinson celebrates milestone delivery with paint make-over

Forty-two years since the delivery of the first R22, Robinson has notched up an average of over 300 helicopters per year to customers all around the world. There are three models in the line-up.

2 February

ReleaseLithium-ion battery now available for Robinson R44

2020
21 July

ReleaseFAA approves Lycoming's Electronic Ignition System on Robinson Helicopters

13 May

ReleaseRobinson's impact-resistant windshields improve bird strike protection

2018
23 February

ReleaseRobinson introduces two Garmin G500H TXi displays

2016
12 July

ReleaseRobinson R44 Raven II and Cadet now available with Garmin G500H

6 May

ReleaseFAA approves Robinson R44 Cadet helicopter

4 April

ReleaseNew collective-activated hour meter reduces operating costs for R22 Beta II

2015
17 November

ReleaseRobinson introduces the two-place R44 Cadet

28 August

ReleaseRobinson introduces new R44 & R66 autopilot and Aspen Primary Flight Display package

2014
7 February

ReleaseRobinson introduces glass avionics

2012
11 January

ReleaseRobinson doubles last year's production

2009
30 January

ReleaseRobinson Helicopter Company breaks production record again