VAI
CONVENTION NEWS DAY 1
MARCH 11, 2025
AINONLINE.COM
David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter, took the wraps off the larger R88 on the eve of Verticon 2025.
NEW TECHNOLOGY PioneerLab flies on Airbus’ next-gen team is working on achieveing hybrid-electric helo flight in 2027 | 16
SUSTAINABILITY SAF lands at Verticon Most of the helicopters on static display flew in using greener fuel | 6
MARIANO ROSALES
AVIONICS Autopilot for H130
ROBINSON THINKS BIGGER By Matt Thurber In a departure from its light-helicopter roots, Robinson Helicopter has introduced the next helicopter in its product line: the 10-place single-engine turbine R88, a clean-sheet design with a new type certificate. First flight could come as early as this year, with certification and service entry to follow later this decade. The company is already booking orders for the $3.3 million R88. With a 275-cu-ft cabin capable of carrying up to eight passengers or 1,800 pounds of payload with full fuel, R88 missions will include aerial firefighting, air medical transport, utility work, and passenger transport and the cabin will be reconfigurable for various mission types. Until the R88 enters service, the Torrance, California company’s largest helicopter is the five-seat R66, powered by a 300-shp Rolls-Royce turboshaft. The R88’s engine is a Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel 2W capable of producing 1,000 shp.
“We like to surprise the market,” Robinson Helicopter president and CEO David Smith told AIN. “It’s quite a large aircraft and is everything that Part 27 can offer in a singleengine package, with cabin capacity and performance consistent with many twins. “This opens a lot of doors, and it’s more than the next class above the R66. I feel like we hit a sweet spot, [in terms of ] economics, it’ll run at an affordable rate and can be acquired at an affordable rate and missionized at an affordable rate. It’s larger than a seven-seat aircraft and in the same range of cabin and payload as you get with twins.” Engineers have been heavily working on the R88 for the past two years, and developing the helicopter was one of the objectives for Smith when he took over leadership of the company from Kurt Robinson in February 2024. “We talked to a lot of customers,” he said, “and asked what they needed. It’s been a big part of our engineering focus.” continues on page 22
Garmin working on FAA STC approval for GFC 600H system in the Airbus helicopter | 18
EXIT INTERVIEW Viola on VAI Association chief reflects on his tenure before he departs to head up GAMA | 20
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