Story ID: 
Robinson Helicopter Celebrates R22 50th Anniversary
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Founder’s basement project spawned one of the most prolific helicopter manufacturers
Word Count: 389
Fifty years ago, on Aug. 28, 1975, Frank Robinson pulled collective and lifted off in his R22 helicopter for the first time, from a ramp at Zamperini Field in Torrance, California.
The R22 was the culmination of Robinson’s dream of designing and building his own helicopter, after having worked as an engineer at Cessna Aircraft (on its Skyhook helicopter), Umbaugh, McCulloch Aircraft, Kaman Aircraft, Bell Helicopter, and Hughes Helicopters. In 1973, Robinson resigned from Hughes, mortgaged his house to raise money, and founded Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) to bring a “safe, reliable, affordable” new helicopter to market.
“I started working on it before I graduated from college, and kept at it while I worked for other companies,” Robinson said in a 2007 interview. “I bought machine tools and riveting equipment and set it up in my basement or garage, where I did a lot of experimenting. I was married at the time, and it always created a bit of a conflict—whether to spend money on an engine lathe or new drapes for the house. I continued to pitch the idea of a small, two-seat personal helicopter at just about every company I worked for, but could never convince them. They were making a lot of money building large, expensive, and overpriced helicopters for the military.” 
“He completely changed the world of helicopters,” said the late former RHC chief instructor Tim Tucker. When the R22 debuted, typical helicopter instruction in a Bell 47 cost about $150 an hour. The R22 cost much less to operate and, Tucker said, “It cut the cost of helicopter training by 60%.”
Frank Robinson retired in 2010, at age 80, having seen the R66 through to certification. Since certification of the R22 in 1979, RHC has delivered nearly 5,000 R22s, and it spawned a series that includes the piston-powered R44, turbine R66, and the company’s newest design, the in-development R88.
“The R22 was Frank Robinson’s dream to make rotary-wing flight accessible for the average person,” said David Smith, president and CEO of RHC. “Fifty years ago, the R22 didn’t just take its first flight; it created a legacy that has empowered generations of pilots and operators around the world, and we continue to honor its lasting impact and the role it plays in the global helicopter community.”