Frank Robinson, the man who pioneered the development of the Robinson family of light helicopters for the general aviation market, has died.
Robinson passed away at his home in Rolling Hills, California, on Nov. 12. He was 92.
A legend of the helicopter industry, his fascination with helicopters is said to have begun in 1939 when he was nine years old and saw a picture in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Igor Sikorsky hovering in his VS-300.
He started his career with spells at Cessna, Bell and Hughes, where he led the tail rotor design team on what is now the MD500 light helicopter before founding the Robinson Helicopter Company from his home in 1973.
His vision was to bring a low-cost helicopter to the general aviation market. That aircraft would become the piston-engine, two-seat R22. Flying the prototype in 1975, he secured FAA certification for the helicopter in March 1979 and began deliveries seven months later.
Since then, the Robinson family of helicopters has grown to include the four-seat piston engine R44 and the turbine-engine five-seat R66.
Thousands of helicopters have flowed from the Torrance, California, production line to customers across the world. The company’s 13,000th aircraft was delivered in April 2021.
During his career, Robinson was named a member of the Aviation Week Laureates Hall of Fame in 2000 and was a Laureate winner in 1992, following the development of the R44.
James Viola, president of rotorcraft trade body Helicopter Association International, described Robinson as a “giant” of the rotorcraft industry.
“I am grateful for his efforts to make rotorcraft flight accessible to the public ... by focusing on the private market, he cemented his place as a pioneer in our industry,” Viola said.
Robinson remained the figurehead of the company despite his retirement from the day-to-day running of the business in 2010 at age 80. His son Kurt took over those duties as president and chairman.
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