Robinson intros the R88
The new model is the company’s largest and most powerful design to date. Robinson calls it “the most capable, affordable, and easy-to-maintain workhorse in its class.” Arriving 15 years after the certification of the company’s last new model, the R66, the R88 is designed as an all-new type certificate, representing a step beyond the incremental enlargement of common airframes that characterized development of the R44 and R66 models.
Powered by a 1,000-shaft-horsepower Safran Arriel 2W turbine, the R88 will have an internal payload capacity of up to 1,800 pounds with full fuel and a total internal load capacity of more than 2,800 pounds. The aircraft will be able to fly for more than 3.5 hours with a range of more than 350 nautical miles. The R88 is aimed at a broad range of missions from passenger and medical transport to aerial firefighting.
The R88 features Garmin G500H TXi displays and GTN navigators with touchscreen controls. The system includes a four-axis autopilot with level mode, hover assist, low- and high-speed protection, and limit cueing. The aircraft also has a health usage monitoring system, known widely as HUMS, for tracking and simplifying operations and maintenance.
The helicopter is meant to be configurable, with a flat cabin floor that can accommodate passengers, cargo, or combinations. The R88’s dual cyclic controls are removable on both sides to allow the pilot in command to sit in the left or right seat with a passenger in the other seat. The aircraft will be type-certificated for single-pilot IFR operations. Base price for the R88 is $3.3 million.
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