Robinson R-44

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Robinson Helicopter Company Model: R44. Nickname: Raven, Cadet, or Clipper
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Helicopter
> FAA Category and Class: Rotorcraft/Helicopter
> Engine Description: single recip

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 7/25/2026
> Number of Hours Flown: 163
> Number of Times Flown: 105
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Big brother to R-22, older brother to R-66, son of R-88

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 95
> Date First Flown: 6/27/1997
> Location First Flown: North Las Vegas Airport
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: USNTPS Qual Eval, Tomkins

Recollections: My first flight in the R-44 was on a USNTPS Qual Eval conducted during a staff field trip.  3 different types in one day.  Heaven!

The next time was in 2012 when I began my FAA-paid-for Commercial Helicopter training.  I’d always been a “helo wannabe” (by the time I started my rating training I had about 100 hours of helo time, mostly in the Navy, and mostly in a “beg, borrow or steal” situation (flying with classmates and fellow instructors whenever the opportunity arose).  This commercial training was my chance to get the rating and to actually become a “helo guy”.  the training (from Leading Edge Aviation) was truly excellent, including frequent and challenging “off field” landing practice…learning how to safely approach a potential landing site, decide if it’s safe and then safely land and takeoff. Flying helicopters (which I continue to do as a consultant test pilot) is a total joy.

The R-44 is probably my favorite helo…not only because it’s the one I have the most time in but because it’s also a pretty neat machine…powered by a reciprocating engine driving what are essentially big fan belts, Frank Robinson really got this one right, in my view.  It has excellent authority on the tail rotor (better than some other helos that I’ve flown) and the blades are heavy/big enough (which increases rotor inertia) that autorotations are not too challenging.  The R-44 (like the two seat R-22, which has noticeably less rotor inertia) is subject to a “Special FAR” that requires specific training and periodic checkrides.  This is mostly because of a series of mishaps early in the Robbie’s history.  The Special FAR is a good idea, mostly about avoidance of certain unsafe flight regimes, but my own personal opinion is that the R-44…were it the only Robinson model…wouldn’t have required this FAR. 

In 2026 I had fun flying an R-44 in formation, chasing a test helicopter equipped with a “trailing bomb” for airspeed calibration. My job was to make sure the bomb was stable and staying away from the tail rotor especially during high speed flight, autorotations and the like.