Robinson Helicopter Company
R22 / R44 family
Helicopter (piston) · Helicopter trainer · 1980s–1990s
- Power
- 145 hp
- Cruise
- 96 kt
- MTOW
- 1,370 lb
- Range
- 240 nm
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas
🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.
Performance
- Cruise speed (Vc)96 kt
- Never-exceed speed (Vne)102 kt
- Stall (landing config) (Vs0)0 kt
- Climb rate1,000 fpm
- Service ceiling14,000 ft
- Range240 nm
- Endurance2 h
- Takeoff roll0 ft
- Landing roll0 ft
Weights
- MTOW1,370 lb
- Empty weight855 lb
- Useful load515 lb
- Baggage capacity50 lb
Dimensions
- Wingspan25.2 ft
- Length28.7 ft
- Height8.9 ft
- Cabin width36 in
Powerplant
- EngineLycoming O-360-J2A (derated) — 145 hp · 100LL · 8.5 gph
- Total horsepower145 hp
- Primary fuel100LL avgas
- Unleaded pathG100UL eligible (STC available)
Cockpit & avionics
- Cockpit typeanalog
- Autopilot commonly availableNo
- Typical packages
- Six-pack analog with single nav/com— as-delivered
- Garmin G500 TXi / G3X retrofits— modern retrofit option (more common on R44)
- Training note
R22 cockpits remain predominantly analog as delivered. R44 Raven II airframes increasingly receive Garmin G500 TXi / G3X retrofits at IFR-capable schools.
Certification
- RegulatoryFAR Part 27 · EASA CS-27
- Certified rolesNormal category helicopter
- IFRNo
- Spin approvedNo
- Aerobatic-categoryNo
- TailwheelNo
- Complex (FAR 61.31)No
- High-performance (FAR 61.31)No
Why is the R22 / R44 family popular?
Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.
Production volume
Approximately 11,500 R22 and R44 airframes built since 1979 — by a wide margin the most-produced civil helicopter in history and the dominant rotary-wing trainer worldwide.
Industry network effects
By a wide margin the most common helicopter trainer at Part 141 schools, EASA ATOs, and helicopter operator pipelines globally. The R22 is the canonical entry-point helicopter trainer; the R44 is the canonical step-up to the four-seat IFR-capable type.
Operating economics
R22 is the cheapest certified helicopter to acquire and operate by a wide margin — sub-$300/hour operating cost makes it economically viable for the high-utilisation cadet pipeline that more expensive helicopters can't sustain.
Regulatory fit
Robinson SFAR 73 (Special Federal Aviation Regulation) sets specific training and recurrent currency requirements for R22 / R44 PIC operations, supported by the Robinson Safety Course factory programme — every R22 / R44 transition pilot completes structured Robinson factory or factory-aligned training.
Fuel future-proofing
Lycoming O-360-J2A and O-540 / IO-540 are on Lycoming's documented G100UL compatibility path, giving the active R22 / R44 fleet a path off 100LL without engine swap.
Before you buy more aircraft
The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.
Flight school revenue is a function of three things — utilisation, dispatch reliability, and student progression — that multiply rather than add. Most schools running below 850 hours per aircraft per year have hidden capacity worth more than the next purchase, already paid for and sitting on the ramp.
Read: Why buying more aircraft probably won't grow your schoolHow flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize
Helicopter schools running R22 / R44 fleets configure them in Aviatize with engine reserves against the Lycoming TBO and a separate 12-year / 2,200-hour Robinson factory-overhaul reserve as a recurring maintenance item. The SFAR 73 currency requirements (R22 PIC minimums, R44 PIC minimums, biannual recurrent training, Robinson Safety Course currency) are commonly modelled as per-pilot validation rules that gate booking creation. Insurance-required currency is tracked alongside.
Editorial confidence
4 primary sources cited (POH / TCDS / type-club). Spec data and regulatory positioning are well-attributed; narrative synthesis is editorial.
Sources
Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.
- Primary sourcePOH·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Robinson Helicopter Company
https://robinsonheli.com/r22/Robinson Helicopter R22 product page.
- Primary sourcePOH·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Robinson Helicopter Company
https://robinsonheli.com/r44-raven-ii/Robinson Helicopter R44 Raven II product page.
- Primary sourceFAA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/H10WEFAA TCDS H10WE covers Robinson R22 / R44 variants.
- Primary sourceManufacturer brief·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Robinson Helicopter Company
https://robinsonheli.com/safety-course/Robinson Safety Course — factory transition / recurrent training.
- Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Specific fleet figures, fleet wins, and recent production status changes are research-backlog candidates and should be verified against primary sources before flipping verified: true.