Currently, within the helicopter community, there is much discussion of inadvertent or unintended flight into instrument meteorological...

If you could give one piece of advice to a new helicopter pilot, what would it be? I think it’s most important to maintain a very healthy...

When it comes to mentoring and the incredible impact it has on safety in our industry, I feel fortunate to have benefitted, early on in...

I’ve been a helicopter pilot for over 50 years and I find it interesting that during this time the helicopter community has never settled...

For years I’ve noticed a real lack of understanding of heliport markings and operational procedures on private, commercial and even...

In July 2011, I was teaching one of Robinson’s foreign Safety Courses in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a charming little town on the banks of...

Since purchasing the very first R22 that was sold (serial number 003 in October 1979), the most often asked question of me has been about...

Will an R22 or R44 fly with one drive belt missing? Through the years Robinson has had several issues relating to drive belts, especially...

This is the opening line from the, at times, hilarious 1987 Robin Williams movie of the same name which goes on to say it’s “time to rock...

When Frank Robinson designed the tail rotor system for, initially, the R22 then subsequently the R44 and R66, he borrowed from some of...

One of the most misunderstood aspects of the R22 and R44 continues to be the “why” and “how” the engines are derated. Since the very...

Many pilots have reported problems trying to start The R44 Raven II when the engine is hot. For example, attempting a start after a...

Many pilots attending the Safety Course at Robinson have asked questions regarding correct use of the hover performance charts in the...

After clearing customs and immigration I exited the airport terminal into the tropical Panama City humidity. It hit me that my role as a...

Ever wonder what the job of a helicopter manufacturer’s production test pilot is like or what the helicopter goes through to get its...

“Tired metal” or using its more correct name “metal fatigue” is something I don’t think pilots have a good understanding of, in fact, I’m...

An FAA Type Certificate is issued to signify an aircraft is manufactured according to an approved design, and that the design ensures...

I wrote the following article in 2003 for Rotor & Wing magazine. It created quite a bit of controversy, both pro and con, when published...

The story behind Special FAR 73 begins with a July, 21 1994 letter, in the form of a Safety Recommendation from Jim Hall, Chairman of the...