HAS THE ″POOR MAN'S″ HELICOPTER FINALLY ARRIVED?

Robinson Helicopter has just announced its Model R22, an ultra-light 2-place helicopter designed to sell competitively with light airplanes. It is scheduled to be on the market late next year in the same price range as a Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee. In today's dollars that is just under 20,000, which makes it about one-third the price of the next-lowest-cost helicopter available. Despite its low cost, the R22 is a high-performance, fully-enclosed, very attractive helicopter. Its design cruise speed is 100 mph and rate-of-climb at sea level is 1500 fpm. The entire design has been optimized for maximum efficiency. Its large-diameter rotor, cambered tail rotor blades, and very clean fuselage all combine to provide a fuel economy comparable to an automobile. Its estimated fuel consumption is 15 air miles-per-gallon which is equivalent to more than 20 road miles-per-gallon. This high efficiency also gives the R22 a low rate-of-sink and shallow glide angle, a definite advantage in the event of power failure. In keeping with today's emphasis on ecology, many characteristics were incorporated into the basic design to lower both its internal and external noise level. As a result, it is quite easy to converse in the cabin without intercom, and the external noise level is definitely lower than that of other light helicopters.