Robinson said it has received “numerous requests” for the R66 Turbine Marine, a version of the R66 Turbine equipped with pop-out floats. Robinson Photo
Robinson Helicopter Company is working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to remove a limitation on the pop-out float version of the R66 Turbine helicopter.
Designated the R66 Turbine Marine, the float-equipped aircraft is available only from the Robinson factory, and was originally certified by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Nov. 15, 2014. It uses the same float tubes found on the R44 Clipper, which stow along the landing gear when not in use, and inflate within two to three seconds after activation by the pilot. When Robinson announced FAA certification last year, the company noted that the floats are “primarily used in emergencies” and offer “an additional level of safety for over-water operations.”
EASA issued a major change approval for the R66 pop-out float installation on Oct. 20, 2015. However, under “limitations/conditions,” EASA specified that the floats are “not certified for ditching or as emergency flotation equipment.” Given that all pop-out float installations on helicopters are intended primarily for use in emergencies, the limitations appeared to render the approval largely worthless.
Robinson told Vertical that the limitation on emergency use was due to EASA’s requirement for additional sea state demonstrations not required by the FAA, and that “Robinson is working with EASA to meet their requirements and eliminate the limitations.” The maximum sea state for which Robinson anticipates receiving EASA approval is sea state 4, defined as a “moderate” sea with significant wave height between 1.25 and 2.5 meters (four to eight feet). According to Robinson, the company completed a computer analysis of sea state 4 that, at press time, was under evaluation by EASA. However, the company could not say when the limitation might be removed, and an EASA spokesperson also declined to indicate a timeframe for lifting the limitation.
Although Robinson is working to remove the limitation on emergency use, the company said it does not intend to pursue approval for ditching, which is a more comprehensive certification process and “unnecessary for the types of over-water operations performed by Robinson helicopters.” Robinson added that it has received “numerous requests” for the R66 Turbine Marine, which has a 2015 list price of US$891,000, or $36,000 above that of the standard R66 Turbine.
