The Robinson R44 is a four-seat, single-engine piston helicopter, the most common light helicopter in the US. It is used for training, tours, news, police patrol, aerial photography and ranching.
R44 at a glance
- First flight
- 1990
- Length
- 38 ft 3 in (11.7 m) rotors turning
- Wingspan
- 33 ft (10.1 m) rotor diameter
- Engines
- 1 × Lycoming O-540 or IO-540 piston engine
- Seats
- 4
- Cruise speed
- ~110 kt (127 mph)
- Service ceiling
- 14,000 ft
- Range
- ~300 nmi
How to recognize the R44
The R44 is small, light and bubble-shaped, with a thin tail boom and a rotor on a tall mast.
- Rotor: a two-bladed main rotor on a tall mast, giving a distinctive wop-wop sound.
- Engine: a piston engine mounted low behind the cabin, partly visible through cooling openings.
- Landing gear: skids.
- Cabin: a bubble-like front with two rows of seats and four doors.
- Tail: a long, thin tail boom with a small horizontal stabilizer, upper and lower fins, and a two-bladed tail rotor.
- Size: noticeably smaller than turbine helicopters like the H125.
- Sound: a light, rhythmic thumping, less of a whine than turbine helicopters.
The two-seat R22 looks similar but is smaller, and the five-seat R66 has a turbine engine and a slightly bigger cabin. The H125 is larger, with a three-blade rotor and a turbine engine.
The R44's rotor mast is tall and thin, with the two-blade rotor and its teetering hub sitting well above the cabin. The cabin has a large, rounded windshield and side windows that wrap around the front. Police and news versions often carry a camera ball under the nose, while float-equipped Clippers have large pontoons attached to the skids. The skids themselves are long and slim, and the helicopter looks light and delicate next to turbine models.
Where and when you'll see it
Flight schools, tour operators, news stations, police departments, aerial photographers, ranchers and private owners fly R44s across the US. They are common near cities for news and police work, in agricultural areas for crop and livestock work, and at tourist spots for scenic rides.
Most flights are 500 to 1,500 ft above ground. On ADS-B the type code is R44, with the rotorcraft emitter category; callsigns are usually the N-number. Training helicopters often hover and practice autorotations near airports. See why helicopters circle.
Because they are relatively inexpensive, R44s are often used for short sightseeing rides at tourist areas and for aerial photography over real estate and construction sites. In farm country, ranchers use them to check cattle and fences, and crop surveyors fly them low over fields. Training helicopters fly many short patterns around airports during the day.
Easily confused with
- Airbus H125 / AS350 Ecureuil: The H125 is larger, with a turbine engine and a three-blade rotor.
- Airbus H135 (EC135): The H135 is a twin-turbine helicopter with a shrouded tail fan.
Quick facts
- The R44 has been one of the world's best-selling general aviation helicopters for many years.
- Variants include the Raven, the float-equipped Clipper and a factory news-camera version.
- Robinson builds the R44 in Torrance, California.
R44 questions
What is the difference between the R22, R44 and R66?
The R22 is a two-seat piston helicopter, the R44 a four-seat piston helicopter and the R66 a five-seat turbine helicopter.
Why is the R44 so common?
It is relatively affordable to buy and operate, which makes it popular for training, tours and small businesses.
Spot one live
Open the live sky tool and look for R44 in the type column, or browse the live map on airplanes.live.