The Robinson R44 Raven I is a light four-seat utility helicopter
powered by a single carburetted
Lycoming O-540-F1B5 piston engine. The Robinson R44 is built and developed
by the Robinson Helicopter Company in Torrance, California. Design of
the Model R44 began in 1985. The first prototype flew on 31 March 1990
and the second in January 1991. Sales efforts got under way in March
1992 at a base price of 235.000 US-Dollars. FAA Type Certification for
the R44 Astro was achieved on 10 December 1992, and the first Robinson
R44 Astro was delivered in February 1993. In 2000, the R44 Astro was
replaced as the main production model by the hydraulically-assisted R44
Raven. Today the four-seat Model R44 is the world's most popular
helicopter of which already over 6300 are delivered to customers all over the world.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the R44 Raven I helicopters is R44.
The 2001-built Robinson R44 Raven c/n 1003 was registered first D-HALC
in Germany with Air Lloyd Deutsche Helicopter at Bonn-Hangelar in 2001.
In May 2003, the aircraft was sold in Belgium and registered OO-MPS with
Heli Support in Aalst on 21 May 2003. Registration OO-MPS was cancelled
as exported to Brazil on 15 March 2010. The Raven was registered PR-MPS in Brazil. In 2009, the OO-MPS was photographed at
the helipad of the "Circuit van Drenthe" near Assen in the Netherlands.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
