Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) announced its first all-new aircraft in nearly 15 years, the R-88, a larger, and increasingly capable helicopter designed to meet a wider range of mission requirements. It represents a significant expansion of Robinson Helicopter’s product portfolio, addressing the increasing demand for single-engine utility helicopters.

The highly configurable R-88 is designed for a variety of missions, including aerial firefighting, air medical transport, utility work, passenger transport and more. Its adaptable interior design allows for quick reconfiguration, supporting various mission needs.

Robinson Helicopter Company selected the Safran Helicopter Engines’ Arriel 2W engine for it and is providing engine service and support as part of every aircraft purchase in the new Arriel 2W Serenity package. The Arriel engine family has accumulated over 66 million flight hours and is used in various demanding missions globally.

Key Features and Capabilities:

• Size and Capacity: with capacity for eight main cabin seats, two cockpit seats and a payload capacity of up to 1,800 pounds with full fuel. It has approximately 275 cubic feet of cabin volume.
• Performance: it offers a range of over 350 nautical miles and endurance exceeding 3.5 hours. The aircraft is expected to have an internal payload of more than 2,800 pounds and will be powered by a 1,000-shaft horse-power single engine in the Safran Arriel 2W.
• Highly Configurable Interior: The highly configurable cabin features a flat floor, allowing for multiple forward and club seating configurations, effective air medical and public safety mission configurations, and multiple future seating options. A fold-down, truck-bed style rear door simplifies cargo loading and accommodates a HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) stretcher.
• Exterior Adaptability: The aircraft is available with standard skids or optional high skids for increased ground clearance and compatibility with a firefighting water tank. Optional equipment includes a 3,000-pound HEC-rated cargo hook, utility basket, wire strike protection kit, and pop-out floats.
• Advanced Avionics: the model features a Garmin avionics suite, including large G500H TXi displays and GTN navigators with touchscreen controls. The G500H TXi includes a crew alerting system. A standard 4-axis autopilot with features such as level mode, hover assist, limit cueing, and low/high speed protection. Standard data recording with datalink and a Health Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) simplifies operation and maintenance.
• Enhanced Safety: the helicopter incorporates dual hydraulics for pitch and roll for critical flight controls. Other standard safety features include an inlet barrier filter and impact-resistant windshields certified to Part 29 transport helicopter requirements. New LED exterior lighting, including pulse landing and taxi lights, tail rotor lighting, scene lighting, and entry lights, further enhance safety.
• Innovative Design: the aircraft introduces dual cyclic controls with removable controls on both sides, allowing the pilot in command to be in either the left or right seat with a passenger in the other seat. The aircraft will be type-certified for optional single-pilot IFR operations. The all-new interior design features comfortable, functional seating, easy-to-maintain materials, and a versatile layout.
• Affordability: The helicopter is priced starting at $3.3 million USD in current dollars for the highly equipped standard configuration.

The R-88 is an all-new type certificate, undergoing rigorous testing and engineering for every aspect of the aircraft. The company will be taking deposits from Authorized Robinson Helicopter Dealers starting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at Verticon.