In front of Chen Geng and Frank Robinson is a flagship product of Robinson Helicopters: the R22 piston-powered two-seater helicopter.

It's just that the Robinson R22 in front of me is a little different from the R22 produced by Robinson in the past, the Lycoming O-360 four-cylinder air-cooled piston aero engine carried on it is gone, replaced by a large volume that looks about the same size as a motorcycle engine with a displacement of 125CC, and has the characteristic whistling sound of a turbine engine when running.

Yes, this is a Robinson R22 with a modified turboshaft engine, compared to the Lycoming O-360 four-cylinder engine with a maximum take-off power of 165 horsepower previously carried by the R22, the maximum output of the turboshaft engine on the Robinson R22 in front of him has reached 206 horsepower, but the overall weight is 45 kg lighter than the Lycoming O-360!

The reduction in the weight of the engine, combined with the increase in power, has increased the maximum load capacity of the Lycoming by 75 kg compared to the "old" R22, and the cruising speed has also increased from the previous 157 km/h to the current 186 km/h.

Of course, all this is previously calculated data, whether this data can be achieved, everything depends on today's test flight.

Frank Robinson was a little excited, and kept muttering to Chen Gengnian: "Boss, I really didn't expect you to make this engine so quickly, and the price is so cheap......

Yes, the small turboshaft engine carried on the Robinson R22 in front of him is from the COMAC Group, the small turbine project started by Chen Geng, after several years of hard work, it has finally come to fruition, and after getting the CAAC certification of the Huaxia Aviation Bureau, it was immediately sent to Robinson Helicopter Headquarters for installation verification, and at the same time, the certification work of the FAA has also been started.

"Think it's not bad?" asked Chen Gengxiao with a smile.

"Of course it's good," Frank Robinson nodded excitedly: "Such a turboshaft engine with a maximum output shaft power of 200 horsepower is only 80% more expensive than the Lycoming O-360 engine previously equipped on the R22, and the price can be reduced by another 20% after large-scale mass production, what more can I ask for?!"

As they were talking, the two of them passed out the command of the tower (yes, for the test flight and command of the aircraft, Robinson Helicopters had its own small tower): "N7166G, can take off, repeat, N7166G, can take off." ”

"N7166G received, ready for takeoff, repeated, N7166G received, ready for takeoff. ”

With the response from the headset, the rotor rotation speed of the helicopter accelerated again, Chen Geng and Frank Robinson couldn't help but take two steps back again, and the next moment, with the roar of the new turboshaft engine, the R22 helicopter in front of him left the ground lightly, and suspended and stopped at a height of almost one meter from the ground.

"Vince, how do you feel?" asked Frank Robinson without even shouting the registration number of the fuselage, and asked directly to the helicopter pilot who was on the test flight.

"boss, I feel very good," anyway, in his own company, the pilot of the N7166G didn't care, and said directly: "The operation is very flexible, the throttle response is very sensitive, much more sensitive than the previous Lycoming O-360's throttle response, and the power is obviously more abundant." ”

"Very well," Frank Robinson immediately asked, "are there any other bad reactions?"

"Not yet. ”

"OK, then move on to the next moment project. ”

"Understood, move on to the next project. ”

"Are the rescue teams ready?" asked Frank Robinson again after a pause.

"The rescue team is in place," Frank Robinson and Chen Geng's headphones came from the voice of the rescue team leader: "The car has been started, and it can accompany the helicopter at any time." ”

The next yes or no project is a low-altitude pass-field, the helicopter passes through the runway at a speed of 40 km/h, 60 km/h, 80 km/h, and 100 km/h at an altitude of 20 meters respectively to verify the low-altitude and low-speed stability of the helicopter (the normal low-altitude pass-field test is measured in miles, for convenience, we will use kilometers).

This test item is the most dangerous test item, if it is in the air, even if it is hundreds of meters in the air, even if there is a problem with the power system of the engine, the pilot can immediately cut off the power, relying on the spin effect of the helicopter rotor to drive the helicopter to descend at a relatively slow speed, instead of "bang~!" and fall directly to the ground, the pilot will basically not appear life safety.

But this kind of low-altitude field test at an altitude of 20 meters is different, once something goes wrong with the aircraft, it is very likely to be planted all at once, and at a height of 20 meters, the time left for the pilot to react is only a few seconds, and the probability of the pilot having a problem or even dying is very large!

However, it is precisely because the flight altitude of the helicopter is not high, it also gives the rescue team sufficient rescue time: the rescue vehicle team will accompany the R22 helicopter for testing about 50 meters behind, and follow the helicopter at a synchronous speed, the purpose is to be able to rescue the aircraft in the first time in case of emergency- With a height of 20 meters, plus a little of the helicopter's spin effect and crash-resistant design, as long as the pilot is not particularly weak, under normal circumstances, even if there is an accident, there is still a great hope of picking up a small life and coming back.

It was precisely because they understood the risks of low-altitude and low-speed all-field flights that Chen Geng and Frank Robinson also became nervous, staring at the R22 helicopter in front of them, and they didn't dare to take a breath.

The tower and the N7166G helicopter apparently also heard the signal of the rescue group, and the next moment, the tower issued an order: "N7166G, now the five-second countdown, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 40 km low-speed field test begins." ”

"Understood, 40 km/h low-speed through-field test, start now. Pilot Vince responded, the R22 helicopter that had just risen to a height of 20 meters in the air to hover in the air had an obvious bowing action, and the next moment, the helicopter in a hovering state began to fly slowly forward, and on the ground, the accompanying rescue vehicle also began to run synchronously.

"Hoo ......"

Looking at the R22 flying over the 1,000-meter-long runway in a very stable flight attitude, Chen Geng and Frank Robinson both breathed a sigh of relief - although both of them knew that the probability of a problem was actually very small, but many times it was like this, and no one knew what would happen in the next moment when the test flight was not completed.

"Looks good. Chen Gengdao.

"Well," Frank Robinson replied, his tone much more relaxed than it had just been, "that's good." ”

There is usually no problem at a low altitude of 40 kilometers per hour, and the facts have proved that in the case of a full inspection of all links, the test flight is actually relatively safe, and there are no problems in the whole test flight link, N7166G has perfectly passed the 60 kilometers per hour, 80 kilometers per hour and 100 kilometers per hour low-altitude field test, and the pilot Vince is full of praise for the throttle response and power of the new engine.

For this result, both Chen Geng and Frank Robinson are very satisfied, after completing the low-altitude field test, this test task is here, Frank Robinson sent an invitation to Chen Geng: "Boss, let's have a drink together to celebrate?"

“OK。 ”

Chen Geng nodded happily, of course he would not be stupid enough to refuse at this time, and at the same time, he also happened to have a fuller understanding of the development of Robinson Helicopters during this time.

........................

Robinson Helicopter has its own little bar.

As for why there is a small bar within the company, this can be regarded as a characteristic of a small company like Robinson: as the absolute leader in the global two-seat piston helicopter market segment, the market puts little pressure on Robinson Helicopters, and sufficient orders allow everyone not to worry about life and tomorrow, which means that the company, from front-line employees to bosses, is actually very leisurely.

In this case, whether it is to make himself comfortable or to show his customers his "corporate culture", although Frank Robinson himself knows that this is not too appropriate, he still set up a small bar within the company: of course, employees are not allowed to drink alcohol during working hours and during the lunch break, but everyone can drink a low-alcohol drink or drink in the bar after work in the afternoon. Let's talk about it for a while, of course, this amount of low-alcohol alcohol also meets the regulations set by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and even if you are caught by the traffic police, you will not be sentenced to drunk driving.

Ordered a glass of orange juice for himself and Chen Geng, and without waiting for Chen Geng to ask, Frank Robinson introduced to Chen Geng: "Boss, in the past two years, in addition to the helicopter business, the development of the merged rotorcraft and paramotor business is also very fast, last year, we sold 300 paramotors and gyroplanes, and this year, just in the first half of the year, we sold 206 paramotors and gyroplanes, and the total sales of the whole year have great hopes to exceed 400 units." ”

Speaking of which, Frank Robinson is full of red light!

Although the price of gyroplane and paramotor is not expensive, especially the paramotor, after the introduction of the "DIY bag", that is, a full set of parts that players can assemble according to the drawings at home, it has been welcomed by many European and American enthusiasts and even aviation clubs, although a set of "DIY bag" is less than 20,000 US dollars, but it is not cheap, and the sales are very good.

Before the merger of Chen Geng and the light sports aviation equipment manufacturing company that worked with Secretary Alex Goodrich, Robinson only had one product, the R22 helicopter, but after the merger, Robinson Helicopter has three series, a total of more than 10 types of light and ultralight aircraft products.

At first, Frank Robinson was a little worried about whether the rotorcraft and paramotor would have an impact on the sales of the R22 helicopter, but now, Frank Robinson doesn't think so: instead of impacting the sales of the R22 helicopter, the existence of these two products has promoted the sales of the R22 to a certain extent!

Chen Geng obviously knew about this situation, and in the face of Frank Robinson, who was full of red face, he chuckled lightly, and asked with a somewhat teasing smile: "Don't regret it now, right?"

"Hey......

Frank Robinson was a little embarrassed.

Chen Geng did not continue to "beat the water dogs", and after teasing him, he diverted the topic: "Next, what are your plans?"

"I'm ready to start the development of the four-seater R44. ”

"Oh?" Chen Geng raised his eyebrows, but he wasn't too surprised: it was also time to start the R44 program.

"The limitations of the two-seater are still too great," says Frank Robinson, "especially for the high-income middle-class and small-rich people who are worth $500,000 to $2 million, the limitations of the two-seat R22 are very great, and many times they can't bring their whole family with them, or even have to fly the helicopter themselves, which invisibly blocks many high-income middle-class and small-rich people who want to buy a helicopter at the lowest possible price, but don't have a helicopter license."

But the R44 is different, these people can not only hire a pilot, but even bring their own children, right......"

Speaking of this, Frank Robinson was obviously excited, and he said to Chen Geng: "I am also going to set up a dog seat in the luggage compartment at the back, so that they can bring their own dogs when they travel, what do you think?"

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PS: Sorry brothers, please wait a few minutes.

Chen Geng obviously knew about this situation, and in the face of Frank Robinson, who was full of red face, he chuckled lightly, and asked with a somewhat teasing smile: "Don't regret it now, right?"

"Hey......

Frank Robinson was a little embarrassed.

Chen Geng did not continue to "beat the water dogs", and after teasing him, he diverted the topic: "Next, what are your plans?"

"I'm ready to start the development of the four-seater R44. ”

"Oh?" Chen Geng raised his eyebrows, but he wasn't too surprised: it was also time to start the R44 program.

"The limitations of the two-seater are still too great," says Frank Robinson, "especially for the high-income middle-class and small-rich people who are worth $500,000 to $2 million, the limitations of the two-seat R22 are very great, and many times they can't bring their whole family with them, or even have to fly the helicopter themselves, which invisibly blocks many high-income middle-class and small-rich people who want to buy a helicopter at the lowest possible price, but don't have a helicopter license."

But the R44 is different, these people can not only hire a pilot, but even bring their own children, right......"