Robinson delivered 800 helicopters in 2007. The December issue of Rotor and Wing magazine reported results of a survey of operators in which Robinson took the #1 spot. Robinson scored very well in performance, reliability, and parts availability. They were dinged for a lack of technology innovation, a reflection of the fact that Frank Robinson seems never to have met an electronic circuit that he liked or thought could do a better job than a low-time pilot.
http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/issue/features/17375.html has the full story.
[If you want to spend $20 million on your helicopter instead of $300,000, Sikorsky is #2. The innovation leaders at Eurocopter scored rather dismally due to their poor customer support. The Agusta/Westland guys who recently won the U.S. presidential helicopter contract came in dead last. Former Fiat owners will find it difficult to believe that an Italian product didn’t meet American standards for reliability. Looks as though Barack Obama may have to take the Metro…]