It's good to be the Heli-King...

While many are counting their lucky stars for having survived the declining business climes of 2001-2002, Robinson Helicopter continues to celebrate great sales and continued growth.

Robinson Helicopter Company announced today that it has taken deposits for more than 90 helicopters so far this year, exceeding expectations and projecting a strong year for the company.

The new R44 Raven II is credited for the early 2003 surge in sales. Equipped with a Lycoming 10 540 Fuel Injected, Angle valve, Tuned Induction engine, the Raven II has received a total of 124 orders, including two ENG Newscopters, since June 2002. More than 40 Raven II helicopters have been delivered since receiving final FAA certification in November 2002.

Brad Moses, a commercial insurance broker in Virginia Beach, Virginia, took delivery of his helicopter in November and uses it to fly customers between jobsites along the East Coast. "I've owned R22s, R44 Astros, and a Raven, and this helicopter surpasses them all," Moses says. "It flies much smoother, runs cooler, is quieter, and has a great deal more power. Our biggest concern was potential hot starts and over speeds associated with fuel injected engines, but the Raven II has been designed in such a way that these are not even an issue. Additionally, the added power increases the safety margin should you find yourself at a higher density altitude than planned or flying a customer that wasn't quite truthful about his weight. In my type of flying, that has been a real peace of mind."

In response to the surge of sales, Robinson announced plans to increase production to 11 helicopters per week during the next several months and increase its workforce from 600 to 650 in order to meet the new production schedule.

FMI: www.robinsonheli.com