The obvious difference between the piston-powered R44 and the turbine-powered R66 is the engine, but there are other features that make the R66 an entirely new machine, even though there's no mistaking that it is a product of Robinson Helicopter. At $798,000, the R66 is more expensive than the R44, but in finally becoming part of the turbine helicopter manufacturing family, Robinson has carved out a new niche in the light helicopter market.
Put an R44 and R66 side-by-side, and the key differences are immediately apparent: the R66's eight-inch taller mast and eight-inch wider cabin. Thanks to the angled installation of the Rolls-Royce RR300 that powers the R66, Robinson engineers, led by chief engineer Peter Riedl, were able to carve out a 300-pound, 18-cu-ft baggage compartment directly under the rotor mast, so cargo doesn’t have much effect on center of gravity location, according to chief test pilot Doug Tompkins.
