From R22 to R88: Robinson’s Evolution and What Comes Next

We sat down with David Smith, CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, live from Verticon 2025. From rotorcraft philosophy to the launch of the R88, David shares the design choices that make Robinson helicopters among the most efficient, reliable, and field-ready aircraft in the world. As electric VTOLs flood the conversation, this episode is a must-watch for anyone seeking grounded, experience-driven insight into what aviation really needs. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️Why two-blade rotor systems are still the most dominant — and dependable — in vertical aviation ✔️The manufacturing philosophy that keeps Robinson self-reliant in a shaky global supply chain ✔️How Robinson’s simplicity is actually its biggest strength in durability and TCO ✔️What sets the new R88 apart — and why it’s a leap forward without overengineering ✔️Why most EVTOL architectures may be misguided — and what the industry needs instead ✔️The importance of auto-rotation and reliability in mission-critical rotorcraft ✔️Robinson’s perspective on electrification, hybrid systems, and what’s next    00:00 – Why 2-blade rotor systems still dominate 01:04 – What makes Robinson helicopters so efficient 03:00 – On manufacturing everything in-house 04:50 – Trade skills & aviation: why welders are vital 06:00 – Robust simplicity: how R44s survive brutal missions 08:30 – Predictable maintenance vs. ambiguous inspections 10:00 – Introducing the R88 & Robinson’s next leap 12:50 – Democratizing firefighting with scale-ready helicopters 14:50 – Building aircraft for economic realities 17:00 – What AAM gets wrong about hovering 19:40 – The fallacy of distributed electric propulsion 22:30 – How Robinson balances new tech with physics 24:00 – Final thoughts: flying forward without forgetting what works Stay Connected with Hangar X Studios: Instagram: