Latin American Military - Argentina - Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (PBA)

Latin American Military - Argentina - Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (PBA) - Robinson R22

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Revised: October 14, 2007
Copyright © 1997-2010 by Jean Charles Barroux - jbarroux@LAMilitary.org

One of the Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires various Robinson R22M Mariner. (Daniel Toranza)

In 1993 the Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (PBA) acquired brand new the impressive number of 40 Robinson R22 for standard police work. Of those 40, two were of the basic model, 28 of the Beta model and 10 of the Mariner model. One cannot but wonder at from where the flight and support crews for all of these helicopters were going to come from. Also, these aircraft were not of the specialized Police version equipped with special communications gear, a searchlight, siren and loudspeaker, but of the normal Beta one. They were not even IFR qualified, and being single-engined, they could not, by law, operate over built areas, which restricted severely their usefulness.

On August 22, 1995, around 14:00 EST, while performing a solo training flight over Don Torcuato on-board the Robinson R-22B Beta LQ-BJU, (C/N 2289), piloted by José Antonio Rodríguez Sampaio had an inflight colision with a Robinson R-22M Mariner LQ-BLI, (C/N 2309M), piloted by Marcelo Alvarez, also on a solo training flight. Both aircraft fell to ground separated by some 70 meters killing their pilots on the spot. During a training flight over the La Plata airport on June 21, 1998, while practicing an autorotation, LQ-BLJ, (C/N 2310M), suffered minor damage due to a hard landing. On September 29, 1998, about 15:30 EST while flying a police mission over the Barrio Don Orione, Claypole, an urban zone of Adrogué, LQ-BJP, (C/N 2285), crashed into the ground after an in-flight separation of the tail section killing its pilot.

In the end, this last accident pushed the force to sell the remaining aircraft into the civilian market. In general, they were in very good conditions with few hours on them. For example, LQ-BLD, (C/N 2302M), had only 1.105 Hours flown when sold. The Robinson R-22 did not leave a good memory in the force due to a highly questioned acquisition process and a high accident rate. Some experts maintain that a couple of much more capable biturbine helicopters could have been bought with the same money. The high accident rate was mainly due to deficient training, which consisted of 40 hours of basic instruction, and to the limited performances of the basic aircraft.

Some of the Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires various Robinson R22s. (G. C. Lovell)

Robinson R22

Robinson R22 light utility and training helicopter

Designation: Robinson R22
Manufacturer: Robinson, U.S.A.
Crew: 1+1
Passengers: None
Construction: ---
Engine: 1 x Lycoming O-360-A2B
Engine Type: Flat four piston
Engine Thrust: 93 kW (124 hp)
Rotors: 2 bladed main rotor and 2 bladed tail rotor
Main Rotor Diameter: 7.67 m
Main Rotor Disk Area: 46.2 m²
Fuselage Length: 6.30 m
Overall Length: 8.76 m
Height: 2.72 m
Empty Weight: 361 kg
Max. Weight MTOW: 590 kg 
Max. Weight with Sling: --- kg
Max. Speed: 180 km/h
Max. Speed at Sea Level: --- km/h
Max. Cruising Speed: 174 km/h
Normal Cruising Speed: 153 km/h
Initial Rate of Climb: 1,200 ft./min
Ceiling: 14,000 ft.
Howering Ceiling: 6,500 ft. in ground effect
Fuel Capacity: --- lts
Range on Internal Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Payload: 385 km
Combat Radius: --- km ()
Endurance: --- Hrs
Useful Load: --- kg
Radar: ---
EW: ---
Avionics: ---
Weapons: ---
Format: 1.0
Notes: 

S/N       C/N        Unit          Built       Bought      Disposition         Notes
LQ-BLB    2299       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial I299, to N341SL
LQ-BLC    2300       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial I300, to N338VH

Robinson R22B Beta light utility and training helicopter

Designation: Robinson R22B Beta
Manufacturer: Robinson, U.S.A.
Crew: 1+1
Passengers: None
Construction: ---
Engine: 1 x Textron Lycoming O-320-B2C
Engine Type: Flat four piston
Engine Thrust: 119 kW (160 hp) derated to 98 kW (131 hp)
Rotors: 2 bladed main rotor and 2 bladed tail rotor
Main Rotor Diameter: 7.67 m
Main Rotor Disk Area: 46.2 m²
Fuselage Length: 6.30 m
Overall Length: 8.76 m
Height: 2.72 m
Empty Weight: 379 kg
Max. Weight MTOW: 620 kg 
Max. Weight with Sling: --- kg
Max. Speed: 180 km/h
Max. Speed at Sea Level: 180 km/h
Max. Cruising Speed: 177 km/h
Normal Cruising Speed: 153 km/h
Initial Rate of Climb: 1,200 ft./min
Ceiling: 14,000 ft.
Howering Ceiling: 6,970 ft. in ground effect
Fuel Capacity: --- lts
Range on Internal Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Payload: 590 km
Combat Radius: --- km ()
Endurance: 3 Hrs 20 Min.
Useful Load: --- kg
Radar: N/A
EW: N/A
Avionics: ---
Weapons: N/A
Format: 1.0
Notes: 

S/N       C/N        Unit          Built       Bought      Disposition         Notes
LQ-BJA    2246       DOAPBA        --/Dec/1992 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N2354B, Police Serial B246, to N341ZG
LQ-BJB    2255       DOAPBA        --/Dec/1992 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N2355N, Police Serial B255, to N349VH 
LQ-BJC    2258       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B258, to N348VH
LQ-BJD    2261       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B261, to N346VH
LQ-BJE    2266       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B266, to N458BP
LQ-BJF    2267       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 12/May/1993 wfu 31/Aug/2002     Police Serial B267, to N10786
LQ-BJG    2269       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial B269, to VH-HBB
LQ-BJH    2274       DOAPBA        --/---/1993 12/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N23587, Police Serial B274, to VH-HVX
LQ-BJI    2275       DOAPBA        --/---/1993 14/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N23610, Police Serial B275, to VH-HCP, to ZK-HBZ
LQ-BJJ    2279       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 14/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N7166G, Police Serial B279, to N5018U
LQ-BJL    2280       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 14/May/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B280, to VH-HEB, to ZK-HFL
LQ-BJM    2282       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 14/May/1993 wfu 31/Aug/2001     Police Serial B282, to N7079J
LQ-BJN    2283       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B283, to VH-HGU
LQ-BJO    2284       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B284, to VH-HPI, to ZK-HDI
LQ-BJP    2285       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 w/o 29/Sep/1998     Police Serial B285, one killed.
LQ-BJR    2286       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu 31/Aug/2001     Police Serial B286, to N350VH
LQ-BJS    2287       DOAPBA        --/---/1993 --/---/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N23635, Police Serial B287V, to N344VH
LQ-BJT    2288       DOAPBA        --/---/1993 --/---/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N80043, Police Serial B288, to N347VH
LQ-BJU    2289       DOAPBA        --/---/---- --/---/1993 w/o 22/Aug/1995     Police Serial B289, one killed.
LQ-BJV    2290       DOAPBA        --/---/---- --/---/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B290, to N678BH
LQ-BJW    2291       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B291, to VH-HHL
LQ-BJX    2295       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B295, to VH-HMU
LQ-BJY    2296       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial B296S, to N679BH, to F-GTGT
LQ-BJZ    2297       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/----     Police Serial B297, to ???
LQ-BLA    2298       DOAPBA        --/---/---- --/---/1993 w/o --/---/----     Police Serial I298
LQ-BLL    2311       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial B311, to N342VH, to N338AC, to N58FH
LQ-BLM    2313       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial B313, to N343VH
LQ-BLN    2314       DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial B314, to N345VH

Robinson R22M Mariner light utility and training helicopter

Designation: Robinson R22M Mariner
Manufacturer: Robinson, U.S.A.
Crew: 1+1
Passengers: None
Construction: ---
Engine: 1 x Textron Lycoming O-320-B2C
Engine Type: Flat four piston
Engine Thrust: 119 kW (160 hp) derated to 98 kW (131 hp)
Rotors: 2 bladed main rotor and 2 bladed tail rotor
Main Rotor Diameter: 7.67 m
Main Rotor Disk Area: 46.2 m²
Fuselage Length: 6.30 m
Overall Length: 8.76 m
Height: 2.72 m
Empty Weight: 379 kg
Max. Weight MTOW: 620 kg 
Max. Weight with Sling: --- kg
Max. Speed: 180 km/h
Max. Speed at Sea Level: 180 km/h
Max. Cruising Speed: 177 km/h
Normal Cruising Speed: 153 km/h
Initial Rate of Climb: 1,200 ft./min
Ceiling: 14,000 ft.
Howering Ceiling: 6,970 ft. in ground effect
Fuel Capacity: --- lts
Range on Internal Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Fuel: --- km
Range with Max. Payload: 590 km
Combat Radius: --- km ()
Endurance: 3 Hrs 20 Min.
Useful Load: --- kg
Radar: N/A
EW: N/A
Avionics: ---
Weapons: N/A
Format: 1.0
Notes: Float equipped.

S/N       C/N        Unit          Built       Bought      Disposition         Notes
LQ-BLD    2302M      DOAPBA        --/---/1993 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N80524, Police Serial M302, to N3052P, to G-CBXK
LQ-BLE    2303M      DOAPBA        --/---/1993 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Ex-N80631, Police Serial M303, to N341VH
LQ-BLF    2304M      DOAPBA        --/---/1993 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Ex-N80645, Police Serial M304, to C-GJZR
LQ-BLG    2305M      DOAPBA        --/---/1993 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Ex-N80753, Police Serial M305, to N339VH, to XA-???
LQ-BLH    2308M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2001     Police Serial M308, to VH-HZG
LQ-BLI    2309M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 w/o 22/Aug/1995     Police Serial M309, one killed.
LQ-BLJ    2310M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial M310, to VH-HZI, to ZK-HFO
LQ-BLO    2315M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial M315, to N516PB
LQ-BLP    2316M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial M316, to CN-HTU
LQ-BLR    2317M      DOAPBA        --/---/---- 22/Jul/1993 wfu --/---/2002     Police Serial M317, to CN-HTV

Bibliography

The Robinson R22
URL http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=339

Robinson R.22 Series Index
URL http://www20.brinkster.com/dlenton/search/r22index.asp

Open Questions

Are LQ-BLB, (C/N 2299), and LQ-BLC, (C/N 2300), Beta models? By their C/Ns they should be.

When, where and how was LQ-BLA, (C/N 2298), written off?

What units do/did operate them?

What was their use by which unit?

When were they built? Bought? Disposed of?

What are the missing detailed technical specifications?

Any public photos, references or URLs on this particular aircraft?

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