The secret to the R22’s success is a simple, reliable design that’s cheap to own and operate.

If the Bell 47 is the Piper Cub of helicopters, then the Robinson R22 must be the Cherokee, for it stands out as the most accessible, affordable and widely available light helo ever built. In fact, the fairer comparison may be to call the Cherokee the R22 of light aircraft.

In 1990 and 1991, when the industry was still reeling from the great downturn of the 1980s, Frank Robinson’s peanut-sized come-from-nowhere helicopter outsold every manufacturer of general aviation aircraft in the U.S. That’s quite an accomplishment considering that helicopters are considered difficult to fly, slow and have limited range. In that context, a little one with two seats might be…