Jay Coburn completed the first round-the-world flight in a helicopter, flying a JetRanger 26,000 mi over 23 countries in 30 days. Less than a year later, Australian millionaire Dick Smith made the first solo journey around the world.

New Technology

Meanwhile, manufacturers were busy designing new aircraft. France’s Aerospatiale was perhaps most prolific, introducing in the 1980s the AS365N Dauphin 2, AS355 Ecureuil 2, and AS332L Super Puma. In addition to the 214ST, Bell rolled out its 222 and first four-bladed aircraft, the 412. MBB and Kawasaki introduced the BK117, McDonnell Douglas the MD530, Schweizer the Model 330, and Poland’s PZL Swidnik the Allison-powered Kania.

Older, piston helicopters were updated and "turbinized." Some were modified for specific missions, and one imaginative company offered to outfit Sikorsky S-55s to be "heli-campers," completeit was the smallest helicopter that became the biggest seller – and biggest surprise. In 1980, soon after its certification, few in the industry – except, perhaps, Frank Robinson – could have guessed the R22’s popularity as a trainer and private-use helicopter, even though its $68,000 price tag and $40+ an hour operating costs held obvious appeal. By 1885, 500 R22s were sold, and by 1989, 1,000.

One of the biggest transformations during the 1980s was the helicopter cockpit. Avionics manufacturers such as Bendix, Sextant, SFIM, King, Canadian Marconi, Thomson CSF, Collins, and Honeywell were busy developing autopilots and other avionics that were rapidly becoming digital. Sperry and SFENA produced single-pilot IFR kits. The newest avionics weren’t cheap, however, which is why the FAA came up with Special FAR