Avionics News April 2018 - 44

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Rob Longfellow of Robinson Helicopter Company

the best possible quality. To date,
the company has produced more
than 12,000 helicopters.
Recently, Avionics News spoke to
Rob Longfellow to learn more about
his work at Robinson and his life
outside the factory.

You're one of Robinson's
engineers, correct?

Yes, my title is senior electrical
engineer. I design new products and
interface various electronics and/or
avionics such as radios and displays
from Garmin and Aspen into our
helicopters.

How long have you
worked at Robinson?
hter,
low with his daug
TOP: Rob Longfel
Chie.
Natalie, and wife,
te
has taken up kara
BOTTOM: Natalie
ng
ati
cip
rti
pa
en
be
s
o ha
with her father, wh
since age 13.
in the martial arts

F

ounded in 1973 by Frank
Robinson, Robinson
Helicopter Company in
Torrance, California, is currently
one of the world's leading
manufacturers of civil helicopters.
Robinson manufactures, assembles,
inspects and flight tests all of its
helicopters at its 617,000-squarefoot factory, equipped with stateof-the-art machinery. To maximize
efficiency, a large percentage of
parts are manufactured in-house
allowing the company to control
costs, eliminate delays and ensure
44

avionics news

*

april

2018

With...

I've been there since 2003.

And before that?

I had just graduated from Purdue,
majored in electrical engineering, and
started looking for a job. This was the
early 2000s and the job market was
slow, so I went straight into graduate
school. By happenstance, a friend
of a friend worked at Robinson, so I
interviewed and was hired.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small northwest
Indiana town about 45 minutes from
downtown Chicago.

How was the adjustment
from Indiana to California?

I've been living here for 14 years and
have learned to enjoy it. The hardest

thing to get used to was the number of
people and the corresponding traffic. I
remember coming out for my interview
and being stuck on the 405 freeway for
more than an hour and only needed
to travel 10 miles. Because of that
experience, I decided to get my first
apartment only three blocks from work
so I could walk. I walked every day for
the first three years.

What's a typical
day for you?
I come in around 6:30 or
7 a.m., check my email, and
work on whatever project is
the highest priority. Recently,
that entailed designing and
flight testing a few aircraft
for upcoming conventions.
Some days, however, the
design work is placed aside
for production issues that
need immediate engineering
attention. This change of pace
keeps the job interesting and
exciting. If I ever need quiet
time to focus on a project, I
come in Saturday morning.

What do you like best
about your job?

I have always enjoyed aviation and
wanted to be part of it. Like most kids



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News April 2018

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Avionics News April 2018 - Intro
Avionics News April 2018 - Cover1
Avionics News April 2018 - Cover2
Avionics News April 2018 - No label
Avionics News April 2018 - 2
Avionics News April 2018 - 3
Avionics News April 2018 - 4
Avionics News April 2018 - 5
Avionics News April 2018 - 6
Avionics News April 2018 - 7
Avionics News April 2018 - 8
Avionics News April 2018 - 9
Avionics News April 2018 - 10
Avionics News April 2018 - 11
Avionics News April 2018 - 12
Avionics News April 2018 - 13
Avionics News April 2018 - 14
Avionics News April 2018 - 15
Avionics News April 2018 - 16
Avionics News April 2018 - 17
Avionics News April 2018 - 18
Avionics News April 2018 - 19
Avionics News April 2018 - 20
Avionics News April 2018 - 21
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Avionics News April 2018 - 24
Avionics News April 2018 - 25
Avionics News April 2018 - 26
Avionics News April 2018 - 27
Avionics News April 2018 - 28
Avionics News April 2018 - 29
Avionics News April 2018 - 30
Avionics News April 2018 - 31
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Avionics News April 2018 - 72
Avionics News April 2018 - Cover3
Avionics News April 2018 - Cover4
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