Oshkosh, WI. July 20th, 2026 – Piper Aircraft, Inc. and its Piper Industrial Manufacturing Company (PIMCO) and Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) have established a manufacturing collaboration relationship. Under a collaboration agreement, the two American aerospace manufacturers are exchanging technical expertise and operational best practices to enhance their respective design and manufacturing capabilities.
The collaboration initially focuses on advanced sheet-metal tool design and manufacturing for the R88, Robinson’s largest and most complex aircraft to date. By combining Robinson’s engineering vision with PIMCO’s established capabilities in sheet-metal forming, tooling design, and assembly, the teams have accelerated prototype development of the R88. Robinson’s R88 is engineered for demanding commercial, utility, and parapublic applications.
“This collaboration exemplifies the strategic vision behind PIMCO,” said John Calcagno, President and Chief Executive Officer of Piper Aircraft, Inc. “By extending our robust domestic supply chain and precision manufacturing capabilities to other leading aerospace OEMs, we help customers transition seamlessly from design intent to scalable, manufacturable solutions.”
As non-competing OEM’s operating on a similar scale, the two companies are leveraging their operational and manufacturing strengths. Representatives from both organizations share best practices in aircraft design, manufacturing processes, and quality control systems. This ongoing exchange allows both Robinson and PIMCO to optimize their production efficiencies and advance their technical capabilities while supporting domestic aerospace manufacturing.
“Collaborating with PIMCO to advance American manufacturing is an important step for RHC. Their advanced and optimized metal forming processes are dramatically shortening the development cycle for the R88, our largest workhorse aircraft,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company.
“Working alongside fellow OEMs will help us transition seamlessly from design to production and rapidly meet the massive global demand for our products.
“This is more than a tooling contract; it is a strategic alignment of manufacturing excellence,” added Calcagno. “It proves that PIMCO can support complex aerospace programs with the agility, technical rigor, and quality assurance demanded by top-tier OEMs and government procurement standards.”
About Piper Industrial Manufacturing Company (PIMCO)
With 85 years of precision manufacturing history, Piper Aircraft is proud to present the public with Piper Industrial Manufacturing Company (PIMCO). PIMCO provides world class, turn-key manufacturing solutions, with services comprising of laser cutting, fluid cell forming, welding, 3D-printing, CNC milling, and metal stretching. Our team of experts provides simple to complex fabrication parts to cater to various requirements. We fabricate high-quality parts to meet the desired output and ensure customer satisfaction.
About Robinson Helicopter Company
For more than 50 years, Robinson Helicopter Company has focused on making helicopter missions accessible, reliable, and safe. By maintaining a vertically integrated manufacturing foundation in the United States, Robinson provides global operators with practical tools for modern missions. From its top-selling R22, R44, R66 helicopters, to an expanding portfolio including the 10-seat R88. With the addition of its new business unit, Robinson Unmanned, the company offers both small and large autonomous and remotely piloted aircraft (UAS) for civil, commercial, or defense missions. Robinson is committed to developing, manufacturing, and supporting the most reliable and efficient helicopters in the industry. Learn more at www.robinsonheli.com and www.RobinsonUnmanned.com.
About Piper Aircraft
Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fl., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin® Emergency Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series – the M700 FURY, M500, and M350 – offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class Archer LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete technically advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. To learn more about Piper Aircraft, visit the company’s website at www.piper.com.
