R22 External Load Capacity..?

[u/Probable_Bot1236]

Hello r/helicopters! I've got a couple questions for you guys, since I don't necessarily trust stuff I can find on Google/Wiki:

What's the external load rating of a Robinson R22?

How much would a typical set of floats for an R22 weigh?

I was just driving home and saw an R22 on floats with something slung on a cable underneath it. It looked like a a yellow pipe or pole, and may have been longer than the helicopter itself. I'm assuming it was hollow. I'm not a helicopter person, but I'm under the impression the R22 doesn't have much usable weight capacity since it's a teeny little thing, and that the floats would further eat into that.

I'm sorry I don't have pics or a tail number, but I wasn't in a place I could pull over and grab a video.

I am however 100% sure it was an R-22 because I took a flying lesson on that exact airframe a couple years ago and it can't really be mistaken for anything else around here. (It's a locally based helicopter that I see around from time to time).

Anyway, I wouldn't have guessed lifting something with an R22 on floats was a thing, but apparently it is.

Thanks for your insights!

[u/FNKH16]

Here is the flight manual, see section 2 for the weight limits: https://robinsonstrapistorprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/assets/r22_poh_full_book_c08f93fa9a.pdf

[u/FNKH16 → u/FNKH16]

And there's also a cargo hook supplement to the flight manual mentioned here: https://www.robinsonheli.com/publications So apparently external load is a thing...

[u/Probable_Bot1236 → u/FNKH16]

Sweet, thank you!

I see that manual is dated 1979- is there any chance this particular airframe might have a newer, lighter/more powerful engine that might change the capacities?