Richard 'Ric' Webb

Ric Webb

Richard 'Ric' Webb
File:RicWebb-BioBox2.pngRicWebb-BioBox2.png RicWebb-BioBox2.png Ric Webb during an interview (2022).
Born	March 11th, 1962 Los Angeles, California
🏫 Education	Central Texas College
💼 Occupation	Professional Pilot and Test Pilot

Richard 'Ric' Webb (born March 11th, 1962) is an American-born, professional pilot and veteran of multiple branches of the United States Military. He notably works as a test pilot in the eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) field of rotocraft and holds multiple world records in relation to his work in this field.

Early life and education

Richard ‘Ric’ Stewart Webb was born in Los Angeles, California in 1962. At a young age Ric was active in Boy Scouts of America youth programs such as the Cub Scouts, Webelos and Boy Scouts. By the age of 15 he was an avid SCUBA diving enthusiast and surfer. He graduated from Saint Louis High School Honolulu, Hawaii.

He joined the US Navy in 1979 at the age of 17 and was stationed aboard the USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073). At this time he was attached to the US Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During his time in the military he attended Central Texas College.

His first fixed wing solo flight was in July of 1982 at the age of 20. His first rotorcraft solo flight was in March of 1996 at the age of 34.

Career

Military Service

In 1979 he joined the Naval branch of the United States Military. After completing his basic training at the San Diego Naval Training Center in California he was stationed on the USS Robert E. Perry (FF-1073) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for the years of 1980-1982. During this time he traversed the equator and participated in the traditional line-crossing ceremony.

File:Ric Webb at the US Army War Games (circa 1985)..jpg

A photograph of Ric Webb at the US Army War Games (circa 1985).

He would go on to join the United States Navy Reserves as part of the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1 DET 319 based in Long Beach, California for the years of 1983-1985.

After his time in the Naval branch of the United States Military he would go on to join the United States Army in in 1985. After completion of his Army training in 1985 at Fort Jackson in South Carolina he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas as part of the Service Battery 3rd Battalion for the years of 1985-1987.

After his time in the Army branch of the United States Military he would go on to join the United States Coast Guard. He would serve as a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserves on the USCG Point Divide based in Newport Beach, California for the years of 1992-1994.

He would then go on to join the United States Coast Guard Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) united based in Arlington, Virginia for the years of 1994-2002.

After serving in the United States Coast Guard, he would go on to join United States Army National Guard as a member of Company B of the 640th Aviation Support Battalion based in Los Alamitos, California for the years of 2008-2010.

After serving in the United States Army National Guard, he would go on to serve in the United States Air Force National Guard as a member of the 216th OSS (Operations Support Squad) that organize, train and equip space, intelligence and communications professional who provide operational support functions for the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) based at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California for the years of 2010-2012. He would then go on to serve as a member of the United States Air Force Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) based in Buckley Airforce Base, Colorado for the years of 2012-2016.

Notably, during his service in the United States Airforce he received the Space Operations Badge (now issued to guardians of the United States Space Force).

Civilian Career

After 25 years of military service Ric Webb would go on to start multiple business ventures. In 2004 he co-founded R&R Card Systems, based in Carlsbad, California. R&R Card Systems provided US Patented banking products. Ric Webb had three US patents issued in his name during his time with the company. In 2016 he co-founded Identification Emergency Passport (ID-EI) which has also served as a Covid-19 Passport during the Covid-19 Pandemic within the United States.

Aviation

In 2007 he founded OC Helicopters, based at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, and started worked as a commercial helicopter pilot flying tours and charters. He has continued this work to the present day alongside his other commercial ventures. Starting in December of 2015 and continuing to the present day, OC Helicopters would begin testing electric helicopters and he would began working as a test pilot for Vertical Take-off and Landing – Electric (VTOL-E) aircraft as part of this venture. Notably he would set multiple world records in relation to the flight of electric helicopters. These include the first out of ground electric helicopter flight, the first 2-person electric helicopter flight, farthest distance travelled by electric helicopter, and the longest flight by an electric helicopter. In 2020 he would go on to found Eco Helicopters, a branch of OC Helicopters, which deals specifically with electric helicopters. Notably Eco Helicopters would go on to promote the EcoMax, an all-electric helicopter.

Electric aviation

(L-R) Dr. Martine Rothblatt, OC Helicopters Pilot Ric Webb, Tier 1 Engineering President Glen Dromgoole, United Therapeutics Executive Vice President Paul Mahon before a flight test at Los Alamitos Army Airfield.

Captain Ric Webb is the first pilot in the world to have actively test flown an eVTOL rotorcraft and the ninth pilot in the world to have actively test flown an eVTOL aircraft. His maiden eVTOL flight was conducted on September 13th 2016 in the prototype Electric Robinson R44 at the Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) - Los Alamitos, California, USA. The prototype Electric Robinson R44 that he flew was developed by Tier 1 Engineering while under contract from Lung Biotechnology PBC, a subsidiary of United Therapeutics Corporation, to produce an Electrically Powered Semi-Autonomous Rotorcraft for Organ Delivery (EPSAROD).

In 2020, he founded Eco Helicopters, an offshoot of charter company OC Helicopters. Eco Helicopters is based at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California and also has facilities in Palm Springs, California, at the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Innovation Hub and Accelerator Campus. Eco Helicopters eventually plans to begin Urban Air Mobility (UAM) charter flights in Southern California with a fleet of Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters that will be converted to electric propulsion as soon as the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Instead of waiting for the STC and then building an operating network with a fleet of electric-powered R44s, the company began to grow its UAM-type charter business in normal piston-powered R44s in the second quarter of 2021 with an eye towards transitioning them to electric power at a future date.

According to statements released by Eco Helicopters, it will share the benefits of what it says will be a much lower cost of operation from the electric motors with charter customers and the owners of helicopters that will be leased back to the operator. “The idea is to not wait for the final STC but to put aircraft into charter and tours and create that business model and keep expanding. Then we swap out the engine and install the electric power unit. We want to get in business now and not years from now,” said Ric Webb, Eco Helicopters CEO and owner and founder of OC Helicopters.

File:Glen and Ric 2019 American Helicopter Museum and Education Center-Award.jpg

(L) OC Helicopters Pilot Captain Ric Webb and (R) Tier 1 Engineering President Glen Dromgoole receiving the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center Award in 2019.

At OC Helicopters Ric Webb piloted the first test flight of the R44 fitted with the Electric Power Unit (EPU) and made Guinness World Record flights in the electric R44, including a five-minute flight at 400 feet and 80 knots, the first two-person electric helicopter flight, and speed record of 100 knots, and farthest distance.

Eco Helicopters is working with Tier 1 Engineering on development of the EPU, which will give the R44 an initial endurance of approximately 60 minutes, according to Webb. “United Therapeutics has contracted Tier 1 Engineering to develop the EPU and submit for the STC for the R44 to be used primarily for organ delivery. Tier 1 Engineering has a supply agreement with OC Helicopters for a ‘non-competing’ application.”

Awards and honors

On April 27th, 2019, the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center, based in Westchester California, held its annual gala and presented the Annual Achievement Award for innovation in rotary wing flight to Dr. Martine Rothblatt, chairman and CEO of United Therapeutics, and Glen Dromgoole, President of Tier 1 Engineering, for their Electric Powered Robinson R44, test-piloted by Captain Ric Webb of OC Helicopters.

World records

File:Ric Webb after his successful world record attempt..png

L-R, Glenn Dromgoole, Dr. Martine Rothblatt, OC Helicopters Pilot Captain Ric Webb and a Guinness Book of World Records adjudicator after the successful world record attempt.

On the 14 September 2016 the first out of ground electric helicopter flight (prototype) was achieved by Tier 1 Engineering, Dr. Martine Rothblatt, Lung Biotechnologies, and Ric Webb (all USA) in Los Alamitos, California, USA. This flight took place at the Los Alamitos Airfield under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Tier 1 Engineering team designed and integrated all of the helicopter sub-systems, which included 1,100 pounds (499 kg) of Brammo Lithium Polymer batteries, twin electric motors and a control system from Rinehart Motion Systems. The historic five-minute flight drained approximately 20% of the battery. The flight was accomplished at the Los Alamitos Army Airfield under a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category issued by FAA’s Los Angeles Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDO).

On 4 March 2017 the first 2-person electric helicopter flight was achieved by Dr. Martine Rothblatt and Tier 1 Engineering. The aircraft was piloted by Dr. Martine Rothblatt, with co-pilot Ric Webb, at a record speed of 100 knots.

On 7 December 2018 the farthest flight by an electric helicopter (prototype) (two person) was achieved by Tier 1 Engineering, Martine Rothblatt, Lung Biotechnologies, and Ric Webb (all USA) in Los Alamitos, California, USA. The distance of the flight was 56.82 km (35.00 miles). The helicopter was created by Tier 1 Engineering and flown by test pilot Ric Webb. The ultimate goal of this technology, as stated by Martine Rothblatt, is to secure federal approval of the batter-powered helicopters for use in transporting accident victims and organ transplants to hospital facilities.

In the News

In November 2013. 61-year-old Gregory McFadden jumped from a helicopter near the end of Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, California. On the Monday prior to this he had tried to charter a helicopter with OC Helicopters. Captain Ric Webb had sensed something was amiss with McFadden and had refused to fly him, eventually calling the police. The following day McFadden went to Cardinal Air Services and managed to charter a helicopter service which indeed would fly him that day. Shortly after takeoff, around 1:00 p.m. McFadden would jump from the Cardinal Air Services helicopter. The pilot, Mr. Chuck Street, attempted to stop him by grabbing his arm, but had to let go of McFadden’s arm in order to stabilize the aircraft.

References

External links

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-05wY41ht1s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_A4ac_yfL8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DGg1t_1Xfg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoxdtCnwIaw

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