Do you only recover Robinson helicopters?

Robinson is our specialty, R22, R44, R66, because we sell and service them every day and know exactly how they come apart and go back together. We will discuss other light helicopters case by case. Call APEX with the details.

My helicopter crashed off-airport. Who do I call first?

Call APEX before you call a crane. The first move, how the aircraft is lifted and secured, decides how much further damage is done. Our AOG (aircraft-on-ground) line gets a qualified crew moving.

Will a recovery hurt my insurance claim?

The opposite. We photograph condition before anything moves and rig only to factory lift points, which preserves salvage value and gives your adjuster clean, itemized evidence to act on.

How far will APEX travel for a recovery?

Our bases are Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE) and Danbury (DXR), and we recover across Florida and the Northeast routinely. For aircraft farther out we mobilize a crew and transport, call with the location.

Can you store the helicopter after recovery?

Yes. Salvaged and repossessed aircraft go into our secure hangars at FXE or DXR while you decide whether to repair, part it out, or sell.

Do you buy salvage or wrecked Robinsons?

Often, yes. We broker and part out in-house, so we can make an offer on a damaged airframe or handle the sale on your behalf.

HELICOPTER SALVAGE · RECOVERY · RETRIEVAL · REPOSSESSION

Robinson salvage & recovery

When a Robinson is down, crashed, grounded off-airport, in the water, or repossessed, APEX recovers it. As an authorized Robinson dealer and service center, we disassemble at the correct factory lift points, so the recovery never adds damage to an already-damaged aircraft. We retrieve, repossess, assess, and store, one shop, two bases, nationwide reach.

Why use an authorized Robinson dealer to recover a downed helicopter?

The line between a recovery and more damage is knowing where the airframe can be lifted, jacked, and slung. Robinson publishes specific hoist and jack points; rig anywhere else, a skid tube, the tailcone, the rotor mast, and you bend structure the accident left intact. APEX mechanics rig only to factory points, document condition before anything moves, and protect the salvage value your insurer is counting on. A general crane operator cannot tell an R44 from an R66; we built our shop around them.

What does APEX recover?

Crashed or hard-landed Robinsons, on-airport or off
Aircraft stranded by weather, terrain, or an expired component (AOG)
Water, shoreline, and confined-area recoveries
Remote and off-field sites with no road access
Repossessions for lenders, lessors, insurers, and government
Wreckage, partial airframes, and parts for salvage assessment

How a Robinson recovery works, step by step

Phone triage, location, condition, access, and hazards
On-site stabilization with full photo and video documentation
Field disassembly at factory lift, jack & hoist points, blades, mast, tailcone
Load, secure, and road-transport to FXE or DXR
Teardown, damage assessment, and a written repair-or-total recommendation
Insurance and FAA paperwork handled throughout

Helicopter repossession for lenders, insurers & government

When a note goes unpaid or an aircraft is ordered seized, APEX repossesses Robinsons cleanly and discreetly, securing the aircraft, recording its condition, times, and logbooks, and moving it to controlled storage. Because we are also the people who broker and service these aircraft, the lienholder gets an accurate value and a clear path to resale, not just a tow truck.

Salvage assessment, secure storage & return to service

A crashed Robinson is rarely a total loss until someone qualified says so. We tear the aircraft down, measure every component against current RHC limits, and give the owner or adjuster a straight answer: repair, part-out, or write-off. Salvaged and repossessed aircraft wait in our secure hangars at FXE and DXR until the decision is made, then we broker or part it out in-house. One shop, start to finish.

Working with your insurance adjuster

Most recoveries are insurance jobs, and we run them that way: condition photos before anything is touched, itemized findings the adjuster can act on, and direct coordination so you are not relaying messages between a crane crew and a claims desk. Protecting salvage value serves everyone, a lower repair bill and a higher resale both land on the same side of the ledger.

The wrong lift point turns a repair into a write-off.

After an incident, the airframe still has value, until the wrong sling or jack point crushes a longeron, twists the tailcone, or side-loads the mast. That damage is avoidable, and it is on whoever moved the aircraft. APEX rigs to the points Robinson designed for it, so the only damage your aircraft carries is the damage it already had.

Aircraft down now, AOG Talk to APEX

Helicopter recovery & salvage, FAQ

Do you only recover Robinson helicopters?: Robinson is our specialty, R22, R44, R66, because we sell and service them every day and know exactly how they come apart and go back together. We will discuss other light helicopters case by case. Call APEX with the details.
My helicopter crashed off-airport. Who do I call first?: Call APEX before you call a crane. The first move, how the aircraft is lifted and secured, decides how much further damage is done. Our AOG (aircraft-on-ground) line gets a qualified crew moving.
Will a recovery hurt my insurance claim?: The opposite. We photograph condition before anything moves and rig only to factory lift points, which preserves salvage value and gives your adjuster clean, itemized evidence to act on.
How far will APEX travel for a recovery?: Our bases are Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE) and Danbury (DXR), and we recover across Florida and the Northeast routinely. For aircraft farther out we mobilize a crew and transport, call with the location.
Can you store the helicopter after recovery?: Yes. Salvaged and repossessed aircraft go into our secure hangars at FXE or DXR while you decide whether to repair, part it out, or sell.
Do you buy salvage or wrecked Robinsons?: Often, yes. We broker and part out in-house, so we can make an offer on a damaged airframe or handle the sale on your behalf.