Cabri

[Savoia]

Dutch operator HeliCentre at Lelystad held a launch event on Saturday as they commence operations with a Guimbal Cabri G2. The company plans on using the helicopter for training, transport and self-fly hire according to their website.


HeliCentre's Cabri G2

The Cabri was purchased pre-owned from Germany. PH-HCC is serial 1010 and was D-HJOY with its previous owner.

HeliHub

HeliCentre

[Dennis Kenyon]

Just to nose in on a further topic where I've had some experience. .... I feel mighty chuffed when I read of the on-going success of Bruno Guimbal's super new helicopter. It would have been four years ago, I was invited by the then LOOP magazine to fly down to Aix en Provence to carry out an air test on the pretty G2. I later wrote how impressed I was and for my two pennorth, she would become a sure fire success since it outgunned anything else in the flying training market. All composite construction, not a finite life on any component (excluding Lycoming's engine) 5 hours endurance, plasma ignition, glass cockpit, Fenestron tail rotor, a huge luggage compartment and state of the art 'stroking,' and fire safe seats that withstand a 15 G stop I think it was. Three blades gave docile engine off handling, a conventional cyclic control system, a decent top speed so one has to wonder why anyone would buy anything else!

Now the schools are beginning to see the light and with the recession in recession, I see a bright future for Bruno's super design. Oh and if any of you take the trip to Provence, take a camera and an aerial peek at Cezanne's mountain nearby the airfield ... immortalised in his classic painting. Best wishes to all out there. Dennis K.

[Savoia]

Dennis (aka Denissimo) flying the Cabri in Aix-en-Provence during the first pilot review of the type

Word from HeliHub owner Jeremy Parkin is that the UK could see two more Cabri's in the near future.

Below, the Cabri in a 'fly off' in the Czech Republic.

http://www.lion-helicopters.cz/

[Steve]

Looks better than a Robinson.

[Savoia]

Looks better than a Robinson.

I think Guimbal has done a pretty god job of it, especially the aft portion of the fuselage, but (and being hyper-critical) I believe the nose could have benefited from just a little more creativity, perhaps in the style of the Helisport CH77?

I see that the new Swiss 'Marenco' helicopter is also planning to employ a fenestron. I thought Airbus had the patent rights for this design?


The Helisport CH77

[Dennis Kenyon]

Well ...good looks is one thing, but the aerodynamics guys also need to consider speed and combine both. Having said that, I did get the chance to fly the single seat C-47 Angel near Milano a few years back. No dual training possible so the CP just looked into the cabin as I got her started, asked me to make the first few cms of lever & cyclic movement before backing-off and leaving me to it. 'Twas a non-event and she flew like a dream.

Back to the Cabri G2 and one of the items that, like Alice ... becomes curiouser and you know what ... is that so much fuss is made about the price. No one complains at paying more for the higher build quality and more advanced features of say, the Lexus or Jaguar, but will happily nail the pretty Cabri that possesses the advanced features I mentioned in post 2 above. I occasionally get comparisons of my displays in a tiny piston Enstrom or Schweizer type with the mighty Lynx. As much as I admire the big beastie, I can't and won't be copying her incredible manoeuvres. But I bet someone will one day!

Take care all Aviafora guys. DRK

[Savoia]

I did get the chance to fly the single seat C-47 Angel near Milano a few years back. No dual training possible so the CP just looked into the cabin as I got her started, asked me to make the first few cms of lever & cyclic movement before backing-off and leaving me to it. 'Twas a non-event and she flew like a dream.

Nice to hear!

Still trying to understand if its a 'free-for-all' out there for manufacturers wishing to employ the fenestron design (as with Guimbal and Marenco) or whether Airbus/Eurocopter/Aérospatiale still hold the patent?