Cabri 2- new and improved
Bruno Guimbal, a former engineer for Eurocopter, has designed the Guimbal Cabri G2 which is a light piston engine helicopter that seats 2 people. This is a stylish looking helicopter that has three blades as well as a Fenestron style tail rotor. With a side-by-side style for seating, the passenger has a bird’s eye view while sitting right next to the pilot.
This helicopter has a Lycoming O-360 piston engine and was first flown back in March of 2005. One year later, the Cabri G2 set not one but three world records for helicopters in its class. The first was for a 21,844 foot altitude without a payload. Then, it climbed to 3000m in 6 minutes and 42 seconds. While climbing, it also set a record for the fastest climb to 6000m which it accomplished in 22minutes and 6 seconds.
Having been awarded the EASE (European Aviation Safety Agency) Type Certificate in 2007, the first production model rolled off the line in 2008.
The Cabri G2 is in a class with the Robinson R22 and the Schweizer 300 series helicopters. Surprisingly, it is not only holding its own, but it also seems to have garnered something of a following by pilots and owners who appreciate the additional space that is not to be found in the Robinson R22. They also seem to like the lighter weight than that of the Schweizer 300 CBi.
The Cabri G2 designers achieved both of these feats with one simple thing. The structure of the bird is made from a light weight carbon fiber. This enabled them to increase the size of the cockpit while actually decreasing the weight, which could also be a contributing factor in the records that it set.
Either way, this model deserves to be looked at by anyone who may be in the market for a new helicopter.
