The French aviation press this month reports details of the first flight of this new 2 seat piston-engined helicopter planned for JAR27/FAR27 certification and full scale production in 2006. The flight of 1h15 at Aix-les-Milles LFMA apparently went well and is the start of an 80h test programme. The designer, Bruno Guimbal, is formerly of Eurocopter R&D.
Notable features are the high inertia three-bladed fully articulated rotor with unlimited life composite blades, shrouded tail rotor, pretty carbon composite fuselage and crash-worthy seats and fuel system. The engine's a Lycoming (no-one says which one) with electronic ignition and silencer on the exhaust.
The helicopter has been chosen by Eurocopter as the basis for development into a drone.
Pictures at
http://helimat.free.fr/2005/avril/20.../image003.html
Company press release at
http://helimat.free.fr/2005/avril/ 20050401/Daniel_Liron/Communique_Cabri.pdf
I'll post a translation when I get time if anyone asks.