Ok 'amateur' is maybe not appropriate. Calling this 'insulting' is not appropriate either! You are very sensitive (this is not an insult...) However the Cabri is manufactured in a workshop and not a factory. 10 pieces a year is nothing compared to Bell. Total flying time of the whole company is equivalent to nothing in this industry. Personnally I will wait few years... As I said I'm not willing to be a test pilot...

Vince - Maybe i conclude things incorrectly but I am assuming you might fly R22/R44 products which seem to fall from the sky often, which makes the comments about being a test pilot for a G2 odd.

Nevertheless, I do not have any experience in any of them but know I would never consider flying a Robby myself or let my family ride in one of them, maybe I am being irrational?...

maybe you are...

Can anyone with experience in the Cabri G2 tell something about the space inside the cockpit?
I don't fit inside a R22 in a comfortable way (S300 and R44 are better) since i'm 1.91 m (6ft 3 inches).

Just curious.

Tim

I am
 

I am... irrational (I am, therefore I think... as "what's his name" said*) I know but it's funny, I never could stand the sight of a Robinson 22 or 44 or 66... these aircrafts do not LOOK right... there is (in my opinion anyway) an imbalance in the proportions or rather something I cannot really define. As Marcel Dassault once said : "if it looks beautiful, it will perform beautifully..." probably speaking about his Mirage. A question of harmony that is kind of inbuilt in our brain? I know it's hard to explain as a helicopter is far from anything "naturally" imaginable and it works nevertheless. Some of them are realy nice to look at, some a bit less but their proportions are mostly harmonious... not the Robbys. I'd rather be an irrational doubting alive than a convinced rational dead...

*Good all Rene Descartes of course and the other way round....
Safe flying, Al

What I'm saying is that there is no statistics worth anything concerning the Cabri. There is just no experience.
I have been introduced to Cabri by their Australian reseller and have been impressed by their lack of professionalism. Everything in the discussion was so approximate...
Now regarding Robinson, I learned on R22 and don't fly it anymore. I like the R44, faster than a EC120, better inertia than R22 (easy!), very affordable.
Statistics on R44 are not bad if you remove accidents due to pilot error, cables,... There is the problem of mast bumping specific to two blades helicopters and of course that can't happen on a Cabri. But the R44 is easier to park!
Conclusion is that I would love to see a Cabri 4 seater in the future that would benefit from the experience of the current Cabri. I've read interviews of Mr Guinbal and it looks such project is not even considered.
I think that this company is maybe talented but it lacks of industrial ambition.

But that is exactly the point. You are going to make errors and in a R22/44 the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

I'm not sure any pilot gives a much care to the commercial success / sales volumes or marketing of the aircraft he is piloting does he?

This video suggests that while a larger version is not yet in the pipeline it's certainly in his head. He's excited by the prospect of a machine filling a gap in-between the Cabri and EC120 drawing on his Eurocopter experience (mentioned towards the end of the video).

Thank's Aucky, Gimbal is quite clear about a 4 seats but of course we'll have to wait, it took to Robinson 13 years after the first delivery of a R22 to deliver the first R44.

What nonsense!

The industrial ambition is evidenced in the reality of a new helicopter which meets current standards, and is available to buy and fly.

One which is being favorably received and reviewed.

Whom are you judging them against?

What a fantastic little machine - I had 5 mins with the machine today and took this very quickly to show off some of the detailing. Most impressive for me is the clarity and resolution of the Glass Cockpit display :ok:

Well, I have to slouch a bit to be OK (head clearance) with pretty much same height or 1cm less and Bose X headset in R22. I've seen taller guys flying R22, although their knees and torso remind me of harmonica.
It very much depends on the ratio of leg and torso lengths of an individual.

I'm 6'3 (with 36" inside leg and a short body), head room not too much problem for me in the R22 or Cabri, and even my legs felt very comfortable in the Cabri but I fly the R22 too and seem to fit, albeit slightly contorted. The Cabri feels much roomier, and the cyclic position is very comfortable.

About the size of the pilot, look at this one :

http://www.aerobuzz.fr/local/cache-v...ACKS-92844.jpg

1,88 m and 105 Kgs
Richie Mc Caw captain of the famous All Blacks (actuals world champions) :D
Flying regularly the Cabri G2
Richie McCaw flies high while the footy's on hold | Stuff.co.nz
.

Eco-friendly aircraft ? :)

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/ima.../25/213274.jpg

A very well detailed report about the G2 (page 13 to 16) with one flight test plus pilots and owner point of view.

I'm glad to see how New Zealanders love aviation, it was a real pleasure to read this magazine. :ok:

By the way, is it polite to say kiwis instead of New Zealanders ? I like the word ! :) (and it's much shorter ;))

http://www.kiwiflyer.co.nz/KiwiFlyer...0-Complete.pdf

.

Dear all,
I leave in france marseille and i'm flying at aix en rpovence (where the Guimbal firm is).
I'm also qualified on R22, R44,H300 and cabri G2.
I read a lot of critic about the G2...
Of course Cabri could have some negative point...
But this is a young aircraft, R22 and H300 are very old...
For me Cabri could have 1 negative point
The first the cyclic a little bit hard when this is your first flight with this aircraft....
This negative point is removed by all other qualities...

I think guy who flight in this aircraft more than 10 hours don't want to come back into R22 and H300...
Very easy to fly and very confortable...
And you can bring luggage ( or a red wine case) which is not possible in the R22 and the H300...Because there is cargo hold behind the pilot seat, you have also place below the two seats and a little box near rudder pedals.
Rudder pedal are ajustable today (first version not)...
You can have air conditionning and Ipad support...
And a plug to recharge you i phone or other...

As vinceWS i'm waiting for the Cabri G4...

If you try cabri G2 you should fly more than 10 hours in a row on it before to come back on H300 or R22...

When you fly in it don't think to compare with other aircraft just flight and test all that it is possible...Air conditionning, cargo hold (with fresh food and water or luggage), ipad support, the plug to recharger ipad or iphone or other...If you can make a long range trip it's better, over water or in desert, over town etc.

After that come back to R22 or H300 and lets see...

The only trouble is that a young aircraft then difficult for maintenance and not so much guys qualified on it...
within few year it will change i think...

If i have to buy a piston aircraft it will be R44 or Cabri G2 only..
R44 to take with me 3 passangers, the cabri G2 because it is clearly (for me) better than R22 and H300 even if i like to fly with R22 and H300 (but not for long range trip)...

Kiwi
 

Call us anything you like - we're used to it! Just don't call us Aussies. !!

Very good article. Thanks for posting!

G2
 

Jazzy ... couldn't agree more. But don't forget the following.
Plasma ignition
Glass cockpit
Stroking (safe) seats
5 hrs endurance
Really good autorotation handling
Responsive multi-blade disc ... nil mast bumping
Composite construction
Nil finite life components except Lycoming
Sensible payload
Neat on-board check log
Auto carb-heating .... I can go on.

Great ship. Great handling. Spacious cabin & luggage locker. Good looks. Quiet. Just a pity its a mite dear, but the best always is.

The finest two seater produced for many a year.

Regards to all. DRK