.
with this G2 in a very discreet livery, there will be in Canada 7 G2 operating in less than one year !
News from HeliHub : HeliHub.com BC Helicopters to add second Guimbal Cabri G2


http://helihub.com/wordpress/wp-cont...-green1-2x.jpg

Good to see more coming to North America.

Is everyone enjoying the power upgrade?

In other news the Android app, HeliBalance, now has the weight and balance profile for the Cabri added. Thanks Matt.

.
Hello noscargo,

according to the comments in the middle of these news, the power upgrade seems promising : https://www.verticalmag.com/press-re...2-gets-better/
.

There's a good reason (which currently escapes me) why the drive shaft cover on a Cabri G2 needs to be all white. Except this one, it seems.....

http://tinyurl.com/ycwjwsko

If I remember rightly it's to reflect UV light. The upper tailboom and inboard section of the horizontal stabilizers should be gloss white, there is a specific section for it in the G2 maintenance manual.

And according to the comments, the software is downloadable, what is false. You have to replace the memory card of the EPM.

C.S.

Not for UV light, for all the light and especially IR. If not, the exposed top is too hot and the differential dilatation of the tail is harmful.

C.S.

That is understandable, I would prefer the term differential expansion better, dilatation is better used in a context of a balloon or a blood vessel.

does that mean the tail will sag when you park it in the in the sun? how about other rotorcrafts?

I have read the thread on a fatal accident in the UK involving a Cabri. Is this terribly sad news the first fatality in a Cabri? I can't think of any others.

Yet another acronym to learn: LTR. Loss of Tailrotor Rigidity.

2nd flight in cabri
 

2nd flight today in cabri. Last heli flight 10 yrs ago in an R22 sitting a CPL flight test so obviously extremely rusty to say the least. I'm about to pump through some hours to get back up to speed. Tending to lean towards the R22 again maybe just because it's what I'm use to but from a learner opinion I find it more responsive. With all the amazing features of the Cabri I didn't Gell with the sticky anti torque and the close to the ground characteristics. A Gem to fly straight and level but on recollection I can't remember being able to see the skids. Is that important ? Not sure. Awesome technology, dig the cockpit layout. Personally not my preference at this time. I'll post again after having been back in the R22. Keen to hear others thoughts.

See my post in this thread, #1149. Same sort of thing, me being someone with Robinson-only time getting a first couple of hours in the G2. My review was not exactly hard-hitting but I think in general agreement with your initial reactions to the G2.

I thought alphanumeric's follow up post was more frank and to the point, and in a much more direct way it also matched my initial impressions. Alas, his post appears to have been deleted, but a quote from it lives on in this thread in post #1150, which I'll repeat here:

Not totally sure I agree with (c), but the rest of it certainly. Perhaps (a) is now somewhat mitigated by the recently revised power limits, but I have not flown a G2 since then and will be unlikely to ever fly one again unless they become insanely popular in the US (also unlikely).

I was describing it not too long ago to someone that I fly with here and said to him "Less power and performance than an R22, the fit and finish of a Mercedes, all at the cost of an R44".

I did very much enjoy pushovers and the auto-rotative performance of three blades, though. Nevertheless, from a pure utility standpoint, for the money you'll get a lot more done with an R44. Perhaps someday Robinson will build an R44 with a similar rotorhead.

Thanks for the reference to your post. Its helpful to have discussion around specifics. After my stint I was unable to accurately put my finger on the reason why I wasn't gelling with the G2. All in all a fabulous aircraft and Your info has left me better prepared should i consider another go. Regarding the R22, it's good to see the debate take place. We are fortunate to have a very high time old..er !!! R22 instructor in our town who a few moons ago cut his teeth in the venison trade in new zealand finishing on sky cranes in Asia and Europe. He was instrumental in introducing the R22 to the venison industry and it is rumoured that Frank himself visited nz to witness this pilot slinging venison underneath his beloved 2seat trainer. Throughout my PPL / CPL training with him i do not recall any uncomfortable experiences or find him hovering over the controls in anticipation. Maybe my preference for the 22 is due to a positive training environment from a competent instructor. Interestingly. He now instructs in the G2 also, and loves it.

The Cabri is in my very humble opinion the future of heli training in the civil world. After a ppl (h) in predominantly the r22 the nagging concern prevailed that in the wrong conditions the r22 could 'mast bump'. I am aware that if flown defensively the r22 is relatively safe but after my lst I came to the conclusion that the risk versus reward did not add up. I have flown the Cabri and it is a fine helicopter which although I know any flying machine is 'crashable' the Cabri for recreational flying just makes more sense.

For fifteen years I have found the R22 to be perfect (and a lot of fun) for recreational flying! If one day they want me to start renting a Cabri instead, they're going to have to price it cheaper than the R22!

Interesting - an engineer I spoke with only last week told me the Cabri was the most boring aircraft he's ever dealt with because at every scheduled maintenance he completes the checks and finds nothing wrong......

He did comment that there's a few electrical niggles here and there, but fewer than he expected given that it is French (Outrageous accent and all...). Otherwise, he never puts a spanner on it.

.
Hello VF :)

Nice pic of a very rare type in Australia !

Nothing changes downunder, your compatriots buy most of the new R22 and R44 Cadet but still no G2.

They have their reasons.
.

Cost is the main reason. Them R22's are cheap crhap..:)

From my 2012 post #255: Not a bad bit of kit - yer can do somethin like a snap roll in them (well thats what it felt like to me) and stay in one piece...

Tad pricey to be chasing the moo's with though - and what robby trained bush mechanic is going to know what to do with all them plastic parts..





.

What value do You place on Your precious Life? :eek: Bruno has built a bombproof machine that’s stable, SAFE & a dream to Auto..with a better donk soon to come :ok:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...5CEE243F33.jpg

G’day HeliHenri.....’tis aboot da coins, nuffin’ else. :ugh:
————————————————————————————-
Hoy there Flying Binghi......in the loooong run the G2 will be tons cheaper :}



http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...EE68004740.jpg

Can I ask a question about this “In the long run they are way cheaper” claim?

How are people determining this? Surely if this were genuinely anything like the case, there would never be a flying school in the world using an R22 again? Flight instruction in a Cabri is considerably costlier than in an R22 and so the profit margins for the schools must be great! I just cannot see where they come out so much cheaper.

That's all well and good, but then why are the US schools charging $250/hr for R22 rental, $450/hr for an R44, and $450/hr for a G2?

$450/hr for this new Cabri!!!?

Are you sure about that? I only know of two schools here that have them, and they don't have the price on their website?

There is a good chance the schools own or lease back the R22's and so don't really pay for the capital cost.

The G2 is expensive to buy and so if they are mortgaged, lets say 80% LTV, on a (350K EURO) $420K machine then the repayments on a mortgage are $47K per year based on 5% over 10 years. If the machine flies 250hr/year then that's $188/hr in additional cost over the R22.

Purchase price is an important parameter, even for hard working machines.

I personally think the G2 is not terribly attractive as a private owner machine, as its too slow and can't carry enough. Therefore, there will be very few wealthy owners buying them for personal use and then leasing back to schools to offset fixed costs.

I’m aware of the cost of overhaul kits. But Cabri’s still need engine overhauls and presumably still have parts that wear out, they just don’t need replacing routinely every 2200 hours or 12 years.

I agree with you all that initial purchase cost is an important part of the overall costs. This is my point, and is why I simply don’t believe that overall the Cabri is any cheaper than the R22 despite the many claims.

Reading these interesting and precises figures, I can only say that :

1/ US pilots are very very stupids to pay the same price to fly a G2 or a R44 with 4 seats and much more powerfull.

2/ If 1 doesn't apply, some US operators are very very stupids tu buy a model so expensive to run that no pilot fly it.

So 1 or 2 ?
.

For many years Enstrom has had a helicopter that is safe and easy to fly,...built like a tank was my impression when I flew it! So why did it never drop the R22 from its place at the top of the training list? One word,...

Price!

As far as the R22 overhaul goes, I have never seen an R22 come back to a school when it has reached its overhaul time. I'm guessing schools just trade them in for another one instead?

.
Yes, they are higher but not that much

Texas Rotorwing Academy : G2 350$ solo rental (no R22 or R44 in the fleet)

Revolution Aviation : flight training R22 305$ / G2 390$ 5VFR/IFR) / R44 570$
.

Wow that is good.
My local school in the UK charge £438 plus an £18 landing fee.

I searched on "Cabri G2 Hourly Rate" and the very first hit at the top of the search results was this:

https://flymidwest.com/resources/hourly-rates/

They list $450/hr.

Apparently that's high. Searching a little more I'm finding prices more like $380/hr. Still significantly more than an R22. Example:

http://www.eatsleepfly.com/helicopte...ining-pricing/

Not universally true. The school where I learn rebuilds them. Of course they are also a Robinson dealer and service center, which may put them in a special category.

I had thought about going down to Revolution (as they are only about a five hour drive away) but $390,...? That's a bit steep just to check out a 2-seater!

Wow, $570 for an R44! I've never paid that much to fly one of those, and with around 100 hours in them, I can assure you that the R44 ain't worth that much green! Plus, what student can afford $570/hr,...!?

That Cabri in Texas is about $100 more than what I pay to rent an R22 in California, but that $305that Revolution charges in

When I visited the UK back in March of this year, I put a couple of hours on the G2, just to get the experience, and it cost me £432 per hour dual including VAT for a total of £864.

Here in the US, in an R22, those same two hours of dual would cost me $275 per hour including all taxes, for a total of $550, or £408 at the current exchange rate. Less than half! A bit of apples and oranges, since there are exchange rates in there, but quite a dramatic difference!

Cost not withstanding, I definitely found the experience worth doing once, as expensive as it was for me. Indeed, looking at VF's thread, he just proclaimed the G2 the best/easiest to auto-rotate after the 407. No wonder I thought it was so easy to auto :) However, the cost differential between flying Robinson and Cabri falls into the category of fly or don't fly for me, and the risk/reward calculator that lives somewhere in the mushy thing in my head has calculated that the flying is worth the risk.

G’day aa777888.......Please read it as 47, thanks, as posted (not 407, they auto like a brick)...the Mighty Queen of the Sky; the B47 :D

Happy landings :p

One UK website, the R22 "trial lesson" option is 86% of the cost of the G2 option.

You're right that's why a lot of schools around the wolrd offer the G2 and the R44 and this couple seems to work quite well.

But of course, the ultimate solution will be soon the G2/G4 combinaison.
.

Unless the G4 costs the same as an R66 ;)

P.S. B47, check VF! :ok:

Curious about this. I got an hour in the G2 at Redhill a while back and thoroughly enjoyed it, including a couple of autos. They went well, but not sure what makes it best/easiest. I have literally hundreds of autos in the R44 and don't find it especially difficult. Of course you have to be super focussed on everything at once, but once you get the hang of it - no harder than every other aspect of flying helis. I didn't find the G2 easier - what would that mean? Does it mean you have wider tolerance on RRPM and IAS than the R44, so you can afford to be distracted?

Just curious. Can't afford either anyway.

Just to clarify, VF wrote B47 in his other thread, I misquoted him and wrote 407, but he was comparing it to the 47. OK, now that that is out of the way...

I have only the 22, 44 and G2 to compare. I've never flown anything else. With the G2 compared to the others, I wouldn't say that "you can afford to be distracted", but, yes, with the much wider band of allowable RRPM, combined with the much greater inertia of the rotor system, I noticed a dramatic difference. To me it was so much easier, the workload was that much lower. And my only full down ever is in the G2 (in Robinsons they are not typically done below the CFI level in the US--it's a risk/reward thing ;)). The instructor surprised me with an unplanned "Land it" on the last auto. I simply put it on the ground like it still had the power on. It was, surprisingly, that easy. No fuss, no muss. So easy I had the old student doubts about "Did I do that?" So I asked the instructor "Was that all me?" And it was! :O It's worlds different than an R22 or even an R44 IMHO. Apparently up there with the best there is, the B47 (not that I would know about that myself).