Helicopteres Guimbal announced another significant milestone that keeps the Cabri G2 at the front of the pack for being the most advanced and safest trainer on the market.
The FAA has approved Service Bulletin 17-009 that allows the pilot to use additional horsepower from the aircraft’s Lycoming 0360-J2A. Previously, the allowed power had been 145 horsepower. The new rating allows the pilot to utilize 160 horsepower without any negative implications to operating costs or additional inspections.
Operators, who have predominantly been flight schools in the U.S., have anxiously been awaiting this approval. Chris Bailey of Midwest Helicopters, who operates four Cabris with more planned to come in 2018 states, said, “The Cabri has been a safe and reliable training platform for our school. With the new bulletin, the additional power will further enhance the margins of safety we’ve come to rely on.”
Once operators have downloaded the new software into the aircraft’s EPM (similar to the Airbus VEMD), different pilots have said, “It is a different aircraft coming out or into a tight landing area.” “So good!” “It’s now a mini Astar B3.”
Guimbal’s U.S. distributor, Precision Helicopters, will soon be closing out with its best year of Cabri G2 sales thus far. “Bruno Guimbal just keeps making the already impressive aircraft better. Needless to say, we are very happy with this new feature,” said David Rath, Precision’s managing director.
The Cabri G2 now has nearly 140,000 flight hours on the fleet worldwide with no serious injuries occurring to date. The 200th aircraft was delivered this year, and aircraft number 215 is in production now. Over 10 percent of the fleet has made its way to the U.S. since its certification by the FAA in 2015. The aircraft remains arguably the safest small helicopter despite the aircraft predominately being used in the strenuous training environments globally.
Long way to go before it can prove itself against the Hughes 300
So happy to hear this. I already thought the G2 was a superior trainer. This is just icing on the cake. And to do it with just a software update???? Come on…….THAT is the brilliance of a modern helicopter. Thank you for thinking outside the box Mr. Guimbal.
The software of the EPM has never been downloadable : you have to remove a memory card and insert a new one, nothing more, nothing less.
It may be great for training, but not so much for renting after that training is over! I read some are charging almost $100 more per hour than I pay for an R22! In 15 years of flying the R22 I have never felt as if I were not safe, so its gonna take a lot to convince me that this Cabri is worth the higher price!