Our fleet

Cabri — G2

Two-seater, ideal for solo training

Description

The Guimbal Cabri G2 is a light, modern, two-seat helicopter particularly well suited to initial flight training: rugged, economical, and fitted with a shrouded tail rotor (Fenestron) that makes it one of the safest aircraft in its category.

Specifications

Number of seats: Two-seater
Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A, derated to 160 hp for take-off and 145 hp continuous
Maximum speed: Up to 100 kts (185 km/h)
Maximum gross weight: 1,543 lb (700 kg)
Endurance: 4 hours 30 minutes (170 L tank) — roughly 700 km (430 mi) range

Good to know about the Cabri — G2

Built right next to the club

The Cabri G2 is designed and assembled at Aix-en-Provence – Les Milles aerodrome — the very same aerodrome as Rotor Club Aixois.

The Fenestron: technology from bigger helicopters

Its shrouded tail rotor, inherited from Eurocopter/Airbus transport helicopters, reduces the risk of accidental ground contact — a genuine asset for training.

Designed for flight schools from day one

According to its designer Bruno Guimbal, the aircraft was built "to be the best trainer you could imagine": energy-absorbing crash seats and a reinforced composite structure.

The Cabri G2 was born from a bet: bringing transport-helicopter technology to small training aircraft. Its designer, Bruno Guimbal, an engineer at Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) where he worked on the Dauphin AS365 and EC120 Colibri helicopters, left the company in 2000 to found Hélicoptères Guimbal and bring his project to production. After several years of development and 300 hours of flight testing, the Cabri G2 received its EASA certification in December 2007.

A fun detail for Rotor Club Aixois students: the Cabri G2 is designed and assembled at Aix-en-Provence – Les Milles aerodrome, exactly where our club is based! Bruno Guimbal sums up his philosophy this way: "I designed it to be the best trainer you could imagine." The result: a shrouded tail rotor (Fenestron), a carbon-fibre structure, and energy-absorbing crash-resistant seats — technologies usually reserved for turbine helicopters, here fitted to a small piston-engined two-seater. Today, around 70% of Cabri G2s sold worldwide are used for flight training.

Frequently asked questions about the Cabri — G2

Is the Cabri G2 safe for learning to fly?

It was specifically designed for flight training: shrouded tail rotor (Fenestron), energy-absorbing crash seats, and a reinforced composite structure — technologies rarely found on an aircraft in this category.

Where is the Cabri G2 made?

At Aix-en-Provence – Les Milles aerodrome, by Hélicoptères Guimbal — the very same aerodrome as Rotor Club Aixois.

What's the difference between the Cabri G2 and the R44?

The Cabri G2 is newer (certified in 2007) and lighter, with a shrouded tail rotor (Fenestron) unique to its design. The R44 is an older, well-proven aircraft with a conventional exposed-blade tail rotor.