Latest news from Cabri G2 in Northern Europe

The European agency EASA delivered to Helicopteres Guimbal its final approval for the optional installation of an emergency flotation system on their helicopter Cabri G2, on January, 14th 2011.

This success results from significant development efforts, over two years, from the manufacturer and its partner, the world specialist Zodiac Aerazur.

Three flight testing campaigns, including two at sea, and several live deployments were involved to cover the flight envelope.

The Cabri flotation system features a number of exclusive innovations, each of them giving the helicopter operators an operational benefit :

• Its use and deployment are validated in flight throughout the Cabri’s flight envelope, up to 130 kts, without any limitation or performance penalty,
• The flotation system is perfectly integrated, and keeps the standard landing gear and nearly the same baggage capacity,
• The floats while folded in their canister can be installed and removed in a few minutes by the pilot alone, without tool,

The system comprises a purposely designed, high-reliability electronic box which ensures an automatic backup deployment of the floats, trough immersion sensing.

This new equipment opens to the Cabri G2 new markets involving flying over water, where only one competitor exists.

It comforts the Cabri in its position of high passive and active-safety helicopter.

The first Cabri equipped with the new system was introduced in service by a private operator based in Monaco.

The Cabri G2 now expands its flying to the other side of the world! Two Cabri G2s have been purchased by an Australian company, and the first of the two were delivered in January 2011.

The Cabri now has a number of different nationalities: German, Swedish, French, Romanian and now also Australian. With one new helicopter leaving the factory each month, this shows a promising future to this newcomer in the helicopter world!

Cabri G2 har inte funnits på marknaden så länge, så den maskin med flest timmar är fortfarande prototypen med 611 timmar.

Näst högst ligger Cabri G2 med serienummer 1003 som nu ligger på 503 timmar, tätt följd av två maskiner som används av en flygskola idag och som vardera har cirka 250 timmar totalt. De två maskinerna flyger dock ungefär 20 timmar per vecka i dagsläget. Det ser ut som att ledarpositionen snart kommer att se annorlunda ut!

Vår första svenska Cabri G2, serienummer 1011, har idag 51 timmar. 

Det finns sex operatörer runt om i världen idag som flyger Cabri, inom kort är det åtta, och enligt tillverkaren själv siktar de på att successivt öka produktionstakten till 25 maskiner per år under 2011-2012 mot 15 maskiner idag. Cabri G2-flottan byggs på hela tiden – det är en maskin som är här för att stanna!

Cabri G2s operatörer finns i Frankrike, Monaco, Österrike, Tyskland och Sverige.

Northern Helicopters i Jönköping har nu påbörjat utbildning på Cabri G2.

Läs mer under  Utbildning>>