Short description: Light aircraft type (prod. 1949–1955) GY-20 Minicab GY-201 Amateur-built in the UK Role | light aircraft Manufacturer | Constructions Aéronautiques du Béarn Designer | Yves Gardan First flight | 1 February 1949 Number built | 65[1] \+ ca. 130 homebuilt Variants | GY-30 Supercab The CAB GY-20 Minicab is a two-seat light aircraft designed by Yves Gardan and built in France by Construction Aeronautiques du Bearn (CAB)[2] in the years immediately following World War II. CAB was formed in 1948 by Yves Gardan, Max Lapoerte and M. Dubouts.[3] ## Design and development The Minicab is a conventional, low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage, powered by a Continental A65 engine. Its design was a scaled-down version of the aircraft that Yves Gardan had designed for SIPA, the SIPA S.90. The pilot and passenger sit side by side and access to the cockpit is via a one-piece perspex canopy that hinges forwards. Gardan's intention was to produce a low-cost, easy-to-fly, easy-to-maintain aircraft with the possibility of homebuilding.[4] ## Production The prototype Minicab first flew at Pau-Idron on 1 February 1949 with Max Fischl at the controls. CAB manufactured a total of about 65 Minicabs when production ended in 1955.[1][5] The rights for the plans were then acquired by Arthur Ord-Hume in the United Kingdom who anglicised the drawings and made various minor improvements for home-builders.[2] A large number were completed by amateur builders in the United Kingdom, France and other countries around the world.[4] There is about 20 Minicabs currently active in the United Kingdom, many of which were built (or rebuilt) to the JB.01 standard, developed by M. Jean Barritault, usually with a Continental C90 engine. Falconar sold plans for a tricycle gear homebuilt model named the Minihawk.[6] Another development is the K&S or Squarecraft Cavalier which is a redesigned Minicab in several versions with plans translated from French to English and modified by Stan Mcleod. The plans were marketed by K&S Aircraft of Calgary, Alberta and later MacFam.[7] ## Operational history Minicab built to Barritault JB.01 standard at Cranfield in 1960 Type certification was obtained in mid-April 1949. By the end of 1950, a Minicab had won the Coupe de Vitesse de Deauville (Deauville Cup for speed), and the Grand Prix Aérien de Vichy (Vichy Aerial Prize).[1] The following year, a Minicab broke the world air distance record for its class (1,825 km, 1,138 miles) and in 1952 it attained the world airspeed record for its class over a 2,000 km circuit, with an average speed of (183 km/h, 114 mph). One Minicab, G-AWEP, was flown by the ex-RAF fighter pilot Roland Beamont who was a test pilot at BAC Samlesbury. He made its first flight in 1969 and wrote that "the Minicab felt light and very responsive... landing required the delicate touch of a Spitfire pilot. In fact the overall control harmony is not dissimilar to that classic aeroplane".[8] ## Variants GY-20 Minicab CAB first production model.[4] GY-201 Minicab refined version with increased fuel capacity, reduced wingspan, strengthened undercarriage, split flaps, and castoring tailwheel.[5] CAB final production model and also principal homebuilt version.[4] Barritault JB.01 Minicab built to the modified design of Jean Barritault. Falconar Hawk Minicabs built to plans supplied by Falconar Falconar MiniHawk plans-built design from Falconar with tricycle undercarriage. MacFam Cavalier (K&S or Squarecraft Cavalier) Redesigned in several versions principally with tricycle and swept tail surfaces, and strengthened for a more powerful engine.[7] ## Specifications (GY-20) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57[9] General characteristics * Crew: one * Capacity: one passenger * Length: 5.45 m (17 ft 11 in) * Wingspan: 8.14 m (26 ft 8 in) * Height: 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) * Wing area: 10.15 m2 (109.3 sq ft) * Empty weight: 270 kg (595 lb) * Gross weight: 485 kg (1,069 lb) * Fuel capacity: 50 L (11 imp gal; 13 US gal) * Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65 four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 48 kW (65 hp) * Propellers: 2-bladed Merville wooden, 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) diameter Performance * Maximum speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn) * Cruise speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn) * Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) * Rate of climb: 3.0 m/s (590 ft/min) * Take-off run to 20 m (66 ft): 370 m (1,210 ft) * Landing run from 20 m (66 ft): 343 m (1,125 ft) ## See also * SIPA S.90 * Levi RL3 Monsoon ## References Notes 1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Canal Blog "Le Minicab" 2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jackson Vol II, 1988, p.377 3. ↑ Bruno Parmentier (2000-06-17). "C.A.B. GY-20 'Minicab' - Tourisme - Un siècle d'aviation française". Aviafrance.com. http://www.aviafrance.com/1611.htm. Retrieved 2022-08-31. 4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Ord-Hume, 2013, pp.204-205 5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Oldtimer-Homepage der Segel- und Motorfluggruppe Veterano, Birrfeld 6. ↑ "Falconar Plans". http://www.falconaravia.com/. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jackson Vol III, 1988, p.442 8. ↑ Beamont, 1980, p.153 9. ↑ Bridgman 1956, pp. 132–133. Bibliography * Bridgman, Leonard (1956). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57. New York: The McGraw-Hill Book Company. * Beamont, Roland (1980). Testing Years. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1072-2. * Jackson, A. J. (1988). British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume II. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-813-5. * Jackson, A. J. (1988). British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-818-6. * Ord-Hume, Arthur W. J. G. (2013). British Private Aircraft 1946–1970: Volume 2. Petersfield: MMP Books. ISBN 978-83-61421-92-4. * Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. p. 409. * Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 123. * AviaFrance CAB GY-20 Minicab * Canal Blog "Le Minicab" * Oldtimer-Homepage der Segel- und Motorfluggruppe Veterano, Birrfeld * Musée Régional de l'Air d'Angers-Marcé * The Rochester GYAT Flying Group 0.00 (0 votes) Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAB Minicab. Read more | Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engineering:CAB_Minicab&oldid=2336877"