CAB Minicab
{{Short description|Light aircraft type (prod. 1949–1955)}}
__NOTOC__
{{Infobox aircraft
|name= GY-20 Minicab
|image=Gardan GY-201 Minicab G-BGMR Wroughton 04.07.93 edited-2.jpg
|caption=GY-201 Amateur-built in the UK
|type=light aircraft
|manufacturer=Constructions Aéronautiques du Béarn
|designer=Yves Gardan
|first_flight=1 February 1949
|introduction=
|retired=
|status=
|primary_user=
|more_users=
|produced=
|number_built=65Canal Blog "Le Minicab" + 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)Jackson Vol II, 1988, p.377 in the years immediately following World War II. CAB was formed in 1948 by Yves Gardan, Max Lapoerte and M. Dubouts.{{cite web|author=Bruno Parmentier |url=http://www.aviafrance.com/1611.htm |title=C.A.B. GY-20 'Minicab' - Tourisme - Un siècle d'aviation française |publisher=Aviafrance.com |date=2000-06-17 |accessdate=2022-08-31}}
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.Ord-Hume, 2013, pp.204-205
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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070919185644/http://www.veterano.ch/minicab.htm Oldtimer-Homepage der Segel- und Motorfluggruppe Veterano, Birrfeld] 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. A large number were completed by amateur builders in the United Kingdom, France and other countries around the world. 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.{{cite web|title=Falconar Plans|accessdate=2 September 2013|url=http://www.falconaravia.com/}} 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.Jackson Vol III, 1988, p.442
Operational history
File:Gardan GY-20 F-PJKA Cranfield 09.60 edited-1.jpg
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). 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".Beamont, 1980, p.153
Variants
;GY-20 Minicab:CAB first production model.
;GY-201 Minicab:refined version with increased fuel capacity, reduced wingspan, strengthened undercarriage, split flaps, and castoring tailwheel. CAB final production model and also principal homebuilt version.
;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.
Specifications (GY-20)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57Bridgman 1956, pp. 132–133.
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=5.45
|length ft=
|length in=
|span m=8.14
|span ft=
|span in=
|height m=1.65
|height ft=
|height in=
|wing area sqm=10.15
|wing area sqft=
|empty weight kg=270
|empty weight lb=
|gross weight kg=485
|gross weight lb=
|fuel capacity={{convert|50|L|abbr=on}}
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Continental A65
|eng1 type=four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=65
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=Merville wooden
|prop dia m=1.64
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|max speed kmh=180
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|cruise speed kmh=170
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|ceiling m=4000
|ceiling ft=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=590
|more performance=*Take-off run to 20 m (66 ft): {{convert|370|m|ft|abbr=on}}
- Landing run from 20 m (66 ft): {{convert|343|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|avionics=
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
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References
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Bridgman|first=Leonard|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57|year=1956|publisher=The McGraw-Hill Book Company|location=New York}}
- {{cite book|last=Beamont|first=Roland|title=Testing Years|year=1980|publisher=Ian Allan|location=London|ISBN=0-7110-1072-2}}
- {{cite book |last= Jackson|first= A. J. |title=British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume II |year=1988 |publisher=Putnam |location=London|ISBN=0-85177-813-5}}
- {{cite book |last= Jackson|first= A. J. |title=British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III |year=1988 |publisher=Putnam |location=London|ISBN=0-85177-818-6}}
- {{cite book |last= Ord-Hume|first= Arthur W. J. G. |title=British Private Aircraft 1946–1970: Volume 2|year=2013 |publisher=MMP Books |location=Petersfield |ISBN=978-83-61421-92-4 }}
- {{cite book |last= Simpson |first= R. W. |title=Airlife's General Aviation |year=1995 |publisher=Airlife Publishing |location=Shrewsbury |page=409 }}
- {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |page=123 }}
- [http://www.aviafrance.com/1611.htm AviaFrance CAB GY-20 Minicab]
- [http://minicab.canalblog.com/ Canal Blog "Le Minicab"]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070919185644/http://www.veterano.ch/minicab.htm Oldtimer-Homepage der Segel- und Motorfluggruppe Veterano, Birrfeld]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928082211/http://www.musee-aviation-angers.com/avions.php?sid=44 Musée Régional de l'Air d'Angers-Marcé]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20041210072457/http://www.gardanhorizon.flyer.co.uk/gy80type.htm The Rochester GYAT Flying Group]
{{commons category|Gardan GY-20 Minicab}}
{{Gardan aircraft}}
Category:1940s French civil utility aircraft