CAB Minicab

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]

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]

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]

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]

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)

• SIPA S.90
• Levi RL3 Monsoon

Notes

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

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